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30 August 2018
Armed Mexican National Indicted for Marijuana Cultivation Operation in National ForestRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment today against Marco Lizandro Duarte-Beltran, aka Marco Antonio Duarte-Beltran, 32, an undocumented alien from Mexico, charging him with conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, manufacturing marijuana, damaging public lands and natural resources, being an alien in possession of firearms, and being a previously deported alien found in the United States, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers located 1,865 marijuana plants in the Millwood Creek area of the Sequoia National Forest after a two-month investigation. Duarte-Beltran was apprehended at the marijuana cultivation site. He was armed with a loaded revolver and had access to a loaded rifle at his campsite where he was living while growing the marijuana.
The marijuana cultivation operation caused significant damage to the land and natural resources. Native vegetation and tree limbs had been cut and thinned out to make room for the plants. Three areas had been terraced for the campsite. Water had been diverted from a water source on federal land to irrigate the plants. Throughout the grow site, law enforcement officers found irrigation tubing, trash, seed trays, seed pots, fertilizers, and pesticides.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP), California National Guard, Fresno Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of the drug conspiracy and manufacturing offense, Duarte-Beltran faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison, as well as a $10 million fine. The environmental, firearms, and immigration crimes all carry a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000. In addition, Duarte-Beltran may be liable for restitution to the U.S. Forest Service for damage sustained to the land and natural resources as a result of the cultivation activities. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Apprehended in an Internet “Sting” Operation, St. Croix Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Coercion and Enticement for Illegal Sexual Activity Involving Internet PostingsRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – On Thursday, August 30, 2018, Josue Navarro, 36, of St. Croix, Virgin Islands, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge George Cannon, Jr., to attempted coercion and enticement for illegal sexual activity, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
According to the plea agreement filed with the court, on or about June 23, 2017 to June 25, 2017, law enforcement officers operating in an undercover capacity created and posted ads online. The post was captioned "home 4 the summer, looking fun in the sun NSA." The ad was posted by a law enforcement officer posing as a 14-year-old female named "Niema."
On June 24, 2017 at 8:43 p.m., "Niema" asked the defendant if he brought something "cause I don’t wanna get pregnant, my mother will kill me," to which the defendant responded "yes." At 9:03 "Niema" told the defendant she was 14. At 9:18 p.m., the defendant said "[L]emme come get you n we go get whatever it is u want."
At 11:02 the defendant texted the following to "Niema" and in highly graphic language offered suggestions as to methods and means for sexual penetration which he offered to provide to "Niema."
On June 25, 2017, at 1:19 p.m., the defendant texted "Niema," asking to engage in other sex acts involving carnal knowledge. At 4:35 p.m., the defendant told "Niema" "[L]et me come pick you up." The defendant was to meet with "Niema" at an arranged location in St. Croix and was taken into custody by law enforcement.
Navarro faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has been set for January 2, 2019.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.
Alien and Native and Citizen of Honduras Indicted for Illegal Reentry after DeportationRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA, PA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Lester Antonio Dionicio-Elias, 33, of Drexel Hill, PA, was charged today by indictment with illegal reentry after deportation.
The indictment alleges that the Dionicio-Elias, an alien and native and citizen of Honduras, was previously deported from the United States on or about May 7, 2008. At some point between May 2008 and 2013, Dionico-Elias allegedly reentered the United States illegally. If convicted of this current illegal reentry offense, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 2 years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ICE”), and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meaghan A. Flannery.
An indictment, information or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Alabama Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing over $700,000 from Her Employer and Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
An Alabama woman pleaded guilty today to six counts of wire fraud and three counts of filing false tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin Sr. for the Middle District of Alabama.
According to court documents, from February 2007, through May 2014, Alita Baker Edeker, a resident of Valley, Alabama, embezzled $700,000 of her employer’s funds for her own personal benefit, by directing her company’s clients’ payments to debit and credit cards she controlled. Edeker made false statements and representations in the company’s books and records in order to conceal her embezzlement. After embezzling the funds, Edeker willfully filed false tax returns for tax years 2011, 2012, and 2013, that did not report the money.
Edeker faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count and three years in prison for each count of filing a false tax return. Edeker also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman and United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin Sr. commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Auburn, Alabama Police Department, who investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Ben Baxley and Trial Attorney Grace Albinson of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting this case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Akron man indicted for using a fraudulent Social Security number and falsely overstating his income to obtain $300,000 mortgageRead the Press Release
An Akron man was indicted for using a fraudulent Social Security number and falsely overstating his income to obtain a mortgage of more than $300,000.
Bobbie W. Williams, a.k.a. Robert W. Williams, 56, was indicted on one count of bank fraud and two counts of bankruptcy fraud.
The indictment alleges Williams falsified information on his loan application in order to secure the purchase of the property located on Ridgewood Road in Akron. Then, after WILLIAMS could not make the payments on the property and it went into foreclosure, he falsified information in his bankruptcy petition, including his true identity and his ownership of the Ridgewood Road property.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark S. Bennett, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Good, Trial Attorney, United States Trustee, after an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General and the Cleveland office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
20 Individuals Charged with Drug Trafficking in Puerto Rico Project Safe Neighborhoods Enforcement EffortRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On August 23, 2018, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment against 20 defendants charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances in the municipality of Guaynabo, announced Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD), Bayamón Strike Force Unit, are in charge of the investigation. This case is part of the US Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative.
The indictment alleges that beginning in or about 2013, the organization distributed heroin, cocaine base (crack), cocaine, marihuana, Oxycodone (commonly known as Percocet), Alprazolam (commonly known as Xanax), and Tramadol all within 1,000 feet of the real property comprising the La Rosaleda Public Housing Project, a housing facility owned by a public housing authority, the Yambele Ward (“Barrio Yambele”), and other areas nearby, and within the Municipalities of Guaynabo and San Juan, Puerto Rico, all for significant financial gain and profit.
The 20 defendants acted in different roles in order to further the goals of their organization, to wit: leaders, drug point owners, enforcers, runners and sellers. Thirteen of the defendants are facing one charge of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crime.
According to the indictment, it was further part of the manner and means of the conspiracy that individuals suspected of cooperating with law enforcement, or who were suspected of not being loyal to the organization or its members, were forcefully evicted from their apartments at the La Rosaleda Public Housing Project. Organization members would then keep the apartments, at times with the acquiescence of La Rosaleda’s administration.
As part of the conspiracy, armed conspirators provided security to the drug point. The organization and its leaders would maintain contact with its incarcerated members through the use of cell phones.
The defendants are: [1] Jean Carlos Benitez-Meléndez, a.k.a. “Wako/Yanki/W”; [2] Santos Daniel Rondón-García, a.k.a. “Dan”; [3] Allen Miranda-Meléndez, a.k.a. “Duke/Alex Miranda/Dk”; [4] Santos Meléndez-Pizarro, a.k.a. “Peligro/Danger/Kiko/K”; [5] José Cabrera-Cañuelas, a.k.a. “Cheo”; [6] Jesús Alexis Pastrana-González, a.k.a. “Alexis Pastrana/Pastrana”; [7] Javier Meléndez Castro, a.k.a. “Verdugo/Melen”; [8] Brian D. López-Torres, a.k.a. “El Gordo”; [9] Pedro Cuevas-Berrios, a.k.a. “Piri/Goldo”; [10] Edgar Cana-Serrano; [11] Joshua Joel Luna-Irizarry; [12] Brandon Joseph Alago-De Jesús; [13] Ángel Luis Rosado-Meléndez, a.k.a. “Chino”; [14] Eduardo Benitez-Meléndez, a.k.a.“Mamel”; [15] Adams García-Camacho, a.k.a. “Adam”; [16] Ángel Damian Febus-Meléndez, a.k.a. “Damian/Ak”; [17] Ian Dariel La Santa-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Menor”; [18] Nelson O. López-Ortega, a.k.a. “Zombi”; [19] Luis Albert Bonilla, a.k.a. “Albert”; [20] Julio David Andino-Diaz, a.k.a. “Jdian”.
“This indictment and the arrests this morning are a significant victory in our efforts to combat drug trafficking and violent crime,” said Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We will continue to conduct investigations with our counterparts to dismantle these criminal organizations and to send a clear message that drugs, firearms, and violence will not be tolerated in our neighborhoods.”
“This successful investigation was a result of the dedicated efforts of the men and women of ATF Puerto Rico who work diligently, every day, to ensure the safety of our citizens,” said Ari Shapira, ATF Special Agent in Charge of the Miami Field Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa S. Zapata-Valladares is in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life in prison. Indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal program designed to bring 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 each community’s most violent criminals. Attorney General Sessions directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as the local civilian community, to develop effective, targeted strategies to reduce violent crime. This case is a product of that collaborative effort.
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12 Members/Associates of the CBL/BFL Gang Indicted, Charged with Murder and Assault in Aid of Racketeering, Racketeering and Narcotics Conspiracy, and Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging 12 members and associates of the CBL/BFL Gang with racketeering and narcotics conspiracy; possession of firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence; and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.
Named in the indictment are:
• Shawn Woods, a/k/a Pif, 26; • Michael Walker, a/k/a Yam, 27; • Mikel Lowe, a/k/a L-O, 24; • Aaron Mack, a/k/a Dean, a/k/a Deano, 26; • Shameris Washington, a/k/a GB, 20; • Maurice Rice, a/k/a Reese, 20; • Dalvon Curry, a/k/a Dale, a/k/a Dalo, 22; • Dajon Nettles, a/k/a Gucc, 24; • Larell Watkins, a/k/a 90-Ls, 20; • Larry Watkins, Jr., 26; • Larquon Watkins, a/k/a 90, 25; and
• Rashad Rose, a/k/a Gotti, 23.In addition:
• Defendant Dalvon Curry is charged with two murders in aid of racketeering. On December 5, 2015, he is accused of shooting and killing rival gang member Jaquan Sullivan. And on January 1, 2017, he is accused of shooting and killing Xavier Wimes.
• Defendant Larell Watkins is charged with one murder in aid of racketeering for providing Dalvon Curry with the firearm used to shoot and kill Xavier Wines.
• Defendants Shawn Woods, Rashad Rose, and Aaron Mack are charged with assault in aid of racketeering.Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul C. Parisi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, the defendants are members and associates of the CBL/BFL Gang which stands for, among other things, “Cash Been Long” and “Brothers for Life.” The gang, which was involved in the illegal possession and distribution of narcotics, was formed around 2009 and operates primarily in the City of Buffalo at the Towne Gardens Housing Complex. The Towne Gardens served as a central hub for the gang with many members living within the housing complex, and many housing units used to store firearms and narcotics. Parking lots and business fronts adjacent to the Towne Gardens were utilized by members of the gang to distribute street level quantities of narcotics, including heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, and other controlled substances.
The gang used violence, including murder and attempted murder, threats, and intimidation to defend their territory against rivals and anyone deemed to be a threat to the gang. An attack on a member typically resulted in retaliation by all members of the gang. Members and associates also used social media, such as Facebook and Snapchat, to display gang affiliation, brandish firearms, display quantities of currency and narcotics, and show participation in violent acts. They also produced, sang, and appeared in music videos at locations in and around the gang's territory that promoted the enterprise and its activities.
In order to enforce the authority, members and associates maintained a ready supply of firearms. Certain members and associates carried and discharged firearms. These "enforcers" or "shooters," retaliated with deadly force against threats of encroachment and violence, both actual and perceived, from rival gangs or individuals. CBL/BFL gang members also threatened witnesses who they suspected might testify or provide information to law enforcement about the crimes committed by the gang.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Edward Kennedy; the Erie County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Howard; the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Zack; Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division; the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict, New York Field Division; the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Michel; the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina; and the Erie Crime Analysis Center. Additional assistance was provided by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney John Flynn.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
29 August 2018
Waterbury Man Involved in Connecticut-to-Maine Drug Trafficking Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DAMIEN PERRY, also known as “Damian Perry” and “Primo” 36, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 92 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking heroin and crack cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration received information that PERRY, Luis “Twin” Padilla and others were trafficking heroin, crack cocaine and other narcotics from the Waterbury area to Eastern Maine. On October 11, 2016, in Waterbury, investigators saw PERRY and Padilla meeting with Cecil Stanley, a resident of Maine, and saw Padilla stuff a package in the rear passenger area of Stanley’s vehicle. The next day, investigators followed Stanley’s vehicle and another vehicle containing PERRY and Padilla as the cars traveled in close proximity to each other from Waterbury on I-84 East. Connecticut State Police stopped Stanley’s vehicle in East Hartford and found approximately 55 grams of heroin and 95 grams of crack cocaine in a “trap” in the rear seat area of the car.
After State Police stopped Stanley’s vehicle, the vehicle containing PERRY and Padilla returned to Waterbury.
Subsequent analysis of text messages contained on Stanley’s cellphone revealed that PERRY and Padilla supplied Stanley with narcotics, which Stanley distributed in Maine.
On December 7, 2016, a grand jury in Bridgeport returned an indictment charging PERRY, Padilla and Stanley with heroin and crack cocaine trafficking offenses.
PERRY was arrested on December 15, 2016, and was released on a $25,000 bond. On March 29, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Subsequent investigation revealed that PERRY continued to traffic narcotics while he was released on a bond. On July 18, 2018, a grand jury in Bangor, Maine, returned an indictment charging PERRY, Padilla and five other individuals with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl and crack cocaine.
PERRY has been detained since September 8, 2017.
Padilla and Stanley pleaded guilty in the District of Connecticut. On February 27, 2018, Padilla was sentenced to 78 months of imprisonment and Stanley was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment.
This matter has been investigated by the DEA New Haven Task Force with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Waterbury Police Department. The DEA New Haven Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Derby and Middletown Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale.
The indictment in the District of Maine is pending.
Waste Management to Forfeit $5.5 Million for Hiring Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Waste Management Texas has entered into a non-prosecution agreement with the government based upon a pattern and practice of hiring illegal aliens at the company’s Houston location, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick along with Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Waste Management Inc. is North America’s leading provider of waste disposal and collection headquartered in Houston. The company serves nearly 20 million municipal, commercial, industrial and residential customers. Waste Management of Texas employed at least three managers at its Afton location who actively encouraged and induced aliens to work illegally between 2003 and April 2012.
The five-year HSI investigation resulted in the execution of search warrants in April 2012 where authorities discovered 16 illegal aliens at the Afton location with at least 100 employees in company records verified as fraudulently documented or using an identity that did not belong to them.
“The non-prosecution agreement requires Waste Management to continue its substantial remedial measures to address all past immigration violations and forfeit more than $5.5 million in proceeds gained from hiring an illegal workforce at the Afton location,” said Patrick. “In considering whether to enter into such agreements, we must take into account the collateral consequences that a criminal prosecution would have on the company’s contracts with many municipalities across the country and the thousands of employees for the conduct of three managers at one operating unit in Houston.”
“Federal law requires employers to hire only U.S. citizens and aliens who are authorized to work in the country,” said Dawson. “This company hired manual laborers with little or no regard for their legal status for almost 10 years at their Afton location. Today, they paid a substantial price for that conduct. We will continue to vigorously enforce immigration law where we find employers engaging in a pattern or practice of hiring unauthorized individuals in reckless disregard of the law.”
Waste Management of Texas hired various staffing agencies to provide contract laborers. Many were hired or rehired at the Afton location in reckless disregard of the fact that they were not authorized to work. The undocumented workforce allowed the company to maintain their preferred helper workforce to maximize profits and productivity. The estimated proceeds to the company derived from this conduct at the Afton location is $5,527,091.55, the amount forfeited to the United States today.
Managers at the Afton location fired at least 10 employees in January 2012 because they lacked documentation. The aliens were told to assume the identity of actual U.S. citizens or individuals with legal status in order to work there. Managers also engaged in an identity theft scheme providing the terminated aliens with names and identifiers of actual individuals with status in the United States to allow the illegal aliens to be employed and added to the company’s payroll.
A federal grand jury indicted three managers in May 2014 for engaging in a conspiracy between 2008 and 2012 to induce and encourage unlawful immigration through a scheme to employ undocumented aliens as helpers on waste trucks picking up garbage in and around Houston. All were convicted and received sentences of 27 - 94 months.
Waste Management of Texas cooperated with the government’s criminal investigation and conducted their own internal investigation. They determined the managers at their Afton location intentionally thwarted pre-existing immigration compliance procedures that have since been enhanced to prevent future hiring of unauthorized aliens seeking employment by fraud or identity theft.
HSI conducted the long-term investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. MacDonald, Douglas Davis and Edward Gallagher prosecuted the case and negotiated the non-prosecution agreement with the company.
Vero Beach Attorney, Property Developer, and Buyer Sentenced to Prison for Conspiracy and Making False Statements to a Federally Insured InstitutionRead the Press Release
Today, three individuals, a Vero Beach attorney, a property developer and a condominium buyer were sentenced to prison for participating in a criminal conspiracy and making false statements to a federally insured institution. Two of the three men were ordered to forfeit a total of approximately $290,000.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Robert F. Lasky, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; and Edwin Bonano, Special Agent in Charge, Tampa, Florida, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG) made the announcement.
According to the court record, in 2009, Eric Granitur, age 60, a member of the Florida Bar, owned and operated Live Oak Title, which conducted two real estate closings for the purchase of five condominiums at the Vero Beach Hotel and Spa. The seller and developer of the Vero Beach Hotel and Spa, George Heaton, age 75, of West Palm Beach, paid numerous incentives to buyer Stephen McKenzie, age 46, of Melbourne, to purchase the condominiums. Heaton agreed to pay the “cash-to-close” amount that the buyer McKenzie was expected to bring to closing, and nearly $380,000 in additional cash after closing.
Granitur’s title company, Live Oak Title, conducted the closings for the sales of the Vero Beach Hotel and Spa condominium units sold to buyer McKenzie. As an escrow agent, Granitur was required to truthfully and accurately prepare and distribute a settlement statement to the financial institutions, known as a “HUD-1,” in preliminary form for review by the financial institution, prior to the closing of escrow. The closing statement was required to accurately reflect, among other information, the sales price, the closing funds provided by the borrower and all of the seller’s contributions. As an escrow agent, Granitur was responsible for receiving and holding in trust, in an escrow account, the mortgage loan proceeds from the financial institutions that financed the purchase of the condominium units, and he was responsible for disbursing those loan proceeds only after final approval by the financial institutions.
On two occasions, involving Vero Beach Hotel and Club condo units sold by Heaton to McKenzie, Granitur knowingly caused a false closing statement to be transmitted to a federally insured financial institution. The HUD-1 closing statements failed to truthfully disclose seller credits and incentives. Additionally, the closing statements failed to disclose that the seller was paying the buyer’s “cash-to-close.” The financial institutions relied upon the closing statement in authorizing the release of funds.
U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg sentenced Granitur, Heaton and McKenzie to prison today.
Granitur was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. He was ordered to forfeit approximately $28,000.
Heaton, who pleaded guilty and cooperated with the government, was sentenced to 6 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and forfeited approximately $263,000.
McKenzie, who pleaded guilty and cooperated with the government, was sentenced to 4 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release.
Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and FHFA-OIG in this matter. This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph A. Capone and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Funk.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Vendors, Consultants, and School Administrator Charged in Wide-Ranging Scheme to Defraud Federal “E Rate” Subsidy ProgramRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (the “FBI”), David L. Hunt, Inspector General of the Federal Communications Commission (the “FCC-OIG”), and Thomas P. Zugibe, the District Attorney for Rockland County, announced today the return of an Indictment charging SIMON GOLDBRENER, a/k/a “Simon Goldbrenner,” a/k/a “Shimon Goldbrenner,” PERETZ KLEIN, SUSAN KLEIN, a/k/a “Suri Klein,” BEN KLEIN, a/k/a “Benzion Klein,” a/k/a “Benzi Klein,” MOSHE SCHWARTZ, SHOLEM STEINBERG, and ARON MELBER, a/k/a “Aharon Melber,” with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud charges in connection with the federal program known as “E‑rate,” which provides subsidies for affordable telecommunications equipment and related services to qualified schools This case has been assigned to United States District Judge Kenneth M. Karas.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, for years, these defendants stole money from the E‑rate program, billing the E-rate program for equipment and services which were not in fact provided. The defendants allegedly fraudulently obtained millions of dollars in E rate funds to which they were not entitled, and which should lawfully have been spent to help provide access to technology to educate underprivileged children. This indictment is important not only because fraudsters should be held to account for their crimes, but also because the next generation of students should have access to telecommunication services, internet access, and related equipment, irrespective of their means and in spite of the fact that people like the defendants seek to line their own pockets at the expense of underprivileged children.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge William F. Sweeney said: “Schools have to fight for every dollar these days to supply their students with the high-tech, expensive equipment and technology they need in this day and age to succeed in life. The suspects in this investigation allegedly used funding from a program designed to give underprivileged schools internet access to pad their own bank accounts. To add insult to injury, school officials, who see the day-to-day struggle to even find money for pencils and paper, were allegedly involved in the scheme. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will hold these criminals accountable, and stop others from defrauding not only the government and tax payers, but students who depend on these programs to get a better education.”
Rockland County District Attorney Thomas P. Zugibe said: “These individuals concocted a scheme that not only defrauded taxpayers, but also deprived local students of access to affordable technology equipment and Internet service. In short, the defendants are accused of shamelessly stealing millions of federal dollars earmarked to broaden young minds. The Rockland County District Attorney's Office will continue to work collaboratively with the U.S. Attorney and FBI to root out fraud and abuse - especially misconduct that impacts children. Offenders must be dealt with swiftly to prevent further fraud of this magnitude from occurring.”
According to the allegations made in the Indictment[1]:
The E‑rate distributes funds to schools and libraries mostly serving economically disadvantaged children, so that those institutions can afford needed telecommunication services, internet access, and related equipment. Over 30,000 applications from schools and libraries seeking funds to serve economically disadvantaged children were received each year during the relevant time period; every year, requests for E‑rate funds have exceeded funds available. In order to obtain those funds, educational institutions certify that they are purchasing equipment and services from a private vendor; if approved, the program defrays the cost by up to 90%. The educational institution is supposed to enter into an open bidding process in order to select a vendor, and the educational institution and vendor submit a series of certifications that they comply with a number of requirements of the E‑rate program. A school applying for E‑rate funds may employ a consultant, but that consultant must be independent of the vendors competing to sell E‑rate funded equipment and services.
PERETZ KLEIN, SUSAN KLEIN, BEN KLEIN, and SHOLEM STEINBERG (collectively, the “Vendor Defendants”) held themselves out as vendors to schools participating in the E‑rate program. Corporations controlled by the Vendor Defendants requested over $35 million in E‑rate funds, and received over $14 million in E‑rate funds, from in or about 2010 to in or about 2016.
SIMON GOLDBRENER and MOSHE SCHWARTZ (collectively, the “Consultant Defendants”) held themselves out as consultants who assisted educational institutions that desired to participate in the E rate program. The Consultant Defendants, and individuals acting at their direction, completed and filed E‑rate documents that resulted in the payment of millions of dollars in E‑rate funds to the Vendor Defendants.
ARON MELBER is an official at a private religious school in Rockland County, New York. MELBER and his school have participated in the E‑rate program with certain of the Vendor Defendants and Consultant Defendants, and filed certifications purporting to have obtained authorized E‑rate funded equipment and services from Vendor Defendants selected through a fair and open bidding process. From in or about 2009 through in or about 2015, MELBER’s school received over one million dollars in E‑rate funds.
From at least 2009 up to and including 2016, certain private religious schools, including MELBER’s school, sought and received E‑rate funds for the purpose of paying the Vendor Defendants for equipment and services that the schools, the Vendor Defendants, and the Consultant Defendants falsely claimed the Vendor Defendants had provided to the schools.
However, the schools never received millions of dollars’ worth of these items and services. In other cases, the schools, Vendor Defendants, and Consultant Defendants requested hundreds of thousands of dollars of sophisticated technology that served no real purpose for the student population. For example, from 2009 through 2015, one day care center that served toddlers from the ages of 2 through 4 requested over $700,000—nearly $500,000 of which was ultimately funded—for equipment and services—including video conferencing and distance learning, a “media master system,” sophisticated telecommunications systems supporting at least 23 lines, and high-speed internet—from companies controlled by PERETZ KLEIN and SUSAN KLEIN, using the Consultant Defendants as their consultants. In still other instances the schools received equipment and services that fulfilled the functions for which the schools had requested E‑rate funds (such as providing the school with internet access), but the schools, Vendor Defendants, and Consultant Defendants materially overbilled the E‑rate program for the items provided, in order to enrich themselves at the expense of the underprivileged children the program was designed to serve.
As alleged, the defendants also perverted the fair and open bidding process required by the E‑rate program. The Consultant Defendants—who held themselves out in filings as independent consultants working for the schools, but, in truth, worked with and for the Vendor Defendants—and the Vendor Defendants presented the schools with forms to sign or certify, awarding E‑rate funded contracts to the Vendor Defendants. As a result of false and misleading E‑rate filings, the Vendor Defendants received millions of dollars in E‑rate funds for equipment and services that the Vendor Defendants did not in fact provide and which the schools did not use, and the Consultant Defendants accepted payments totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Vendor Defendants, despite falsely presenting themselves as independent of the Vendor Defendants.
In return for their participation in the scheme to defraud the E‑rate program, certain schools and school officials received a variety of improper benefits from the Vendor Defendants, including: a percentage of the funds fraudulently obtained from E‑rate for equipment and services that were not in fact provided to the schools; free items paid for with E‑rate funds but not authorized by the program, such as cellphones for school employees’ personal use and alarm systems and security equipment (which the E‑rate program does not authorize) installed at the schools; and free services for which the E‑rate program authorizes partial reimbursement (such as internet access) but for which the Schools did not—contrary to their statements in filings—make any payment at all.
The defendants and the counts with which they are charged in the Superseding Indictment are set forth in the attached list.
* * *
Mr. Berman thanked the FBI, the FCC-OIG, and the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office for their outstanding work on the investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Maimin, Hagan Scotten, and Vladislav Vainberg are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
18-296 ###
United States v. Simon Goldbrener, et al.
Defendant
Age
Residence
Charges and Maximum Penalties
Simon Goldbrener
55
Monsey, New York
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (one count): 20 years in prison
Wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2 (three counts): 20 years in prison per count
Peretz Klein
64
Spring Valley, New York
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (one count): 20 years in prison
Wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2 (one count): 20 years in prison
Susan Klein
57
Spring Valley, New York
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (one count): 20 years in prison
Wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2 (one count): 20 years in prison
Ben Klein
39
Monsey, New York
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (one count): 20 years in prison
Wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2 (one count): 20 years in prison
Moshe Schwartz
45
Monroe, New York
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (one count): 20 years in prison
Wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2 (one count): 20 years in prison
Sholem Steinberg
39
Monsey, New York
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (one count): 20 years in prison
Wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2 (two counts): 20 years in prison per count
Aron Melber
42
Monsey, New York
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (one count): 20 years in prison
Wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2 (one count): 20 years in prison
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Vantage Trust Federal Credit Union Agrees to Settle Ejectment Action Involving It’s Building on Premises of Wilkes-Barre VA Medical CenterRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that the United States has reached a settlement with Vantage Trust Federal Credit Union. The United States had sued Vantage seeking to remove Vantage from federal land and to recover money damages. The suit was brought because Vantage continued to occupy a building on the property of the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center after its license to occupy that building had ended. Damages were also sought because Vantage had no basis for continuing to occupy the building after its license had expired.
Vantage has agreed to turn over the building which previously housed the credit union to the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Vantage also agreed to pay to the United States $205,000. The settlement was reached after a mediation conducted by United States Magistrate Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr.
The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Blewitt together with Dennis J Kulish, Office of General Counsel, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
# # #
Utica Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Shawn Bunnell, 35, of Utica, New York, pled guilty today to ten counts of transportation of child pornography via the internet and one count of possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith, Kevin M. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Oneida County Sheriff Robert M. Maciol.
As part of his guilty plea, Bunnell admitted that from on or about May 30, 2017 through on or about August 15, 2017, he transported a number of image files depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct through computer servers maintained by Google, Inc. and Dropbox, Inc. Further, the defendant also admitted to possessing on his a cellular telephone several video files depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
As a further part of his federal guilty plea, Bunnell also admitted that on March 27, 2003, he was previously convicted in Oneida County Court of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, in violation of New York Penal Law, Section 130.65(3), relating to the sexual abuse of a child under the age of 11, and was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment, 3 years post-release supervision, and was required to register as a sex offender.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 10, 2019, in United States District Court in Syracuse. If the Court accepts the binding plea agreement executed by the parties, Bunnell, who remains detained, will be sentenced to serve fifty years in prison to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. He will also be required to once again register as a sex offender.
Bunnell’s case was investigated by the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, Oneida County Child Advocacy Center, Whitesboro Police Department, Utica Police Department, New York State Police, and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa M. Fletcher, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator, Geoffrey J.L. Brown and Sahar L. Amandolare.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Soldier Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
Ikaika Erik Kang, 35, a Sergeant First Class in the U.S. Army stationed at Schofield Barracks, pleaded guilty today in federal court to four counts of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Kang was indicted on terrorism charges on July 19, 2017. As part of a plea agreement reached with the United States, Kang agreed to serve 25 years in prison and at least 20 years, and up to life, of supervised release. Kang will be sentenced on Dec. 10, by Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway. If Judge Mollway accepts the plea agreement at that time, the 25-year term of imprisonment will be binding.
The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Kenji M. Price for the District of Hawaii, and Special Agent in Charge Sean Kaul of the FBI’s Honolulu Field Office.
“Kang swore to defend the United States as a member of our military, but betrayed his country by swearing allegiance to ISIS and attempting to provide material support to the foreign terrorist organization,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “With today’s plea, he will be held accountable for his crimes. I want to thank all of the agents, analysts and prosecutors who are responsible for this case.”
“This Office will vigorously prosecute anyone who attempts to provide material support to terrorists who seek to spread fear and cause mayhem in our communities through senseless acts of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Price. “The prosecutors and law enforcement agencies who brought the defendant to justice in this case work shoulder-to-shoulder, every day, promoting our national security interests and keeping our communities safe.”
“This is the first case in the State of Hawaii where someone was convicted of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization,” Special Agent in Charge Kaul. “This should serve as reminder that even though we are 2,500 miles from the U.S. Mainland, these crimes can and do happen everywhere. I would like to personally thank the United States Attorney’s Office, the Unites States Army, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Honolulu Police Department, and the entire Joint Terrorism Task Force Community here in Hawaii for bringing this investigation to a successful conclusion. Today, our community is a safer place due to their tireless efforts.”
According to court documents and information presented in court, Kang became sympathetic to ISIS by at least early 2016. He regularly watched ISIS propaganda videos online, including videos that depicted ISIS members violently executing civilian and military victims. Kang made numerous statements in support of ISIS, expressed a desire to join ISIS, and spoke approvingly about committing acts of violence. At the time, Kang made these statements, he owned an AR-15-style assault rifle and a pistol, both of which he kept at his residence on Oahu. Kang was under ongoing physical surveillance by law enforcement from the beginning of the investigation until the time of his eventual arrest.
In late June and early July of 2018, Kang met numerous times with undercover FBI agents who he believed had connections to ISIS. He provided them with sensitive, non-public military documents, some of which were classified at the SECRET level, which he intended that they later provide to ISIS. The documents included, among other things: classified air traffic control documents that describe call signs, aircraft types, route points, directives, mission procedures, and radio frequencies; the U.S. military’s “weapons file,” which describes all the armament capabilities of the U.S. armed forces; details about a sensitive mobile airspace management system used by the U.S. military; and documents containing personally identifiable information of U.S. service members.
Kang later provided the undercover agents with a commercially purchased small aerial drone, a military chest rig, and other military-style clothing and gear. Kang described how ISIS could operationally utilize the drone to track U.S. troop movements and gain tactical advantage by evading American armored vehicles. Kang then met two additional undercover FBI personnel, one who purported to be a high-ranking ISIS leader, or “sheikh,” and another who played the role of an ISIS fighter. Kang lead them in a hand-to-hand military combatives training session using his weapons, in order to train the purported ISIS member in fighting techniques. The sessions were video-recorded, with the understanding that the video would be taken back to ISIS-controlled territory and used to train other ISIS fighters in hand-to-hand combat and weapons techniques.
On July 8, 2017, Kang swore an oath of loyalty, known as “bayat,” to ISIS and its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in a ceremony conducted by the purported ISIS sheikh. After the ceremony, Kang kissed the ISIS flag. Kang then said that he wanted to get his rifle and go and fight; just go to downtown Honolulu and Waikiki strip and start shooting. Kang was subsequently arrested and taken into custody.
This case was investigated by the Joint Terrorism Task Force in Honolulu; the FBI; and the U.S. Army, Criminal Investigative Division, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth M. Sorenson and Marc A. Wallenstein of the District of Hawaii, and Trial Attorney Taryn M. Meeks of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
U.s. Soldier Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Ikaika Erik Kang, 35, a Sergeant First Class in the U.S. Army stationed at Schofield Barracks, pleaded guilty today in federal court to four counts of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Kang was indicted on terrorism charges on July 19, 2017. As part of a plea agreement reached with the United States, Kang agreed to serve 25 years in prison and at least 20 years, and up to life, of supervised release. Kang will be sentenced on December 10, 2018 by Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway. If Judge Mollway accepts the plea agreement at that time, the 25-year term of imprisonment will be binding.
The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Kenji M. Price for the District of Hawaii, and Special Agent in Charge Sean Kaul of the FBI’s Honolulu Field Office.
“Kang swore to defend the United States as a member of our military, but betrayed his country by swearing allegiance to ISIS and attempting to provide material support to the foreign terrorist organization,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “With today’s plea, he will be held accountable for his crimes. I want to thank all of the agents, analysts and prosecutors who are responsible for this case.”
“This Office will vigorously prosecute anyone who attempts to provide material support to terrorists who seek to spread fear and cause mayhem in our communities through senseless acts of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Price. “The prosecutors and law enforcement agencies who brought the defendant to justice in this case work shoulder-to-shoulder, every day, promoting our national security interests and keeping our communities safe.”
“This is the first case in the State of Hawaii where someone was convicted of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization,” Special Agent in Charge Kaul. “This should serve as reminder that even though we are 2,500 miles from the U.S. Mainland, these crimes can and do happen everywhere. I would like to personally thank the United States Attorney’s Office, the Unites States Army, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Honolulu Police Department, and the entire Joint Terrorism Task Force Community here in Hawaii for bringing this investigation to a successful conclusion. Today, our community is a safer place due to their tireless efforts.”
According to court documents and information presented in court, Kang became sympathetic to ISIS by at least early 2016. He regularly watched ISIS propaganda videos online, including videos that depicted ISIS members violently executing civilian and military victims. Kang made numerous statements in support of ISIS, expressed a desire to join ISIS, and spoke approvingly about committing acts of violence. At the time, Kang made these statements, he owned an AR-15-style assault rifle and a pistol, both of which he kept at his residence on Oahu. Kang was under ongoing physical surveillance by law enforcement from the beginning of the investigation until the time of his eventual arrest.
In late June and early July of 2018, Kang met numerous times with undercover FBI agents who he believed had connections to ISIS. He provided them with sensitive, non-public military documents, some of which were classified at the SECRET level, which he intended that they later provide to ISIS. The documents included, among other things: classified air traffic control documents that describe call signs, aircraft types, route points, directives, mission procedures, and radio frequencies; the U.S. military’s “weapons file,” which describes all the armament capabilities of the U.S. armed forces; details about a sensitive mobile airspace management system used by the U.S. military; and documents containing personally identifiable information of U.S. service members.
Kang later provided the undercover agents with a commercially purchased small aerial drone, a military chest rig, and other military-style clothing and gear. Kang described how ISIS could operationally utilize the drone to track U.S. troop movements and gain tactical advantage by evading American armored vehicles. Kang then met two additional undercover FBI personnel, one who purported to be a high-ranking ISIS leader, or “sheikh,” and another who played the role of an ISIS fighter. Kang lead them in a hand-to-hand military combatives training session using his weapons, in order to train the purported ISIS member in fighting techniques. The sessions were video-recorded, with the understanding that the video would be taken back to ISIS-controlled territory and used to train other ISIS fighters in hand-to-hand combat and weapons techniques.
On July 8, 2017, Kang swore an oath of loyalty, known as “bayat,” to ISIS and its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in a ceremony conducted by the purported ISIS sheikh. After the ceremony, Kang kissed the ISIS flag. Kang then said that he wanted to get his rifle and go and fight; just go to downtown Honolulu and Waikiki strip and start shooting. Kang was subsequently arrested and taken into custody.
The case was investigated by the Joint Terrorism Task Force in Honolulu, the FBI, and the U.S. Army, Criminal Investigative Division, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth M. Sorenson and Marc A. Wallenstein of the District of Hawaii, and Trial Attorney Taryn M. Meeks of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
# # #
Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Central Connecticut Drug Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that two men involved in trafficking narcotics in central Connecticut were sentenced today in Hartford federal court. U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant sentenced LEONEL QUIROS, also known as “Haze,” 34, of New Britain, to 27 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release, and DERRICK BRYANT, 27, of Middletown, to approximately 13 months of imprisonment, time already served, and five years of supervised release.
This matter stems from a joint investigation headed by the DEA New Haven Task Force into a central Connecticut cocaine and crack cocaine trafficking ring. The investigation, which included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of crack cocaine and seizures of cocaine and cash proceeds, revealed that Westley Northrup, also known as “Piff,” operated a cocaine and crack cocaine trafficking ring while he was incarcerated in state custody at the Cheshire Correctional Institution. Northrup conspired with Carlos Roman, also known as “Frizz,” of Middletown, to purchase cocaine from suppliers, including Omar Rivera, convert some of the cocaine to crack cocaine, and then distribute crack and cocaine through a network of dealers, including BRYANT.
Further investigation revealed that Rivera, of New Britain, was being supplied with cocaine by Orlando Quiros, of Suffield, who regularly received packages containing multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine through the U.S. Mail from Puerto Rico. Quiros’s operation was assisted by his brother, LEONEL QUIROS, and individuals who agreed to accept delivery of the packages.
On July 12, 2017, law enforcement officers intercepted and seized approximately $210,000 in cash that Orlando Quiros had in a vehicle he was driving from Connecticut to New York.
LEONEL QUIROS, BRYANT and others involved in this narcotics trafficking conspiracy were arrested on July 26, 2017. On that date, investigators executed multiple search warrants and seized approximately seven kilograms of cocaine, several pounds of marijuana, three firearms, and nearly $100,000 in cash. One of the firearms was found in LEONEL QUIROS’s residence
On February 15, 2018, LEONEL QUIROS pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. On May 31, 2018, BRYANT pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (“crack”).
Northrup, Roman, Rivera and Orlando Quiros pleaded guilty to related charges. On April 12, 2018, Roman was sentenced to 120 months of imprisonment. Northrup, Rivera and Orlando Quiros await sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the DEA New Haven Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Middletown and New Britain Police Departments. The DEA New Haven Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Derby and Middletown Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney H. Gordon Hall.
Two Men Illegally Present in the U.S. Arrested and Charged with Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Juan Humberto Martinez-Vega, 47, and Giovani Ramirez-Soto, 26, both citizens of Mexico, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, methamphetamine. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $5,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on July 26, 2018, a New York State Police Trooper conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle, with Alabama license plates, driving on Route 20A in the Town of Warsaw in Wyoming County. The trooper approached the vehicle which was being driven by Martinez-Vega with Ramirez-Soto as a passenger. Martinez-Vega gave the trooper an expired Georgia identification card. The defendant also told the trooper he was looking for work.
Martinez-Vega gave the trooper consent to search the vehicle. A NYSP K9 Trooper was brought to the scene. A K9 alerted to several areas of the vehicle and a subsequent search recovered 1,200 grams of suspected heroin, and approximately 421 grams of suspected methamphetamine hidden behind the front dashboard of the vehicle.
Further investigation determined that the defendants were illegally present in the United States.
Ramirez-Soto made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder and is being detained. Martinez-Vega will make an initial appearance on August 30, 2018.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Edward Kennedy, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Two Florida Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Walgreens RobberyRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL –U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Windesthon Junior Pierre (22, Winter Garden) to 12 years and 3 months in federal prison for robbery. Judge Mendoza also sentenced Stephon Tevonta Johnson (22, Kissimmee) to 11 years and 9 months’ imprisonment for the same offense. Another individual, Sly Shaniel De Los Santos (23, Kissimmee), is awaiting sentencing for his role in this case. All three pleaded guilty earlier this year.
According to court documents, on September 21, 2017, Pierre, Johnson, and De Los Santos robbed a Walgreens store in Orlando. During the robbery, the men wore Halloween masks and latex gloves, and carried firearms. They corralled pharmacy employees into an office and demanded that they open two safes. They then attempted to gain access to the pharmacy by firing a gun into the pharmacy door, but were unsuccessful. However, they were able to steal $4,850 in cash.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alejandro J. Salicrup.
Two Californians Plead Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking Charges in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Brian Kishawn Philson, 28, and Nekia Tiara Martin, 21, both of Stockton, Calif., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to methamphetamine trafficking offenses. The defendants entered their guilty pleas to charges arising out of the seizure of approximately 4.3 pounds of methamphetamine during a DEA interdiction investigation in March 2018.
The DEA arrested Philson and Martin in March 2018, after seizing approximately .95 kilograms (2.09 pounds) of methamphetamine from Philson and approximately one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of methamphetamine from Martin on March 26, 2018, in Albuquerque. Philson and Martin were subsequently indicted on April 24, 2018, and charged with conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on March 26, 2018, in Bernalillo County, N.M.
During today’s proceedings, Philson and Martin each entered a guilty plea to Count 2 of the indictment charging them with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. In entering their guilty pleas, Philson and Martin admitted possessing approximately 864 grams of methamphetamine while traveling through Albuquerque. They also admitted that they intended to deliver the methamphetamine to others when they arrived at their final destination.
Philson and Martin have been in federal custody since their arrests and will remain detained pending their sentencing hearings, which have yet to be scheduled. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Philson faces a sentence of ten years of imprisonment followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court. Martin faces a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of ten years and a maximum of life in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney.
Ten-Time Previously Deported Alien Sentenced for Illegal Reentry of an Aggravated Felon Subsequent to Multiple ConvictionsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that JOSE ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ-GARCIA, age 54, of El Salvador, was sentenced in Raleigh by Senior United States District Court Judge W. Earl Britt to 115 months imprisonment for illegal reentry of an aggravated felon.
RODRIGUEZ-GARCIA was named in a one-count Indictment returned by a grand jury sitting in the Eastern District of North Carolina on May 3, 2017. The indictment charged him with illegal reentry of an aggravated felon, and RODRIGUEZ-GARCIA pled guilty to the same on May 22, 2018.
As detailed in the public record, RODRIGUEZ-GARCIA was found in Wake County due to his arrest for second degree forcible rape. He was arrested after having been previously deported ten (10) times, subsequent to multiple convictions, including:
- burglary,
- receiving stolen property,
- grand theft from a person,
- theft,
- attempt to distribute a controlled substance,
- resisting public officer,
- trespassing,
- possession of controlled substances,
- auto theft,
- evading arrest,
- assault on a female,
- deported alien found in the United States,
- illegal reentry of a previously deported alien, and
- illegal reentry by a previously deported aggravated felon.
United States Attorney Higdon said, “For years, Jose Alfonso Rodriguez-Garcia disregarded the laws of the United States having been previously deported ten times and racking up conviction after convictions including assault and narcotics offenses. With this 115 month sentence, the American citizens, and in particular those of the Eastern District, are safer today because it has put a stop to Rodriguez-Garcia’s treating our borders as a revolving door.”
The case was investigated by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Suboxone Clinic Doctor Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Distributing Controlled Substances and Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA. - A resident of Sewickley, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of unlawfully distributing controlled substances, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and health care fraud, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Michael Bummer, 39, pleaded guilty to three counts before United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Bummer was a physician practicing at Redirections Treatment Advocates, a Suboxone clinic, located in Washington, PA. Bummer admitted that he and others conspired together to create and submit unlawful prescriptions for buprenorphine, known as Subutex and Suboxone, and then unlawfully dispensed those controlled substances to other persons. Bummer also admitted to committing health care fraud for causing fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicaid and Medicare for payments to cover the costs of the unlawfully prescribed buprenorphine.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for January 9, 2019 at 11 a.m. The law provides for a total per count sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $500,000.00, or both, for the controlled substances offenses. Bummer faces an additional maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and fine of $250,000.00 for the health care fraud charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar and Michael L. Ivory are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The investigation leading to the filing of charges in this case was conducted by the Western Pennsylvania Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit, which combines personnel and resources from the following agencies to combat the growing prescription opioid epidemic: Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, United States Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Attorney’s Office – Criminal Division, Civil Division and Asset Forfeiture Unit, Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General, Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations and the Pennsylvania Bureau of Licensing.
Six Indicted in Interstate Marijuana Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore. – U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams has announced charges against six individuals for their roles in two vast conspiracies to traffic marijuana grown in Portland to Texas, Virginia and Florida.
According to a superseding indictment, Jody Tremayne Wafer, 29, Trent Lamar Knight, 30, and Brittany Lesanta Kizzee, 28, of Houston, Texas; and Raleigh Dragon Lau, 33, and Paul Eugene Thomas, 38, of Portland, are accused of conspiring to manufacture marijuana in Portland, and distributing it in Texas and Virginia.
Wafer, Knight and Kizzee had previously been charged with kidnapping and firearms offenses in December 2017. Thomas had previously been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in December 2017.
In a separate indictment, Cole William Griffiths, 30, of Hood River, Oregon, is accused of conspiring to manufacture marijuana in Hood River and shipping it to Florida.
Drug proceeds, in the form of bulk U.S. currency, were returned to Oregon via U.S. mail and passenger luggage on commercial airlines. Based on court documents, Federal authorities have seized approximately 11,000 marijuana plants, 546 pounds of processed marijuana, more than $2.8 million in cash, 51 firearms, 26 vehicles, trailers, and pieces of heavy equipment, and a yacht, and have alleged three houses used as marijuana grow sites are subject to forfeiture, all since August 2017.
“These cases provide clear evidence of what I have repeatedly raised concerns over: Oregon’s marijuana industry is attracting organized criminal networks looking to capitalize on the state’s relaxed regulatory environment” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Dismantling criminal organizations is a key focus of our marijuana enforcement strategy. We will continue to work with our federal, state, local and tribal partners to disrupt overproduction and the illegal export of marijuana out-of-state.”
“DEA will continue to pursue all organized and dangerous interstate marijuana trafficking groups impacting the public’s safety,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Keith Weis.
“Although the state of Oregon allows for marijuana cultivation and use within state borders, interstate trafficking and distribution remains illegal. IRS-Criminal Investigation will continue to vigorously investigate financial gains obtained through these activities, as we remain committed to the disruption and dismantling of black market marijuana operations,” said Darrell Waldon, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Seattle Field Office.
“Through collaboration with our law enforcement partners, hard work and patience, HSI special agents are identifying the criminal organizations producing drugs in Oregon and illegally exporting them out-of-state—and holding them responsible for their illicit activities,” said Brad Bench, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in the Pacific Northwest. “One by one, we’ll seek you out, with our ultimate goal being to dismantle the entire criminal organization.”
“The convergence of guns, drugs and violence with illicit cash are a threat to our community,” said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. “We are working aggressively with our law enforcement partners to address these threats.”
All six defendants are charged with conspiring to manufacture, possess with intent to distribute, and distribute marijuana, and to maintaining drug-involved premises. Other charges include manufacturing and distributing marijuana, money laundering, interfering with commerce by threats and violence, kidnapping, using a firearm during a crime of violence and drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm.
Griffiths made an initial appearance in federal court on August 24, 2018 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Youlee Yim You and pleaded not guilty. He was released pending trial. A four-day jury trial is scheduled for October 23, 2018 before U.S. District Court Judge Marco A. Hernandez. The five remaining defendants are expected to make their first appearances at various times over the next three weeks.
As part of this same investigation, the U.S. has also filed a parallel civil complaint alleging that three pieces of real estate in Portland and Lake Oswego are subject to forfeiture because they were used to grow some of the marijuana related to these charges. The three properties are valued at a total of roughly $1.7 million.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by DEA, IRS-CI, HSI and the FBI.
This case was brought as part of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, the centerpiece of the department’s strategy for reducing the availability of drugs in the U.S. OCDETF was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack on drug trafficking by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in coordination with state and local law enforcement.
Wafer-Knight-Kizzee-Lau-Thomas Superceding Indictment
Griffiths IndictmentShallotte Man Sentenced to 71 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today in federal court, Senior United States District Judge W. Earl Britt sentenced DELMAS CARLYLE GAUSE, a/k/a “Trampus,” 53, of Shallotte, North Carolina, to 71 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
GAUSE was charged by Criminal Information with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute twenty-eight grams or more of cocaine base (crack).
On May 4, 2017, the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office received information that GAUSE was selling cocaine base (crack) from his residence in Shallotte, North Carolina. On the same date, officers conducted a traffic stop of one of GAUSE’s customers, and officers recovered a small amount of cocaine base.
Officers then arrested GAUSE and recovered cocaine base and $571 in currency from him.
This case is part of the United States Attorney’s Take Back North Carolina Initiative. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
Members of the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office then conducted a search of GAUSE’s residence and seized cocaine, cocaine base, marijuana, digital scales, and $920 in currency.
This case was brought by the United States Attorney’s Office through partnerships with the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Scott A. Lemmon.
Senate Confirms Terwilliger as United States AttorneyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – G. Zachary Terwilliger has been confirmed by the United States Senate as the 62nd United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
“I am humbled, thankful, and deeply honored to be confirmed as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia,” said Terwilliger. “As a federal prosecutor who focused on complex violent crime, organized crime, fraud, and human trafficking cases for almost a decade, I have had the privilege of working with some of the best law enforcement officers, prosecutors, attorneys, and colleagues in the country. I owe a huge debt to those who took the time to teach me how to be an AUSA, and to the many AUSAs from 1789 to present who have made this district one of the best in the country.”
“I am grateful to the President for my nomination, the Attorney General for his willingness to support my prior appointment, to Senators Warner and Kaine for their recommendation and endorsement, and to my family for their constant support, patience, and understanding as I have pursued the calling of public service,” said Terwilliger.
“Since the Attorney General appointed me in late May, I have travelled to each sector of the District and engaged in substantive strategy meetings with over 100 law enforcement leaders in our Alexandria, Newport News, Norfolk, and Richmond divisions, including chiefs of police, sheriffs, commonwealth’s attorneys, and federal law enforcement officials,” said Terwilliger. “With the strong federal, state, and local collaboration that exists in the Eastern District, we are bringing impact cases and fighting violent crime, gangs, opioids, national security threats and criminal immigration offenses. In the last three months, we have charged nearly 40 illegal firearms cases, 60 defendants for trafficking illegal substances such as heroin and fentanyl, and nearly 100 criminal immigration cases that include many defendants who have committed serious, dangerous offenses in our communities. We have also continued our critical work battling espionage and terrorism, defending civil actions against the United States, its agencies, and employees, pursuing affirmative civil enforcement to recover government money lost to fraud, upholding the civil rights of the District’s citizens, protecting servicemembers’ rights, fighting fraud against vulnerable victims and our institutions, as well as prosecuting cyber intrusion, child exploitation, and trafficking offenses.”
“This important work has been recognized by the Department, and with tremendous support from the Attorney General and our administrative staff here, I have had the great fortune to hire 25 new employees, including 15 new Assistant United States Attorneys, who will be force multipliers for our mission.”
Terwilliger began his career at EDVA as an intern in 1999. In 2008, he was hired as the Project Safe Neighborhood Special Assistant U.S. Attorney to focus on gun and gang crime. In 2010, Terwilliger was hired as an Assistant U.S. Attorney.
Immediately prior to his appointment as U.S. Attorney on May 25, Terwilliger served as an Associate Deputy Attorney General, and Chief of Staff in the Office of the Deputy Attorney General at the Department of Justice. In that role, Terwilliger was a principal advisor to senior Department of Justice leadership for corporate compliance, federal, state and local law enforcement cooperation, violent crime reduction, and other critical matters.
As U.S. Attorney, Terwilliger is the chief federal law enforcement officer in EDVA and supervises the prosecution of all federal crimes and the litigation of all civil matters in which the United States has an interest. Terwilliger leads a staff of over 250 prosecutors, civil litigators, and support personnel located in Alexandria, Newport News, Norfolk, and Richmond.
Terwilliger earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and graduated with the highest honors from the William & Mary School of Law. Following law school, he clerked for the Honorable K. Michael Moore, currently the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Terwilliger has lived in the Eastern District of Virginia for over 25 years.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Securities Fraud Charges Announced Today Against Former Junior Analyst for Major Investment Bank and Current NFL PlayerRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced Damilare Sonoiki, 27, of Beverly Hills, California, and Marvin Mychal Kendricks, 27, of Fresno, California were charged today by information with insider trading.
According to the information, from July 2014 to approximately March 2015, Sonoiki and Kendricks conspired together to commit securities fraud. Sonoiki, then a junior analyst at a global investment bank in New York, provided material non-public information to Kendricks, then a linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles, regarding upcoming mergers involving four investment bank clients of the global investment bank. Sonoiki obtained and used this information in violation of his duty of confidentiality that he owed to the investment bank.
Relying on the material non-public information he received from Sonoiki, the information alleges that Kendricks purchased call options in the target companies, Compuware, Move, Sapient, and Oplink. When the proposed merger was announced in each case, the value of Kendricks’s options went up significantly. Based on the alleged insider trading related to Compuware, Mr. Kendricks made a purchase of approximately $60,000 in call option contracts, and after the public merger announcement, sold those same option contracts for approximately $138,000, which was a 130% increase. With respect to Move, Mr. Kendricks made a purchase of approximately $71,000 and sold after the public merger announcement for approximately $350,000, which constituted a 393% increase. For Sapient, Mr. Kendricks made a purchase of approximately $146,000 in call option contracts and sold them after the public merger announcement for approximately $635,000, which was a 335% increase. Finally, with Oplink, Mr. Kendricks purchased the call option contracts for approximately $446,000 and sold them after the public merger announcement for approximately $798,000, which was a 79% increase from the purchase price.
Mr. Kendricks allegedly made a profit of approximately $78,000 from his Compuware investments, approximately $279,000 from Move, approximately $489,000 from Sapient, and approximately $352,000 from Oplink, for a total of approximately $1.2 million. The information further alleges that defendant Kendricks provided defendant Sonoiki with tickets to Eagles games and approximately $10,000 in cash.
“When individuals engage in insider trading – buying and selling securities based on material, non-public information – it undermines faith in our financial markets and harms ordinary investors who do play by the rules,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “As alleged, Mr. Sonoiki and Mr. Kendricks cheated the market, cheated other investors, and placed themselves above the law. My Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to maintain the integrity of the financial markets, which is one of our top priorities.”
“At the heart of insider trading cases is the concept of a level playing field,” said Christian Zajac, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Investors bet on individual stocks, based on public knowledge of a company’s past performance and future plans. As alleged, Mychal Kendricks used material non-public information, provided by his co-defendant, to score significant profits from expected market moves. That’s not merely gaming the system—that’s a federal crime. Insider trading has long posed a threat to U.S. financial markets, because it compromises the public’s trust that our markets operate fairly. For that reason, the FBI takes seriously our responsibility to investigate insider trading and other significant financial crimes.”
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment, a three-year period of supervised release, $5,250,000 fine, and a $200 special assessment. Forfeiture of all proceeds from the offenses also may be ordered.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Ignall. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also would like to thank the Securities and Exchange Commission for their assistance in this matter.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Second Dominican Republic National Apprehended at the Red Hook Ferry Dock Appears in Federal Court on Illegal Reentry ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Luis Miguel Recio Fernandez, 29, made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller after being arrested and charged with illegal reentry into the United States, United States Attorney Gretchen Shappert announced. The Magistrate Judge detained Fernandez pending preliminary and detention hearings scheduled for August 31, 2018.
According to court documents, Customs and Border Protection officers encountered Fernandez at the Red Hook dock where he arrived by ferry boat from St. John. He was previously removed from the United States on August 23, 2012, after having been convicted of a controlled substance offense.
Under federal law Fernandez faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Shappert reminds the public that every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.
Sapulpa Man Pleads Guilty to Utica Square Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla.— United States Attorney Trent Shores announced that Mark Nicholas Jones, 37, of Sapulpa, pleaded guilty in federal court this morning to Bank Robbery and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence.
On July 6, 2018, Jones entered Commerce Bank, located at 2054 Utica Square in Tulsa, wearing a mask and brandishing a 9 mm pistol. He demanded money from a teller and threatened to shoot customers discovered using cellphones. Jones then ordered the teller at gunpoint to fill a backpack with cash before fleeing the bank in an SUV. Tulsa Police officers later located Jones driving the same SUV in Tulsa, but he refused to stop for the officers. Jones then led police on an hour-long high speed chase before the Oklahoma Highway Patrol used a “Tactical Vehicle Intervention” maneuver to disable Jones’ vehicle. At the time of arrest, officers discovered the pistol and mask used in the crime, as well as the $2,379 in cash stolen from the bank.
As part of the plea agreement, Jones and the Government agreed to a sentence of 90 months in prison, restitution to the bank, and forfeiture of the weapon used in the crime.
United State Attorney Trent Shores stated, “Mr. Jones’ criminal actions on July 6 endangered the lives of bank employees and customers. He further endangered lives by leading law enforcement officers on a high speed chase. Criminals who put innocent Oklahomans at risk will be held responsible in a court of law.”
Several law enforcement agencies were involved in a coordinated effort to bring Jones into custody in connection to the crime, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Nassar prosecuted the case.
Rio Rico Man Sentenced to over 6 Years in Prison for Smuggling AmmunitionRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Aug. 29, 2018, Fernando Romero-Salgado, 38, of Rio Rico, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Raner C. Collins to 82 months’ imprisonment. Romero-Salgado had been previously found guilty following trial of smuggling goods from the United States and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.
On Dec. 8, 2016, Romero-Salgado and co-defendant Alberto De La Cruz-Cano purchased 12,000 rounds of ammunition from an ammunition store in Phoenix, intending to unlawfully export the ammunition to Mexico. They loaded the ammunition into Romero-Salgado’s vehicle and Romero-Salgado drove to Rio Rico, where he was found with the ammunition at his home. Romero-Salgado had been previously convicted of four felony offenses and was therefore prohibited from possessing ammunition by federal law. He and De La Cruz-Cano had also smuggled ammunition into Mexico on several prior occasions. De La Cruz-Cano was previously sentenced in this case to 41 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to his smuggling offenses.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The prosecution was handled by Angela W. Woolridge, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-16-00131-TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-115_ Romero-Salgado
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Registered Sex Offender Indicted for Child Sex Offenses; Faces Mandatory Life SentenceRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 28, 2018, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Brian D. Wickersham (age: 58) of Merrill, Wisconsin.
Wickersham faces charges alleging he attempted to coerce or entice a minor child to engage in illicit sexual activity contrary to Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b). He is further charged with transporting the minor across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity contrary to Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(a). Wickersham was previously convicted of first-degree sexual assault of a child in Milwaukee County Circuit Court. Due to this conviction he is a lifetime sex offender registrant under the laws of Wisconsin. As such, he faces a third charge for the commission of a felony sex offense by an individual required to register as a sexual offender contrary to Title 18, United States Code, Section 2260A. If convicted of the charges, Wickersham faces a mandatory life sentence.
This case was investigated by the Brown County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the Green Bay office of the F.B.I. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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For additional information contact:
Public Information Officer Dean Puschnig (414) 297-1700
Postal Employee Indicted in a Stolen Identity Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury sitting in Montgomery, Alabama returned an indictment, which was unsealed today, against a resident of Phenix City, Alabama for his role in a stolen identity refund fraud scheme, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin Sr. for the Middle District of Alabama.
According to the indictment, Demetrius Jones worked as a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service and his postal route was located in Phenix City, Alabama. In 2013, Jones is alleged to have joined in a scheme to file false tax returns using stolen identities in order to obtain fraudulent tax refunds. Jones’ co-conspirators allegedly obtained stolen personal identification information from several sources, including from an Alabama state database, and then prepared and filed false federal income tax returns. The indictment further alleges that the co-conspirators directed the tax refund checks be mailed to addresses located on Jones’s postal route and would then pay Jones a fee for him to deliver the checks.
If convicted, Jones faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the conspiracy count, 20 years in prison for each count of mail fraud, and a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft. The defendant also faces substantial monetary penalties, supervised release, restitution, and forfeiture.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Franklin commended special agents of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General who investigated the case and Trial Attorneys Michael C. Boteler and Gregory P. Bailey of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Ross of the Middle District of Alabama, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Pittsburgh Woman Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and Cocaine that Resulted in an Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 90 months’ imprisonment, followed by six years’ supervised release on her conviction of conspiracy to distribute narcotics, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Katie Spratt, 32. According to information presented to the court at the time Spratt entered a guilty plea, she regularly purchased fentanyl and cocaine from her co-defendant, Skyler Carter, for both personal use and further distribution, and was responsible for distributing quantities of fentanyl and cocaine resulting in the June 5, 2017, overdose death of a victim, identified as "A.B." Spratt further acknowledged her responsibility for participating with other members of the conspiracy in the distribution of more than 160 grams of fentanyl, 280 grams of cocaine base, and 3.5 kilograms of cocaine. Spratt is the sixth of the 21 defendants charged in the conspiracy to be sentenced.
In imposing sentence, Judge Schwab noted the tragic consequences of Spratt’s drug trafficking activity and the fentanyl epidemic gripping western Pennsylvania. He added that calling drug trafficking a "nonviolent [offense] is misguided."
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, the Allegheny County Police Department, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Paterson Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison for Robbing Two Passaic County BanksRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Paterson, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 151 months in prison for robbing a TD Bank in Paterson in June 2017 and an Investors Bank in Clifton, New Jersey, in July 2017, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
James M. Chestnut, 63, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William H. Walls to an information charging him with two counts of bank robbery. Judge Walls imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On June 30, 2017, Chestnut entered a TD Bank in Paterson and handed a teller a note stating “Put 100s and 50s in the envelope. No dye pack.”
On July 5, 2017, Chestnut entered an Investors Bank in Clifton and approached a teller, this time brandishing what appeared to be a firearm. He told the teller to “Open your drawer. Give me your money. All the 100s. Don’t call the cops or I’ll shoot you.”
During the plea, Chestnut also admitted attempting to rob a Chase Bank in Saddle Brook, New Jersey, on July 3, 2017.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Walls sentenced Chestnut to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Director Jerry Speziale; the Saddle Brook Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert Kugler; the Clifton Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Centurione; and the Passaic Police Department, under the direction of Chief Luis A. Guzman, for their assistance.
In addition, the investigation was aided by the FBI Violent Crime Task Force, which is comprised of law enforcement personnel from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, the Roxbury Police Department, the Paterson Police Department, and the N.J. State Police.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elaine K. Lou and Heather Suchorsky of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: Patrick McMahon Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark
North Branford Man Who Hacked into More Than 200 Apple iCloud Accounts Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GEORGE GAROFANO, 26, of North Branford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to eight months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for engaging in a phishing scheme that gave him illegal access to more than 200 Apple iCloud accounts, many of which belonged to members of the entertainment industry.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from April 2013 through October 2014, GAROFANO engaged in a phishing scheme to obtain usernames and passwords for iCloud accounts. GAROFANO admitted that he sent e-mails to victims that appeared to be from security accounts of Apple and encouraged the victims to send him their usernames and passwords, or to enter them on a third-party website, where he would later retrieve them. GAROFANO used the usernames and passwords to access his victims’ iCloud accounts, which allowed him to steal personal information, including sensitive and private photographs and videos. In some instances, GAROFANO traded the usernames and passwords, as well as the materials he stole from the victims, with other individuals.
By illegally accessing the iCloud accounts, GAROFANO gained access to approximately 240 accounts. Although many of GAROFANO’s victims were members of the entertainment industry in California, many non-celebrities who live in Connecticut were also victimized.
This matter stems from an investigation conducted by the FBI in Los Angeles into the leaks of photographs of numerous female celebrities in September 2014. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, which is leading the prosecution, filed charges against GAROFANO on January 11, 2018, and the parties agreed to transfer the case to the District of Connecticut for further prosecution.
On April 11, 2018, GAROFANO pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information.
GAROFANO, who is released on a $50,000 bond, was ordered to report to prison on October 10, 2018.
Judge Bolden ordered GAROFANO to perform 60 hours of community service while on supervised release.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj Patel of the District of Connecticut and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan White of the Central District of California.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New York man pleaded guilty today in district court in Springfield to possession of child pornography.
Emil Kaufman, 27, of Yorktown Heights, New York, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. United States District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Nov. 28, 2018.
On June 26, 2013, Kaufman was arrested in Great Barrington, Mass., after an investigation into a peer-to-peer file-sharing network, which Kaufman used to download and share child pornography. A subsequent examination of Kaufman’s computer and storage devices revealed that he possessed over 300 images of child pornography.
If the plea agreement reached by the parties is accepted by the Court, Kaufman will be sentenced to time served and 10 years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin O’Regan, Chief of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office, is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Navajo Man from To’hajiilee Sentenced for Federal Misdemeanor Assault ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Bruce Piaso, 37, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation from To’hajiilee, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to three years of probation for his conviction on a misdemeanor assault charge.
Piaso was arrested on June 3, 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with assaulting a federal officer. The complaint charged Piaso with attacking a tribal officer of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety, who was federally commissioned by the BIA’s Office of Justice Services, on May 28, 2016, on the Navajo Indian Reservation by punching and kicking the officer while attempting to avoid arrest. The complaint alleged that Piaso jumped on the officer and attempted to take control of the officer’s weapon. Piaso was taken into tribal custody on May 28, 2016, and remained in tribal custody until he was arrested on the federal charge.
Piaso was indicted on June 30, 2016, and was charged with assault on a federal officer resulting in bodily injury, and assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon. The indictment alleged that Piaso committed the crimes on May 28, 2016, in Cibola County, N.M. On Dec. 21, 2017, a federal jury found Piaso guilty of the lesser included offense of simple assault, a misdemeanor, and acquitted Piaso on the other charges in the indictment, after a three-day trial.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Crownpoint office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall prosecuted the case.
Navajo Man from Shiprock Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Federal Assault ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Lance Wilson, 31, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Shiprock, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Santa Fe, N.M., to 60 months in prison for his conviction on an assault charge. Wilson will be on supervised release for three years after completing his prison sentence.
Wilson was arrested in Jan. 2017, on a criminal complaint charging him with assaulting a Navajo man by striking him in the head with a pair of wire cutters on the Navajo Indian Reservation in San Juan County, N.M.
Wilson subsequently was indicted on Jan. 24, 2017. The two-count indictment charged Wilson with assault with intent to commit murder and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. The indictment alleged that Wilson committed the crimes on Dec. 24, 2016, on the Navajo Indian Reservation in San Juan County.
On Oct. 2, 2017, Wilson pled guilty to Count 2 of the indictment charging him with assault resulting in serious bodily injury. In entering the guilty plea, Wilson admitted that on Dec. 24, 2016, he struck the victim twice in the head with a cable-cutting tool because he was angry with the victim. Wilson further admitted that as the result of the assault, the victim required multiple surgeries including one to place a plate in his skull. Wilson acknowledged that, as the result of the assault, the victim suffered permanent injuries including memory loss and loss of speech, requires the use of a wheelchair, and resides in a health care facility.
This case was investigated by the Farmington office of the FBI and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Murphy prosecuted the case.
National Center for Disaster Fraud Reminds Residents to be Aware of Fraud When Disaster Strikes and Report ItRead the Press Release
On August 29th 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Region of the United States, caused hundreds of thousands of people to be displaced from their homes, and caused damages estimated in excess of $100 billon. In the wake of Katrina, billions of dollars in federal aid flowed into the Gulf Region and, inevitably, so did those willing to exploit people during some of their most vulnerable times. As a result, the U.S. Department of Justice established the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF).
The NCDF, a national coordinating agency, was created by a partnership between the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and various law enforcement and regulatory agencies. The goal was to improve and further the detection, prevention, investigation, and prosecution of fraud related to natural and man-made disasters, and to advocate for the victims of such fraud. The NCDF is led by U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana Brandon J. Fremin who serves as its Executive Director.
The NCDF serves as a centralized clearinghouse for disaster fraud complaints and provides a nationwide call center located on the campus of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The NCDF takes calls from members of the public and encourages them to report all types of disaster fraud. The NCDF employs a team of law enforcement agents who review those reports and make referrals to the appropriate investigative agencies for further investigation and for potential referral for prosecution. The NCDF provides de-confliction and coordination in handling disaster fraud matters and is focused on protecting disaster victims and any funds dedicated to disaster victims.
“Committing fraud against natural disaster victims is an inexcusable crime,” said Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. “We are now in hurricane season, and it is important for people to be on the lookout for fraudsters who seek to profit from natural disasters through identity theft schemes and solicitations for fake charities. The Department of Justice is committed to detecting this type of fraud, and we will aggressively prosecute the offenders. Through our National Center for Disaster Fraud, and in conjunction with our law enforcement partners, we are working to keep Americans from becoming victims of these schemes.”
The recent Carr Fire in California, though largely contained, has caused severe damage; the Pacific Hurricane Season has already proven to be quite active, as demonstrated by Hurricane Lane’s destructive landfall in Hawaii; and we are already 90 days into the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Unfortunately, and inevitably, natural and man-made disasters will continue to occur across our great nation. These terrible and often tragic events leave many people without food, water, or shelter, and often cause devastating damage to life and property. Nevertheless, there are criminals ready to take advantage of victims before, during, and especially after a natural disaster. They are looking to strike those at their most vulnerable time.
In ongoing efforts to strengthen partnerships and better inform the American people of its mission, the NCDF has joined with Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, who was recently installed as the President of the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), in an effort to spread the message of the NCDF to more of our partners nationwide. We at the NCDF are collaborating with Attorney General Landry and the NAAG to inform every state Attorney General of the mission and function of the NCDF as part of Attorney General Landry’s presidential initiative on disaster fraud.
“The NCDF has an excellent staff of investigators, analysts, call center operators, and managers who are well prepared to handle the anticipated volume of complaints during hurricane season and help ensure that each report of fraud reaches the appropriate investigative agency,” said Executive Director Fremin. “Our collaboration with the National Association of Attorneys General and Attorney General Landry is yet another example of our efforts to better serve the American people before, during and after a natural disaster. Raising public awareness by spreading the message of the NCDF through the state Attorneys General is a great way for the NCDF to reach thousands of people who may one day be subjected to fraudulent schemes.”
“As President of the National Association of Attorneys General, my goal is to use the next 18 months to gather as much intel as possible so we may better prepare state and federal leaders for future crises,” said Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry. “We are fortunate to have the NCDF right here in Louisiana and it has served as a great resource to our citizens through hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters. I am proud to team up with U.S. Attorney Fremin and the great men and women at the NCDF as we continue to look for ways to move Louisiana and other states forward in terms of emergency preparedness and management.”
Members of the public are reminded to be extremely cautious before providing personal identifying or financial information to anyone, especially those who may contact you after a natural disaster. They are also reminded to report suspected waste, fraud, abuse, or allegations of criminal conduct. If members of the public believe they have been the victim of fraud from a person or organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of disaster victims, they are strongly encouraged to contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline toll free at (866) 720-5721.
The telephone line is staffed by live operators 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Information can also be faxed to the Center at (225) 334-4707, or sent by email. To learn more about the NCDF please visit the website at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud and watch a public service announcement here.
Monroe County Man Pleads Guilty to Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
WILKES-BARRE - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Joseph Morales, age 27, of Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on August 28, 2018, before U.S. District Court Senior Judge A. Richard Caputo to the charge of conspiracy to distribute heroin and crack cocaine.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Morales admitted to participating in a conspiracy to distribute between 700 grams and one kilogram of heroin (which is equivalent to 28,000 to 40,000 individual doses of heroin), as well as between 840 grams and 2.8 kilograms of crack cocaine, in the Monroe County area between May and July 2015. Morales was one of eleven individuals indicted by a grand jury in July 2015 and charged with conspiring to distribute heroin, powder cocaine and crack cocaine in the Monroe County area.
Judge Caputo ordered a presentence report to be completed. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
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.
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.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison. The maximum penalty under federal law is up to life in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Miami Resident Indicted for Online Distribution of Information Pertaining to Explosives and Attempting to Provide Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and Robert F. Lasky, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announced today that that a Grand Jury sitting in Miami, Florida returned an indictment against Samuel Baptiste, 25, of Miami, Florida, charging him with four counts of distributing information pertaining to explosives, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 842(p)(2)(A), one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2339B(a)(1), and one count of attempting to provide material support to terrorists, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2339A.
Baptiste, who is currently serving an 80 month prison sentence on federal firearms charges, had his initial appearance in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin G. Torres on August 27, 2018. A detention hearing is scheduled before a U.S. Magistrate Judge, in Miami, on August 30, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.
According to allegations contained within the indictment, on November 6, 2016, Baptiste posted and distributed online documents titled “Instructions: How to Make a Homemade Pipe Bomb,” “Pipe Bombs,” “Improvised Explosive Devices,” and “Improvised Munitions Black Book, Volume 1,” with the intent that the information be used for and in furtherance of an activity that constitutes a Federal crime of violence. Moreover, by posting these documents, Baptiste attempted to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization, specifically ISIS.
If convicted, Baptiste faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison as to each of count of distributing information and attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and fifteen years in prison for attempting to provide material support to terrorists. In addition, Baptiste faces up to three years of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine on each count of conviction.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Miami Division and the South Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc S. Anton and Michael Thakur. Department of Justice Counterterrorism Attorney Joseph Attias provided assistance with this matter.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Mexican Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Mexican man who was illegally in the United States pled guilty on August 28, 2018, in federal court in Sioux City.
Jesus Jonathan Vazquez-Espinoza, 33, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and who was residing in Spencer, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
In a plea agreement, Vazquez-Espinoza admitted that he received approximately $10,000 worth of methamphetamine in March 2017, and continued to receive an average of 1 pound of methamphetamine every two weeks until his arrest in April 2018. Vazquez-Espinoza arranged for the methamphetamine to be delivered by mail to different residences in Iowa. At the time of Vazquez-Espinoza’s arrest, law enforcement seized over 2 pounds of methamphetamine and $8,712 in cash.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Vazquez-Espinoza remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Vazquez-Espinoza faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ajay J. Alexander and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement with assistance from the Iowa Great Lakes Drug Task Force, which includes the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office, the O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State Patrol, Spencer Police Department, the Okoboji Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-4032-LTS.
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Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud in Scheme Targeting D.C. Medicaid ProgramRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Maryland man who was employed as a personal care aide pled guilty today to a federal charge of health care fraud stemming from a scheme in which he submitted more than $66,000 in false claims to the District of Columbia Medicaid program.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Philadelphia Regional Office, and Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas of the District of Columbia.
Vincent Njong, 48, of Silver Spring, Md., pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Senior Judge Rosemary M. Collyer scheduled sentencing for Dec, 6, 2018. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and potential financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Njong faces a possible range of six to 12 months in prison and a fine of up to $20,000. The plea agreement requires him to pay $66,086 in restitution to the District of Columbia. He also is subject to a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $43,209, representing his share of the proceeds from the scheme.
According to a statement of offense submitted at the plea hearing, Njong was a licensed personal care aide. Under the Medicaid program, personal care aides perform services intended to assist Medicaid beneficiaries in carrying out the activities of daily living. These can include helping beneficiaries get in and out of bed, bathe, dress, eat out, take medication, and engage in toileting. To receive personal care services under Medicaid, a beneficiary must obtain a prescription from a doctor.
Between September 2012 and April 2014, Njong caused false claims to be submitted by two home health care agencies to the District of Columbia’s Medicaid program for personal care services that he did not provide or that were tainted by the payment of kickbacks to the Medicaid beneficiary. During the time period, Njong was assigned to provide personal care services to two Medicaid beneficiaries. He submitted false timesheets for work that was not provided. Starting in August 2013, for example, he began working full-time as a teacher in Maryland. Notwithstanding his full-time employment, he continued to submit timesheets to the two home health care agencies claiming to be working full-time for them.
In addition, he paid one of the beneficiaries approximately $100 bi-weekly to sign blank or false statements; he also provided the beneficiary with food or other items of value in exchange for the beneficiary’s signature on false timesheets.
Because of Njong’s fraudulent conduct, D.C. Medicaid paid $66,086 to the two home health care agencies. Njong personally received $43,209 of the fraudulently obtained proceeds.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director in Charge McNamara, Special Agent in Charge Dixon and Inspector General Lucas commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, as well as a team from the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the District of Columbia’s Office of the Inspector General. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the District of Columbia’s Department of Health Care Finance.
They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Arvind K. Lal, Chief of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Swanton, who assisted with forfeiture issues; Assistant U.S. Attorney Oliver McDaniel, and Paralegal Specialist Brittany Phillips. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise A. Simmonds, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Major Middle Georgia Methamphetamine Organization SentencedRead the Press Release
MACON: Charles E. Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announces that eight defendants were sentenced for their roles in a methamphetamine and marijuana distribution conspiracy on August 28, 2018, before the Honorable Marc T. Treadwell in Macon. Each defendant had previously entered a guilty plea for his or her individual role in the conspiracy.
Around April 2016, law enforcement began investigating Walter Williams, a/k/a “Bubba,” for distribution of methamphetamine. During the course of the investigation, agents learned that Mr. Williams was distributing large quantities of methamphetamine from his residence in Lizella, Georgia. Agents conducted several controlled purchases totaling 553. 77 grams of methamphetamine from Williams at his residence and elsewhere within the Middle District of Georgia. Agents eventually obtained a court Order to intercept the wire and electronic messages taking place over Mr. Williams’ cellular phones. Agents intercepted these wire and electronic messages from September 23, 2016, through October 20, 2016. During this period, the messages and surveillance confirmed that Mr. Williams obtained large quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana from a source of supply in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Mr. Williams would send a courier to retrieve the methamphetamine and bring it back to his residence. Mr. Williams would then make contact with his customers who would later arrange to pick up various quantities of methamphetamine and/or marijuana for further distribution.
On October 20, 2016, intercepted communications revealed that Mr. Williams was sending a courier to pick up methamphetamine. Agents were able to conduct surveillance and observed Mr. Williams’ courier pick up the methamphetamine from a courier for his source of supply in Ellenwood, Georgia. Upon the courier’s return to Mr. Williams’ residence, agents executed a previously obtained search warrant and seized the methamphetamine that had just been picked up, which was later confirmed to be 2,969.2 grams of d-Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, more commonly referred to as “ice.” In total, over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized over 4,685.67 grams of ice from the various defendants in this case.
The following defendants were sentenced on August 28, 2018:
Walter Williams a/k/a “Bubba,” age 40, of Lizella, Georgia
- Guilty plea entered: December 1, 2017
- Offense: Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Sentence: 16 years and 8 months imprisonment
Layla Keaney, age 38, of Gray, Georgia
- Guilty plea entered: December 14, 2017
- Offense: Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Sentence: 18 months imprisonment
Bobby Martinez, age 28, of East Point, Georgia
- Guilty plea entered: April 16, 2018
- Offense: Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Sentence: 5 years of probation
Antonio Mendez-Ramos, age 33, of Jonesboro, Georgia and Mexico
- Guilty plea entered: March 21, 2018
- Offense: Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Sentence: 17 years and 6 months imprisonment
Ruben Perez, age 32 of Covington, Georgia
- Guilty plea entered: February 27, 2018
- Offense: Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Sentence: 20 years imprisonment
Ashlee Shaw, age 29, of Lizella, Georgia
- Guilty plea entered: March 20, 2018
- Offense: Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Sentence: 10 years imprisonment
Danna Stokes, age 38, of Bonaire, Georgia
- Guilty plea entered: February 27, 2018
- Offense: Use of Communications Facility in Causing or Facilitating the Commission of Felonies Under the Controlled Substances Act
- Sentence: 1 year and 1 day imprisonment
Shana Walker, age 33, of Macon, Georgia
- Guilty plea entered: December 19, 2017
- Offense: Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Sentence: 8 years and 1 month imprisonment
The following defendants were previously sentenced:
Milton Dobbin Evans, age 66, of Macon, Georgia
- Guilty plea entered: February 27, 2018
- Offense: Use of Communications Facility in Causing or Facilitating the Commission of Felonies Under the Controlled Substances Act
- Sentence imposed on: May 31, 2018
- Sentence: 4 years imprisonment
James Howell, a/k/a “Flip,” age 28, of Macon, Georgia
- Guilty plea entered: November 20, 2017
- Offense: Distribution of methamphetamine
- Sentence imposed on: March 14, 2018
- Sentence: 12 years and 7 months imprisonment
Chadwick Nicholson, age 41, of Lizella, Georgia
- Guilty plea entered: December 21, 2017
- Offense: Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana
- Sentence imposed on: March 14, 2018
- Sentence: 5 years of probation
Another co-defendant, Russell Todd Mathis, was found guilty by a jury of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on June 6, 2018. Sentencing for Mathis is currently scheduled for September 19, 2018.
“Methamphetamine continues to be one of the most destructive drugs in our district. It not only ruins the lives of those who choose to use it and choose to deal it, it also affects families, law enforcement, healthcare providers, governments, and citizens across our district,” said United States Attorney Charles E. Peeler. “This office, in conjunction with federal and local law enforcement, will not rest until we identify, arrest and prosecute those responsible for spreading this poison. I want to thank the DEA, GBI, Peach County Sheriff’s Office, Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and Houston County Sheriff’s Office for leading the charge in this matter.”
“Bubba has been a major supplier in the Middle Georgia area for some time. It’s good to see local, state and federal law enforcement working together to take someone like him off the streets,” said Peach County Sheriff Terry Deese. “This might not stop the flow of methamphetamine to this area but it will slow it down for some time. It will take a while for someone else to come in and set up a network such as the one we have just dismantled.”
“The cocktail of deadly chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine is a recipe for disaster,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “These substances are not only volatile and toxic, but they also destroy families, communities and lives. Because of the collective effort between DEA, its local, state and federal law enforcement counterparts and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, these defendants were brought to justice and will no longer be able to distribute this insidious drug.”
“These convictions demonstrate the great work of law enforcement at all levels to investigate and prosecute the distribution of illegal drugs affecting Georgia and our surrounding states. The GBI remains committed to working with our local and federal partners in drug enforcement to address these types of crimes,” stated GBI Director Vernon Keenan.
This case was investigated by the Peach County Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Georgia Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and Houston County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth S. Howard handled the prosecution of the defendants who have been sentenced. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Crane is handling the prosecution of Mr. Mathis.
Questions concerning this release should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or [email protected]
Lawrence Pharmacy Resolves Allegations That It Failed to Keep Proper Records and Maintain Proper ControlsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today that Perrotta Pharmacy Inc., DBA Perrotta’s Super Drug, in Lawrence has agreed to pay $30,000 and enter into a Corrective Action Plan with the government to resolve allegations that Perrotta’s Super Drug failed to keep proper records of controlled substances and maintain effective controls against drug diversion.
According to the settlement, pharmacists and staff at Perrotta’s Super Drug on multiple occasions failed to comply with recordkeeping requirements of the Controlled Substances Act. The violations included failure to maintain complete and accurate inventories of controlled substances, including medications such as oxycodone; failure to record all of the required information pertaining to listed chemical retail sales; and failure to maintain records documenting the training of sales personnel of listed chemical products.
Perrotta’s Super Drug, an independently owned pharmacy, cooperated with the federal investigation and has agreed to implement a corrective action plan to come into compliance with the recordkeeping requirements of the Controlled Substance Act. Perrotta’s Super Drug also agreed to permit federal law enforcement to perform inspections of the pharmacy during the next three years without a warrant.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division, made the announcement today. The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Weber of Lelling’s Civil Division.
Lamont Coleman Drug Trafficking Organization ChargedRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Lamont Coleman, 36 years old, and Katrina Owens, 24 years old, both of Gary, Indiana were charged via criminal complaint on August 28, 2018 with conspiracy to distribute heroin. Also charged, in an Indictment returned on August 16, 2018, were Leroy Coleman, 55 years old, Tony Petty, 52 years old, and Augustine Pike, 45 years old, all of Gary, Indiana. The Indictment contains charges of distribution of heroin.
U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “Cooperative partnerships between local, state and federal agencies are essential to reducing the availability of controlled substances in the Northern District of Indiana. My Office, with our partners, will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute these cases.”
“Drug traffickers feed on the addiction of Hoosiers who struggle with drug abuse and contribute to the violence in our communities,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Greg Westfall. “Those who continue to bring this poison into our neighborhoods should know, the DEA is watching and will bring the full force of federal law enforcement to bear.”
Porter County Chief Deputy Jeffery Biggs said, “This operation was in response to the ongoing investigations of the Heroin Overdose Response Project. The Porter County Multi-Enforcement Group will continue to target the drug dealers responsible for overdoses in northwest Indiana.”
According to documents in the case, Lamont Coleman and Katrina Owens led a heroin distribution operation out of various properties owned by Lamont Coleman in Gary, Indiana. Lamont Coleman and Owens provided heroin to various individuals, including Leroy Coleman, Tony Petty, and Augustine Pike, and dispatched them to deliver the heroin to customers. Law enforcement executed search warrants at various properties owned by Lamont Coleman in Gary and recovered various narcotics and three firearms.
The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that charging documents, such as an indictment or a complaint, are merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty in court.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case was investigated by the DEA and the Porter County Multi-Enforcement Group and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang.
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Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim Against International Law FirmRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that it reached a settlement agreement with Clifford Chance US LLP, a large, international law firm with its U.S. headquarters located in New York. This agreement resolves the Department’s investigation into whether the law firm engaged in hiring discrimination by refusing to consider work-authorized non-U.S. citizens and dual citizens to staff a client project, in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
The Department determined that there was reasonable cause to believe that from March 30, 2017, until at least July 7, 2017, Clifford Chance unlawfully restricted its staffing for 36 positions on a document review project based on citizenship status. The Department’s investigation determined that Clifford Chance’s unlawful practice of excluding otherwise qualified non-U.S. citizens and dual U.S. citizens from the document reviewer positions was based on the law firm’s misunderstanding of the requirements of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). The Department found that the law firm improperly terminated or removed three individuals from their positions based on their citizenship status.
The ITAR regulates specific exports of defense articles and services, and – absent State Department authorization – limits access to certain sensitive information to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, asylees, and refugees. The ITAR thus does not authorize or require employers to hire only U.S. citizens. Employers that limit their hiring to U.S. citizens without a proper legal basis may violate the INA’s anti-discrimination provision, which prohibits hiring discrimination based on citizenship and national origin.
“Employers subject to the ITAR must be careful not to engage in unlawful discrimination against U.S. workers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that employers do not unlawfully exclude U.S. citizens and work authorized non-U.S. citizens from employment opportunities.”
Under the settlement, Clifford Chance will offer to pay lost wages to three individuals who were removed from the project, pay a $132,000 civil penalty to the United States, train relevant employees about the requirements of the INA’s discrimination provision, inform clients who request citizenship status restrictions for staff of the INA’s requirements, and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements for two years.
The Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits, among other things, citizenship status and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation; and intimidation.
More information on how employers can avoid unlawful citizenship status discrimination is available here. For more information about protections against employment discrimination under immigration laws, call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a free webinar; email [email protected]; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. More information on the ITAR is available here.
Applicants or employees who believe they were subjected to: different documentary requirements based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin; or discrimination based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral, can file a charge or contact IER’s worker hotline for assistance.
Justice Department Awards $32 Million Through the Improving the Criminal Justice Response ProgramRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) today announced 54 grants totaling $32 million through its Improving the Criminal Justice Response to Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Program.
These grants will help fund state, local, and tribal governments and courts’ efforts to ensure that the crimes of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking are treated as serious violations of criminal law through the coordinated involvement of the entire criminal justice system and community-based victim service providers. The recipients of these grants will work collaboratively with justice system and victim service provider partners to identify problems and share ideas that will result in enhanced responses that support victim safety and offender accountability.
Recipients of awards under OVW’s Improving the Criminal Justice Response to Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Program are:
- One Place Metro Alabama Family Justice Center (Alabama);
- Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (Alaska);
- City of Tucson (Arizona);
- City and County of San Francisco (California);
- City of San Jose (California);
- County of Contra Costa (California);
- County of Riverside (California);
- WEAVE Incorporated (California);
- Young Women’s Christian Association of Silicon Valley (California);
- Rose Andom Center (Colorado);
- City of Gainesville (Florida);
- City of Homestead (Florida);
- Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners (Florida);
- Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners (Florida);
- City of Rockford (Illinois);
- Freedom House (Illinois);
- Iowa State Judicial Branch (Iowa);
- City of Richmond (Kentucky);
- Mountain Comprehensive Care Center (Kentucky);
- New Orleans Family Justice Center (Louisiana);
- Wellspring Alliance for Families, Incorporated (Louisiana);
- Cumberland County (Maine);
- Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence (Maine);
- City of Lowell (Massachusetts);
- Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (Michigan);
- Judiciary Courts of the State of Minnesota (Minnesota);
- City of Lee’s Summit (Missouri);
- Lake County (Montana);
- Montana Department of Justice (Montana);
- Nevada Office of the Attorney General (Nevada);
- Strafford County (New Hampshire);
- Jersey Battered Women’s Service, Incorporated (New Jersey);
- YWCA of Eastern Union County (New Jersey);
- Bronx County Borough President (New York);
- City of Auburn (New York);
- Erie County (New York);
- Opportunities for Otsego, Incorporated (New York);
- Queens County Office of the Borough President (New York);
- Suffolk County (New York);
- Town of Pound Ridge (New York);
- Buncombe County (North Carolina);
- Family Violence Prevention Center, Incorporated (North Carolina);
- Oklahoma District Attorneys Council (Oklahoma);
- Deschutes County (Oregon);
- County of Schuylkill (Pennsylvania);
- Metropolitan Government of Nashville-Davidson County (Tennessee);
- Citizens Against Physical and Sexual Abuse, Incorporated (Utah);
- Circle, Incorporated (Vermont);
- HOPE Works, Incorporated (Vermont);
- Empowerhouse (Virginia);
- James City County (Virginia);
- Family Support Center of South Sound (Washington);
- Washington State Department of Commerce (Washington); and
- West Virginia Foundation for Rape Information and Services (West Virginia).
“Improving criminal justice response to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking is the backbone of VAWA and our OVW programs,” said OVW Acting Director Katharine Sullivan. “Funding programs that utilize a coordinated community response to providing victim services and holding offenders accountable is effective in combatting the VAWA four crimes. We are pleased to announce our 2018 awards today and look forward to working with law enforcement, prosecutors, the judiciary, treatment providers and advocates around this country in their quest to bettering their communities.”
Justice Department Awards $18 Million to Address Sexual Violence on CampusesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) today announced 57 grants totaling over $18 million to help campuses respond to the crimes of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.
OVW’s Grants to Reduce Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking on Campus Program support institutions of higher education in implementing comprehensive, coordinated responses to violent crimes on campus through partnerships with victim services providers and justice agencies. The recipients of these grants will work collaboratively with local law enforcement and prosecutors, campus athletic programs, Greek life organizations, and off-campus victim services, as each plays a critical role in making campuses safer and more just. The awards will make possible a range of services, including specialized training for campus law enforcement, healthcare providers, university personnel and others who are often first responders.
Recipients of awards under OVW’s Campus Grant Program are:
- South Arkansas Community College (Arkansas);
- California State University Bakersfield (California);
- Humboldt State University Sponsored Programs Foundation (California);
- Regents of the University of California, Santa Barbara (California);
- Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Community College District (California);
- Southwestern Community College District (California);
- Albertus Magnus College (Connecticut);
- Asnuntuck Community College (Connecticut);
- Fairfield University (Connecticut);
- District Board of Trustees of Pensacola State College (Florida);
- Florida State University (Florida);
- Miami Dade College (Florida);
- Spelman College (Georgia);
- Dominican University (Illinois);
- Northeastern Illinois University (Illinois);
- Northern Illinois University (Illinois);
- Trustees of Indiana University (Indiana);
- Indian Hills Community College (Iowa);
- Northern Kentucky University (Kentucky);
- St. Joseph’s College (Maine);
- University of Maine at Augusta (Maine);
- Anne Arundel Community College (Maryland);
- Harford Community College (Maryland);
- University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Maryland);
- Bentley University (Massachusetts);
- Kalamazoo College (Michigan);
- Mississippi Valley State University (Mississippi);
- Avila University (Missouri);
- Community College District of Jefferson County (Missouri);
- Salish Kootenai College (Montana);
- College of Saint Mary (Nebraska);
- Board of Regents, University of Nevada, Reno (Nevada);
- Caldwell University, Incorporated (New Jersey);
- Centenary University (New Jersey);
- Passaic County Community College (New Jersey);
- William Paterson University (New Jersey);
- University of New Mexico (New Mexico);
- Medaille College (New York);
- Molloy College (New York);
- Paul Smith’s College of Arts & Sciences (New York);
- St. Bonaventure University (New York);
- St. John’s University, New York (New York);
- Trocaire College (New York);
- Lourdes University (Ohio);
- Miami University (Ohio);
- Tiffin University (Ohio);
- University of Akron (Ohio);
- Lewis & Clark College (Oregon);
- Arcadia University (Pennsylvania);
- Juniata College (Pennsylvania);
- Wilson College (Pennsylvania);
- Augustana College (South Dakota);
- Dakota Wesleyan University (South Dakota);
- University of Texas at El Paso (Texas);
- University of Lynchburg (Virginia);
- Bellevue College (Washington); and
- Edmonds Community College (Washington).
“It is vital to keep our students safe on campuses by supporting programs that take a coordinated community approach to education and prevention of sexual assault on our college and university campuses,” said OVW Acting Director Katharine Sullivan. “OVW is proud of our innovative approach to the development of the campus grant programs. We welcome our new grantees and congratulations to our continuing grantees.”
Jamestown Man Arrested, Charged with Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Matthew Bailer, 33, of Jamestown, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession of child pornography. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth R. Moellering, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on July 11, 2018, the Jamestown Police Department received a complaint from a parent that her minor children, Victim 1 and Victim 2, may have been sexually abused by the defendant. The parent stated that she was told by the defendant’s sister that she found a series of concerning pictures, sexual in nature, on a Nokia cellular telephone that was used by the defendant.
Bailer was subsequently arrested on a warrant out of Missouri related to a burglary case. During a search of the Nokia cellular telephone, investigators recovered several hundred images of images of child pornography involving sexually explicit conduct by prepubescent and pubescent children, both male and female.
The defendant made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder and is being detained.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Harry Snellings.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Loucious Collins, 37, of Jackson, pled guilty yesterday before United States District Judge David Bramlette III to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
On June 8, 2017, the FBI and the Mississippi Gaming Commission assisted Mississippi Alcoholic Beverage Control with executing a search warrant at V Live Club in Jackson. While inside the club, law enforcement discovered that Loucious Collins, a convicted felon, possessed a gun inside his pants pocket. Collins has several previous felony convictions, including multiple convictions for house and business burglary.
Collins will be sentenced in Jackson by Judge Bramlette on November 27, 2018, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mississippi Gaming Commission, and the Mississippi Alcoholic Beverage Control. It is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime in Jackson through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Jackson Expel Crime Together." PSN is 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.
U.S. Attorney Hurst commended the work of the local law enforcement and their cooperation with FBI agents and Project EJECT task force members in the investigation of this case.
Investment Adviser Admits Stealing Millions of Dollars from ClientsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A former broker and investment adviser today admitted stealing millions of dollars from his clients in order to pay for personal expenses, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Gary Basralian, 70, of Springfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud and one count of investment adviser fraud.According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Basralian was a registered broker who provided investment adviser services to clients and received compensation for advising them about investing in, purchasing, or selling securities. From 1989 until December 2017, he was registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), or its predecessors, as working at “Securities Firm A,” a registered investment adviser and broker-dealer with its principal place of business in Jersey City, New Jersey. Securities Firm A provided a broker-dealer platform for more than 2,000 independent financial advisers across the United States.
From July 2007 through November 2017, Basralian defrauded his clients by falsely telling them that he would invest their money in securities and other investments when, in fact, he misappropriated those funds and used them for his own personal expenditures – including payments on a BMW automobile and tens of thousands of dollars in credit card bills.
In one instance Basralian wired money from at least one victim client’s investment account at Securities Firm A to various accounts that he controlled and used the proceeds for his own benefit. When the victim asked why the account had diminished in value, Basralian sent the victim a phony spreadsheet showing that the money was being invested as loans to various companies and would be paid back with interest.
Basralian admitted stealing at least $2 million.
The wire fraud count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The investment adviser fraud count carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 3, 2018.
On May 22, 2018, the N.J. Bureau of Securities in the Office of the N.J. Attorney General issued a summary revocation order against Basralian that revoked his agent and investment adviser representative registrations.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Judy Ramos, and special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the N.J. Bureau of Securities, under the direction of Bureau Chief Christopher Gerold, for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney A. Howard of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit.
Defense counsel: Samuel Braverman Esq., New York