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Monday 16 July 2018
Buffalo Man Sentenced for Being A Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead 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 David Hunter, 22, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of being a felon in possession of firearms, was sentenced to serve 27 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Tripi, who handled the case, stated that between March 3, 2017, and March 12, 2017, the defendant posted images to “Snap Chat” depicting himself in possession of a Hi-Point, model JH-45 semi-automatic firearm.
On April 1, 2017, New York State Parole Officers, assisted by members of the Buffalo Police Department, searched Hunter’s residence, recovered a Hi-Point, model CF380, .380 caliber semi-automatic firearm, and arrested the defendant.
The defendant was previously convicted in state court of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in February 2014 and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict, New York Field Division; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood; New York State Parole, under the direction of Acting Commissioner Anthony J. Annucci; and the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of John Flynn.
Bossier City felon sentenced to 36 months for illegally possessing a pistolRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that a Bossier City man previously convicted of a felony was sentenced to three years in prison for unlawfully possessing a .40-caliber pistol.
Leroy George, 31, of Bossier City, Louisiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of felon in possession of a firearm. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the March 8, 2018 guilty plea, law enforcement agents executed a warrant on August 18, 2017 at a Bossier City apartment and located a Taurus, model PT 101, .40-caliber pistol under a pillow in George’s bedroom. George was previously convicted of burglary in 2007 and robbery in 2015.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
The ATF and U.S. Marshals Service Violent Offenders Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg prosecuted the case.
Baltimore Drug Dealer Sentenced to over 11 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Thomas Merrick, age 37, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to 138 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Baltimore District Office; and Interim Commissioner Gary Tuggle of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to Merrick’s plea agreement, during 2016 and 2017, investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) conducted an investigation of drug-trafficking in the Baltimore area and elsewhere. Merrick was identified as a member of a drug distribution conspiracy whose members purchased narcotics from suppliers in Mexico, arranged for the importation of the narcotics into the United States, and distributed the narcotics in the Baltimore area. Merrick was captured on wiretaps during which he and his accomplices were overheard by law enforcement planning and discussing drug transactions over cellular phones, including text messages and voice calls. Law enforcement also conducted physical surveillance of Merrick and his co-conspirators’ activities and made drug seizures from various locations used by the conspirators.
For example, during early 2017, investigators conducted a court-authorized wiretap on a cellular phone used by a member of the conspiracy. The co-conspirator acquired heroin and fentanyl from suppliers. On multiple occasions, investigators overheard the co-conspirator planning to receive narcotics. The co-conspirator would then make arrangements with his accomplices, including Merrick, to receive the narcotics and to distribute the narcotics to customers.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised the DEA and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Hanlon, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
Andrew Shonk indicted on child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
Andrew A. Shonk, 36, of Massillon, was charged with receiving and possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
The indictment charges that from March 2013 through February 20, 2018, Shonk knowingly received numerous computer files which contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment also charges that between on or about May 19, 2018 and on or about June 19, 2018, Shonk possessed two USB storage devices that contained child pornography.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force, the Canton Police Department and the Jackson Township Police Department.
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.
Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Fentanyl Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Jeremy Brown, 26, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to violating the federal firearms laws by possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In entering the guilty plea, Brown admitted possessing a loaded firearm on May 1, 2017, to facilitate his fentanyl trafficking activities.
The DEA arrested Brown in May 2017, and charged him with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on May 1, 2017. According to the complaint, DEA agents found marijuana, cocaine, methadone, $700, and several counterfeit oxycodone pills in Brown’s vehicle incident to his arrest following an investigation into Brown for suspected drug trafficking activity. The complaint alleged that the DEA previously had found that similar counterfeit oxycodone pills contained fentanyl or a combination of fentanyl and other substances.
Brown and co-defendant Crystal Campos, 33, also of Albuquerque, subsequently were charged in a five-count indictment on May 24, 2017, with drug trafficking and firearms offenses. The indictment charged Brown and Campos with conspiring to distribute controlled substances from March 9, 2017 through March 11, 2017. The indictment charged Campos with distributing a controlled substance on March 10, 2017 and Brown with distributing a Schedule II controlled substance on March 10, 2017. It also charged Brown with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on May 1, 2017. The indictment alleged that the defendants committed the crimes in Bernalillo County, N.M.
During today’s proceedings, Brown pled guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In entering the guilty plea, Brown admitted that on May 1, 2017, the DEA arrested him as he was attempting to meet with an individual for the purpose of selling pills containing fentanyl. Brown admitted that when he was arrested, he consented to a search of his vehicle where DEA agents found metal canisters containing fentanyl pills and a loaded firearm. Brown acknowledged that he intended to distribute the fentanyl pills to others and that he used the firearm for protection during drug trafficking transactions.
At sentencing, Brown faces a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of life in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter J. Eicker as part of the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in New Mexico.
The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. HOPE’s law enforcement component is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. Targeting members of major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.
Saturday 14 July 2018
Wanblee Man Sentenced for Participating in a High Speed Chase and Shooting IncidentRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Wanblee, South Dakota, man convicted of Aiding and Abetting and Discharging a Firearm During Commission of a Crime of Violence was sentenced by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Austin Lee Chipps, Sr., age 24, was sentenced on July 6, 2018, to 10 years in federal prison, to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Chipps was charged on May 23, 2017. The charge related to Chipps driving at speeds over 100 miles per hour in order to elude Oglala Sioux Tribal police officers, who attempted to stop his vehicle. During the chase, other individuals in the vehicle fired at the officers with an AR 15 rifle, which they had previously stolen.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Chipps was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Wanblee Man Sentenced for First Degree BurglaryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Wanblee, South Dakota, man convicted of First Degree Burglary was sentenced by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Benjamin Quiver, age 46, was sentenced on July 6, 2018, to 2 years in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The conviction stems from Quiver entering the residence of an individual in the nighttime near Wanblee on September 22, 2016, and stealing a handgun from a holster before leaving the residence.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kelderman prosecuted the case.
Quiver was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Woman Sentenced for False StatementRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of False Statement was sentenced by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Michelle Elbow Shield, age 20, was sentenced on July 6, 2018, to 3 months in federal prison, to be followed by 2 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Elbow Shield was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury in October 2017. The charge related to Elbow Shield making a false statement to a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation about an investigation of an assault that took place in February 2017.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Elbow Shield was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of federal Bank Fraud and Tax Evasion charges was sentenced on July 9, 2018, by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Brent Bednarz, age 44, was sentenced to 9 years and 7 months in federal prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,050,238.64 in restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund on the Bank Fraud charge. Bednarz was also sentenced to 5 years in federal prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $490,873.00 in restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund on the Tax Evasion charge, with the prison time to run concurrent.
The conviction stems from Bednarz managing the former Rapid Motors used car dealership in Rapid City, and thereafter stealing over one million dollars from the business’s owner. At the same time, Bednarz failed to pay federal income on his earnings and on the additional money he stole.
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg S. Peterman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Lake Andes Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Federal Prison for Assault on ChildRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons, announced that a Lake Andes, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury was sentenced on July 9, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Jerrad Dean Clairmont, age 20, was sentenced to 37 months in custody, followed by two years of supervised release after serving his prison sentence. He was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Clairmont served an additional three months in tribal custody.
According to court documents, on or about the 5th day of April 2017, at Wagner, in Charles Mix County, South Dakota, Clairmont unlawfully assaulted a child who had not attained the age of 18 years, and said assault resulted in life-threatening or permanent bodily injury.
During the assault, Clairmont shook the victim. The victim, approximately four months old at the time of the assault, suffered severe head, brain, and eye trauma, and he was placed on life support. Because of the victim’s age and small size, the victim was vulnerable during the assault and defendant knew of the victim’s physical attributes.
The investigation was conducted by the Yankton Sioux Tribe’s Law Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Clairmont, who was in custody during the pendency of the court proceedings, was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshal’s Service.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Felon in Possession of a Firearm was sentenced on July 9, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
D’Boy Condon, age 40, was sentenced to 6 months in federal prison, followed by 4 months of home confinement, 2 years of supervised release, forfeiture of a Western Field, model M732, .30-06 caliber rifle, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Condon was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 17, 2017. He pled guilty on March 22, 2018.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on March 31, 2016, in Eagle Butte. On that day, Condon was found with the .30-06 caliber rifle wrapped inside a blanket on the couch where he was sitting. It was reported that the rifle was received by Condon as payment, and earlier in the evening, Condon was pointing the rifle at another person.
Condon was convicted of Assaulting a Federal Officer in 2001, making it illegal for him to possess firearms. Condon will forfeit ownership of the rifle to the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Condon was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Friday 13 July 2018
Woman Sentenced for Defrauding Donors of over $50,000 by Misrepresenting That She Had Terminal CancerRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that VEDOUTIE HOOBRAJ, a/k/a “Shivonie Deokaran,” was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for wire fraud in connection with her scheme to defraud donors by falsely claiming that she had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and needed money to pay for her treatments. HOOBRAJ pled guilty to an Information on January 12, 2018, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisa Margaret Smith. HOOBRAJ was sentenced by U.S District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “In a cynical exploitation of people’s generosity, Vedoutie Hoobraj created an elaborate fiction about having cancer to reap charitable contributions from well-meaning donors. Hoobraj even falsified medical records to conceal the fraud. Today, she has learned to the price of such brazen conduct.”
According to the Information, other documents filed in this case, and statements made during court proceedings:
From 2014 through 2016 in Westchester County, New York, and elsewhere, HOOBRAJ, then a resident of Dobbs Ferry, New York, solicited donations by falsely stating that she had been diagnosed with terminal stage leukemia, had been given only 18 months left to live, and needed money for medical care and other expenses. HOOBRAJ obtained donations through two GoFundMe fundraising websites, direct giving, and a fundraising event hosted by parents and students of Ardsley High School, the high school attended by both of her sons. HOOBRAJ publicized her fundraisers in press interviews, online postings, and emails, among other means. HOOBRAJ received in excess of $50,000 in donations from over 400 individuals in Ardsley, New York, and elsewhere based her misrepresentations.
When questioned by the Ardsley Police Department on or about January 20, 2016, HOOBRAJ falsely stated, among other things, that she had been diagnosed with terminal cancer by a specific oncologist who she claimed died in an earthquake in Nepal in April 2015. Subsequently, HOOBRAJ checked herself into Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, New York, (“Jacobi”) for an examination. HOOBRAJ then provided donors forged lab work from that examination, indicating that her hemoglobin, platelet counts, and red blood cell counts were supposedly consistent with a cancer patient’s. In fact, the actual medical record provided by Jacobi to HOOBRAJ stated, “Your labs turned out to show no abnormalities.”
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In addition to the prison, term, HOOBRAJ, 38, of Orlando, Florida, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $51,938 and restitution to victims in the amount of $47,741.20.
Mr. Berman praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ardsley Police Department. Mr. Berman also thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vladislav Vainberg is in charge of the prosecution.
Wife of Former UAW Vice President Sentenced to Prison for Criminal Tax FraudRead the Press Release
The wife of former UAW Vice President General Holiefield was sentenced to 18 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release and a fine of $25,000 today based on her conviction for felony tax fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider.
Joining in the announcement were Manny Muriel, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit, Michigan office of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, James Vanderberg, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, Thomas Murray, Acting District Director, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Labor-Management Standards, and Timothy R. Slater, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit, Michigan office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Monica Morgan, 54, of Harrison Township, Michigan had previously pled guilty in February 2018 before United States District Judge Paul D. Borman. During her guilty plea, Morgan admitted to filing fraudulent tax returns whereby she failed to report hundreds of thousands of dollars in income for the years 2011 through 2014. In total, Morgan failed to pay $190,747 in taxes owed.
Morgan is the wife of former UAW Vice President General Holiefield, who died in March of 2015. From 2010 to 2014, Holiefield was the director of the UAW Chrysler Department and acted as the lead negotiator and the lead administrator for the collective bargaining agreements between the UAW and FCA.
According to court records, Morgan owned and operated the companies Monica Morgan Photography and Wilson’s Diversified Products based in Detroit, Michigan. Morgan’s companies received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the UAW-Chrysler National Training Center during the years when Holiefield was a UAW Vice President. Morgan’s companies also received significant payments from Holiefield’s charity, known as the Leave the Light On Foundation. Former FCA Vice President Alphons Iacobelli and former FCA Financial Analyst Jerome Durden each acknowledged using Wilson Diversified Products and the Leave the Light On Foundation to conceal payments made on behalf of FCA to UAW Vice President Holiefield. Both Durden and Iacobelli have previously pleaded guilty to their participation in the criminal conspiracy, along with former FCA executive Michael Brown and former senior UAW officials Virdell King and Keith Mickens. Durden, Iacobelli, Brown, King, and Mickens are all awaiting sentencing before Judge Borman.
Morgan’s various companies received hundreds of thousands of dollars in money funneled by FCA executives to Morgan and Holiefield, all in effort to keep UAW executives like Holiefield “fat, dumb, and happy.” At the hearing today, Morgan’s sentencing guidelines were enhanced based on the fact that the income she failed to report was the proceeds of criminal activity. In addition, her sentence was enhanced because Morgan used sophisticated means and shell companies in order to conceal her tax fraud.
The Court ordered Morgan to pay $190,747 in restitution to the U.S. Treasury Department.
Morgan is the first defendant to be sentenced in the ongoing criminal investigation into illegal payoffs involving UAW officials and FCA executives.
U.S. Attorney Schneider commended the outstanding work of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Labor-Management Standards and Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in conducting a comprehensive criminal investigation into labor corruption activities involving a vital sector of the local and national economy.
“Morgan was punished for cheating on her taxes and for helping to conceal hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal payments from FCA executives to Morgan and her husband, General Holiefield, the former UAW Vice President in charge of the Chrysler Department,” stated United States Attorney Matthew Schneider. “The court’s sentence for Morgan vindicates the honest tax payers who properly report their income and pay their taxes, while sending a strong signal to those who would steal from everyone in the community through tax fraud.”
Manny Muriel, Special Agent in Charge of Detroit’s IRS Criminal Investigation stated, “Today’s sentencing of Monica Morgan demonstrates the consequences for enriching oneself with funds designated for the hard working members of the UAW and failing to report the diverted funds as income on your personal tax returns. IRS-CI and our federal partners will continue to aggressively pursue corrupt corporate and union officials who violate federal law and interfere with our nation’s tax laws."
“Monica Morgan filed a false tax return to conceal income she received from her companies. Those companies received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the UAW-Chrysler National Training Center during the years her late husband was a UAW Vice President. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate crimes that threaten the integrity of the union collective bargaining process,” said James Vanderberg, Special Agent-in-Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
“The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards places a high priority on combatting financial malfeasance and safeguarding financial integrity in labor unions,” said acting OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Director Thomas Murray. “Morgan’s conviction leaves no question as to the agency’s commitment to seek justice when anyone puts personal financial gain ahead of the best interests of union members.”
“The sentencing of Monica Morgan should serve as a firm reminder that anyone who believes that they can enrich themselves through deception and fraud will be held accountable", said Timothy R. Slater, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Division of the FBI. "In the process of receiving and concealing ill-gotten funds, Morgan committed tax fraud and squandered training opportunities for many deserving blue-collar auto workers".
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David A. Gardey, Erin Shaw, Charles J. Kalil II, and Adriana Dydell.
Wheeling man admits to wire fraudRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Eugene Robert LeClear, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has admitted to wire fraud, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
LeClear, age 46, pled guilty to one count of “Wire Fraud.” LeClear admitted to defrauding others out of more than $100,000 from August 2016 to December 2017 in Ohio County.
LeClear faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James E. Seibert presided.United States Forfeits $765,850.27 in Video Sweepstakes Gaming Proceeds Seized from Southern Pines Convenience Store OperatorsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced the forfeiture of $765,850.27 seized from Southern Pines residents Mukesh and Daxaban Patel and their company, Shree Zapesvari, Inc., doing business as Jay’s Food Mart 1 and 2. Under the terms of a Settlement Agreement filed on July 13, 2018 in the United States District Court in the Middle District of North Carolina, $100,000 of the total of $865,850.27 seized from the Patels will be returned to them, with the remainder forfeited.
In a Complaint filed on December 23, 2016, the United States alleged that the cash seized from the Patels’ convenience stores was the proceeds of illegal gambling in violation of state and federal law. As alleged in the Complaint, an undercover investigation revealed that the Patels operated several illegal electronic gaming machines and games of chance at both Jay’s Food Mart 1 and 2, machines owned by a third-party, with whom they split the proceeds. The machines, which contain a display similar to slot machines, contained gaming software provided by a gaming software provider. Patrons who won received payoffs on site.
“A segment of the gaming industry continues to foist illegal games of chance on the people of North Carolina,” says United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr., “particularly on those least able to afford this addictive and destructive habit – this in spite of clear directives from both the North Carolina General Assembly and Supreme Court of North Carolina barring such games. This case represents one way in which we will seek to limit the reach of this lucrative yet pernicious industry.”
Homeland Security Investigations Resident Agent in Charge Timothy P. Stone says that “as these segments of the gaming industry continue to pedal games of chance onto the public of North Carolina, an environment ripe for illegal behavior is created, one that preys on the livelihood of many while costing others their lives.” Stone says that “the success of the investigation would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, Moore County Sheriff’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Division, and the Office of the United States Attorney, all critical in helping bring the individuals and businesses of this industry to justice.”
Assistant United States Attorney Steve West represented the government in this matter.
Uncle and nephew indicted in metro Atlanta crime spree involving multiple armed robberies of banks and businessesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – William Anthony Everett and Marcus Lamont Ward, Jr. were charged in a superseding indictment by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to commit and commission of armed robberies of two banks, and several robberies of Metro PCS stores, Subway sandwich shops, and a Dollar General store. The men were also charged with several counts of possessing a firearm during these armed robberies. Everett was also charged with possessing a firearm while a convicted felon.
“Federal, state, and local law enforcement officers collaborated extensively to solve the violent crime spree for which the defendants are charged,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “These defendants are alleged to have committed numerous armed robberies, together and separately, in several metro Atlanta cities. Their crimes involved harrowing incidents in which bank tellers and cashiers were terrorized, while they were forced to relinquish cash at gunpoint.”
“For about a two-month period, these two defendants are alleged to have terrorized innocent victims who just happened to be in their path,” said J.C. Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The reign of terror ended, and now the traumatized victims can take solace that these two defendants will face justice in court, thanks to the coordinated effort of several law enforcement agencies.”
“This indictment demonstrates the outstanding work of law enforcement at all levels to investigate violent crimes in Georgia,” said GBI Director Vernon Keenan. “The GBI remains committed to working with our local and federal partners to aggressively pursue and dismantle this type of criminal element in our state.”
“I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the collaborative partnership that has developed resulting in local, county, state, and federal authorities working together to ensure our communities are protected from violent offenders,” said LaGrange Police Chief Louis Dekmar.
“This case is an excellent example of law enforcement agencies working together quickly and effectively, leading to the arrests and subsequent indictment of these criminals,” said Hogansville Police Chief Brian Harr.
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the superseding indictment, and other information presented in court: On October 7, 2016, LaGrange Police Department (LPD) officers arrested Everett and Ward in a dark gray jeep following a traffic stop executed by the Hogansville Police Department (HPD). The defendants’ arrests occurred shortly after the armed robbery of a Community Bank and Trust (CB&T) branch in LaGrange. Inside the jeep, owned and driven by Ward, officers recovered a black and silver semi-automatic pistol, money from the LaGrange bank, and clothing - a shirt, baseball cap, and black sunglasses - that matched items worn by the robber during the LaGrange robbery, as captured by the bank’s surveillance cameras. A bank manager at the LaGrange CB&T branch identified Everett as the man who committed the LaGrange and Hogansville armed robberies. A witness described seeing two suspicious men behind the Hogansville CB&T branch emerge from a dark Jeep just before that bank robbery.
Following the defendants’ arrests, the FBI consulted with Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents and local law enforcement officers about a rash of armed commercial robberies involving Metro PCS stores, Subway sandwich shops, and a Dollar General store. During all but one of the robberies, video surveillance footage captured a man who appeared to be Everett pointing either a silver and black, or black, handgun at the cashiers while robbing the establishments. Multiple witnesses described the man resembling Everett as escaping in a dark jeep that matched the general description of Ward’s jeep, in which the men were arrested on October 7, 2016. Another witness from one of the Metro PCS stores knew Everett and Ward and reported their involvement in the Metro PCS store robbery. The cashiers at the Dollar General store also identified Everett as the armed robber of their business.
The superseding indictment alleges that Everett and Ward conspired to commit the following armed robberies, including some in which only Everett is charged in the substantive counts of the indictment:
●September 29, 2016, armed robbery of a Metro PCS store located in southeast Atlanta, Georgia;
●September 22, 2016, armed robbery of a Metro PCS store located in Decatur, Georgia, including the brandishing of a firearm during this crime of violence;
●September 12, 2016, armed robbery of a Metro PCS store located in Fairburn, Georgia, including the brandishing of a firearm during this crime of violence;
●September 7, 2016, armed robbery of a Subway sandwich shop located in Forest Park, Georgia, including the brandishing of a firearm during this crime of violence;
●August 29, 2016, armed robbery of a Metro PCS store located in College Park, Georgia, including the brandishing of a firearm during this crime of violence;
●August 23, 2016, armed robbery of a Metro PCS store located in northwest Atlanta, Georgia; and
●August 14, 2016, armed robbery of a Dollar General store located in Kennesaw, Georgia.
William Anthony Everett, 57, and Marcus Lamont Ward, Jr., 31, both of Atlanta, Ga., were charged in a superseding indictment on July 10, 2018 for conspiracy to commit and commission of armed robberies of two banks, and several store robberies, including several counts of possessing a firearm during and in furtherance of these armed robberies. Members of the public are reminded that the superseding indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Atlanta Police Department, DeKalb Police Department, Fairburn Police Department, Forest Park Police Department, Fulton County Police Department, Hapeville Police Department, Hogansville Police Department, LaGrange Police Department, Kennesaw Police Department, and Newnan Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr., Chief of the Violent Crime and National Security Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dashene A. Cooper are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In keeping with the Attorney General’s mission to reduce violent crime, the Northern District of Georgia’s PSN program focuses on prosecuting those individuals who most significantly drive violence in our communities, and supports and fosters partnerships between law enforcement and schools, the faith community, and local community leaders to prevent and deter future criminal conduct.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
U.S. Settles Dispute with Transportation Company over Contracted Afghanistan Security ServicesRead the Press Release
U.S. based multi-modal transportation and logistics company Liberty Global Logistics LLC (LGL) has paid the United States TWO HUNDRED NINETY-FOUR THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS ($294,800) to settle claims that it violated its contract with United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) by falsely billing the United States for convoy security services that were never actually provided, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Donald S. Boyce, announced today.
USTRANSCOM contracted with LGL for the transportation of U.S. military cargo from the United States to various military outposts in Afghanistan. The contract required LGL to comply with Afghanistan law, which mandates the purchase of extra security services for cargo convoys moving along certain trucking routes within Afghanistan. Those services were reported to have been provided by the Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF) – an arm of the Afghanistan government – and a portion of the security costs were reimbursed to LGL by the United States under the contract.
USTRANSCOM later discovered that on 20 occasions in 2016 and 13 occasions in 2017, certain LGL shipments moved without APPF security services, in violation of the contract.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement negotiated by the parties, LGL agreed to withdraw its outstanding claims for additional reimbursement associated with APPF costs for the movements at issue in 2016, and further agreed not to seek any additional reimbursement from USTRANSCOM for the movements at issue in 2017.
As a result of the investigation, LGL has already implemented a strengthened internal compliance program to monitor, identify and prevent inaccurate billings. The company agreed to maintain that strengthened program as part of the settlement agreement.
This matter was investigated by USTRANSCOM, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, United States Army Criminal Investigation Command, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction and was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nathan D. Stump.
LGL was cooperative in the investigation.
U.S. National Pleads Guilty to the Attempted Murder of U.S. Consulate Official in MexicoRead the Press Release
A U.S. national and former medical student pleaded guilty today to shooting a U.S. diplomat stationed at the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge Robert F. Lasky of the FBI’s Miami Field Office and Director Christian J. Schurman of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) made the announcement.
Zia Zafar, 33, of Chino Hills, California, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder of an internationally protected person and one count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Zafar entered his guilty plea before U.S District Judge Anthony J. Trenga of the Eastern District of Virginia. Judge Trenga scheduled Zafar’s sentencing hearing for November, 7, 2018.
According to admissions made in connection with his plea, on Jan. 6, 2017, Zafar armed himself with a firearm, donned a wig and sunglasses to disguise his appearance, and waited in a parking garage for a Vice Consul, who worked at the U.S Consulate in Guadalajara. Although Zafar initially was following the Vice Consul as he walked towards his vehicle, Zafar noticed a security guard nearby, and instead moved to the vehicle exit ramp, where he waited for the Vice Consul to exit. As the Vice Consul approached the exit in his car, Zafar fired a single shot into the vehicle, striking the Vice Consul in his chest and leaving him in serious condition. Zafar admitted that he targeted the Vice Consul because he knew from earlier surveillance that the victim worked at the U.S. Consulate.
“Zia Zafar surveilled and targeted a U.S. official serving in Mexico, lying in wait before shooting him in the chest in a heinous act of premeditated violence,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Cronan. “Today’s guilty plea sends a clear message that the Department of Justice will aggressively prosecute those who seek to harm U.S. officials serving overseas. The Department of Justice will continue work with our domestic and international partners to ensure that anyone who targets U.S. officials abroad will be brought to justice.”
“The Vice Consul was targeted and shot because he represented the United States,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “No one should doubt the resolve of law enforcement to steadfastly investigate and apprehend those who attack us. I wish to express our sincere thanks to the many United States and Mexican law enforcement agencies involved in the apprehension and return of this defendant to the United States to face justice.”
“Crime doesn’t stop at international borders, as such, the FBI works closely with international partners and security services in order to conduct complex investigations and acquire evidence from abroad for criminal prosecutions in the United States,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Lasky of the Miami Field Office. “I want to thank the Mexican government for their full support and cooperation throughout this investigation.”
"This guilty plea makes a strong statement to those who would attempt to commit such a heinous crime. The Diplomatic Security Service is dedicated to ensuring those who commit these crimes are brought to justice,” said DSS Director Schurman. “Our global presence allows DSS to work with both U.S. and foreign law enforcement to stop criminals who would attempt to murder a U.S. citizen."
FBI and DSS investigated the case in close cooperation with Mexican authorities and with valuable assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Trial Attorney Jamie Perry of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Walutes Jr. of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
The Department of Justice gratefully acknowledges the government of Mexico, to include the Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores, Procuraduria General de la Republica, Fiscalia del Estado de Jalisco and Instituto Nacional de Migracion for their extraordinary efforts, support and professionalism in responding to this incident.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Settles Lawsuit Against South Dakota LandlordRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY, SD – United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that the United States has reached a settlement agreement with a Rapid City landlord to resolve a lawsuit alleging discrimination on the basis of sex and familial status, in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
The lawsuit arose from a complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”). After the parties failed to resolve allegations administratively, the matter was brought to federal court, where the United States alleged that Amie Kelly violated the Fair Housing Act when she discriminated against Jennifer Seiler on the basis of sex and familial status. Specifically, the United States alleged that on July 20, 2015, Ms. Kelly sent Ms. Seiler a copy of a lease agreement that contained the following provision: “No minor under the age of 18 is to be allowed to be on or about the premises without adult supervision.” The United States further alleged that on July 23, 2015, after a series of correspondence with Ms. Seiler, Ms. Kelly denied her the opportunity to rent a housing unit. Ms. Kelly communicated the denial by email, representing that she had decided to rent to a bachelor, instead: “In the past, I have always rented to bachelors, that has worked best.” Lastly, the United States alleged that on or around July 28, 2015, five days after Ms. Kelly represented to Ms. Seiler that a particular housing unit was unavailable, Ms. Kelly made the unit available to a bachelor.
Under the settlement, which does not constitute an admission of liability, Ms. Kelly will pay Ms. Seiler $3,000 in monetary damages. As part of the agreement, Ms. Kelly will also implement nondiscrimination policies and procedures, partake in fair housing training, refrain from engaging in any prohibited conduct in the future, and make periodic reports to the department regarding compliance.
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of disability, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals who believe they may have been victims of housing discrimination can call the Justice Department at 1-800-896-7743, email the Justice Department at [email protected], or contact HUD at 1-800-669-9777. Individuals residing within South Dakota may also contact Alison Ramsdell, Civil Rights Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota, at (605) 330-4400.
U.S Attorney Bill Powell announces Operation Synthetic Opioid surge (S.O.S.) in Berkeley CountyRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG – United States Attorney Bill Powell is applauding Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the creation of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), which, in the Northern District of West Virginia, will focus on a surge in prosecutions of those distributing fentanyl and other synthetic opioids in Berkeley County. Berkeley County saw the highest rate of overdose deaths in the district in 2017.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced S.O.S. this week, a new program that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas and to identify wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers.
As part of Operation S.O.S., the Department will launch an enforcement surge in ten districts with some of the highest drug overdose death rates. Each participating United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) will choose a specific county and prosecute every readily provable case involving the distribution of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and other synthetic opioids, regardless of drug quantity. The surge will involve a coordinated DEA Special Operations Division operation to insure that leads from street-level cases are used to identify larger scale distributors. Operation S.O.S. was inspired by a promising initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Florida involving Manatee County, Florida.
"We at the Department of Justice are going to dismantle these deadly fentanyl distribution networks. Simply put, we will be tireless until we reduce the number of overdose deaths in this country. We are going to focus on some of the worst counties for opioid overdose deaths in the United States, working all cases until we have disrupted the supply of these deadly drugs," Attorney General Sessions said. "In 2016, synthetic opioids killed more Americans than any other kind of drug. Three milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal--that's not even enough to cover up Lincoln's face on a penny. Our prosecutors in Manatee County, Florida have shown that prosecuting seemingly small synthetic opioids cases can have a big impact and save lives, and we want to replicate their success in the districts that need it most. Operation S.O.S.—and the new prosecutors who will help carry it out—will help us put more traffickers behind bars and keep the American people safe from the threat of these deadly drugs."
“One overdose death is too many. Our district has had way too many overdose deaths. I thank Attorney General Sessions for providing additional resources to combat the opioid overdose crisis. The Eastern Panhandle of our district has been particularly hard hit by opioid deaths, and we will do everything we can to prosecute all those who don’t give a second thought to distributing incredibly potent drugs like fentanyl to our citizens. We will have zero tolerance for those engaging in such conduct,” said Powell.
In addition, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Executive Office will send an additional two-year term Assistant United States Attorney to each participating district to assist with drug-related prosecutions.
The ten participating districts are:
• Eastern District of California
• Eastern District of Kentucky
• District of Maine
• District of New Hampshire
• Northern District of Ohio
• Southern District of Ohio
• Western District of Pennsylvania
• Eastern District of Tennessee
• Northern District of West Virginia
• Southern District of West VirginiaBerkeley County saw 54 overdose deaths in 2017, a drop from 88 in 2016, according to the WV Health Statistics Center.
Two Men Plead Guilty to Federal Charges in Attack on ATM EmployeeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Richard Reid, 43, of Washington, D.C. and Dwonne Washington, 43, of Silver Spring, Md., have pled guilty to federal charges for robbing and beating a man who was servicing ATM machines last fall in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Division of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Both men pled guilty to a charge of interference with interstate commerce by robbery as well as a related federal firearms offense. Reid entered his guilty plea on July 11, 2018, in the U.S District Court for the District of Columbia, and Washington entered his plea on the following day. Both men face mandatory minimum sentences of seven years in prison for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and additional time for the robbery offense. Under sentencing guidelines, Reid faces a likely total range of 125 to 135 months in prison and Washington faces an estimated 117 to 125 months. The Honorable Rudolph Contreras scheduled sentencing for Oct. 2, 2018. Both men remain held pending sentencing.
According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 15, 2017, the victim was refilling ATM machines owned by his company throughout the Washington, D.C. area. The attack took place after the victim had refilled an ATM machine located inside a market in the 300 block of P Street NW. At 1:45 p.m., as the victim was walking to his car with a backpack filled with cash, he was attacked from behind by two assailants.
The first assailant, Washington, pistol-whipped the victim with a firearm while the second assailant, Reid, beat the victim with his fists. Both Washington and Reid wrestled the backpack off the victim’s back and fled the area in a vehicle. During the attack, which was captured on surveillance video, the victim’s nose was broken.
An investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department revealed that the getaway vehicle used by the assailants was registered to Washington. Witnesses then identified Washington in the surveillance video and he was arrested the day after the crime. He has been held ever since. Subsequent investigation by MPD and the FBI’s Washington Field Office identified a phone dropped on scene as belonging to Reid, and a witness identified him in the surveillance video. He was arrested on Feb. 23, 2018 and has been held since that time.
In announcing the pleas, U.S. Attorney Jessie Liu, Special Agent in Charge DeSarno, and Chief Newsham commended the work of MPD’s Fifth District detectives and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Vanore and Sumit Mallick, who successfully prosecuted the defendants.
Tulare County Men Indicted for Series of Armed Robberies in Tulare and Kern Counties and in NebraskaRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment Thursday against Javier Beltran, 34, of Strathmore, and Ulises Medina, 24, of Earlimart, charging them with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, interference with commerce by robbery, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Beltran and Medina were members of a conspiracy that committed a series of armed robberies of gas stations, convenience stores, and liquor stores from May 19, 2016, until July 22, 2017.
Beltran, Medina, and their co-conspirators used a similar modus operandi for each robbery. First, Beltran, Medina, and other conspirators would steal a Chevrolet or GMC sports utility vehicle or truck manufactured between 2000 and 2006. Beltran, Medina, and other conspirators would push a hole in the lock on the door of the vehicle, open the steering shaft, and start the vehicle without a key. Next, Beltran, Medina, and other conspirators would drive to a gas station, convenience store, or liquor store in the stolen vehicle. They would park the vehicle outside, and Beltran, Medina, and other conspirators, wearing masks and gloves, would enter the store carrying guns. They would order the store clerk to give them money, then they would steal money from the cash register or safe in the store. Finally, Beltran, Medina, and other conspirators would flee in the stolen vehicle, drive it a short distance, and switch to another getaway vehicle, often leaving the stolen vehicle running.
The indictment alleges that Beltran, Medina, and their conspirators committed at least seven armed robberies in Tulare and Kern Counties between May 2016 and January 2017. The next month, Beltran, Medina, and other conspirators travelled to Nebraska, where they engaged in similar conduct. Beltran, Medina, and their conspirators then returned to California, where they committed three more armed robberies.
According to the indictment, in furtherance of the conspiracy, Beltran, Medina and other conspirators committed robberies that included:
May 19, 2016, Applegate’s Market, Porterville
June 29, 2016, Applegate’s Market, Porterville
October 2, 2016, EZ Shop-N-Go, Strathmore
November 4, 2016, EZ Shop-N-Go, Strathmore
December 20, 2016, SA Market, Earlimart
December 30, 2016, Payless Liquor, Bakersfield
January 18, 2017, Joe’s Westside, Porterville
February 22, 2017, Robbery of Tienda Mexicana Guerrero, Fremont, Nebraska
March 13, 2017, Amigo’s Market, Earlimart
May 12, 2017, Sunshine Market, Earlimart
July 22, 2017, Woodville Liquor, Porterville
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Porterville Police Department, Lindsay Police Department, Bakersfield Police Department, Fremont (Nebraska) Police Department, and Dodge County (Nebraska) Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Pearson and Kathleen Servatius are prosecuting the case.
If convicted of the conspiracy to commit a Hobbs Act robbery, the defendants face a mandatory statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Beltran was charged with two counts and Medina was charged with one count of interference with commerce by robbery, which carries a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. Beltran was charged with two counts and Medina was charged with one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, which carries a mandatory statutory penalty of at least seven consecutive years up to a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine if convicted. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Tucson Immigration Attorney Indicted on Federal Mail Fraud and Forgery ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Marivel Cantu-Madril, 40, of Oro Valley, Ariz., was arraigned today in federal court in Tucson, Ariz., on an indictment charging her with mail fraud and forging judicial signatures. Cantu-Madril entered a not guilty plea during the arraignment hearing and was released on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
Cantu-Madril is an attorney admitted to the State Bar of Arizona who practiced immigration and criminal defense law in Tucson, Ariz., for several years. She currently is suspended from the practice of law.
The three-count indictment, which was filed on July 3, 2018, charges Cantu-Madril with one count of mail fraud and two counts of forgery of judicial signature, and with aiding and abetting the three offenses.
Count One of the indictment charges Cantu-Madril with mailing, or causing to be mailed, an “I-765, Application for Employment Authorization,” in which she allegedly included false information about a non-citizen client seeking government approval to work in the United States to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. As alleged in the indictment, Cantu-Madril intentionally entered false information into the application to improve the prospect of approval by immigration authorities by misrepresenting the date on which her client last entered the United States, and by falsely asserting that her client was legally residing in the United States.
Counts Two and Three of the indictment allege that Cantu-Madril forged the signature of a clerk of court for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. As alleged in the indictment, Cantu-Madril falsely authenticated two payment receipts from the Ninth Circuit by forging the clerk’s signature on the documents.
If convicted, Cantu-Madril faces maximum statutory penalty of twenty years of imprisonment on mail fraud offense and five years of imprisonment on the forgery offenses.
Charges in indictments are merely accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
The investigation of the case, which is ongoing, is being handled by the Tucson field office of ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean J. Sullivan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case. Individuals who may have information that is pertinent to the investigation are asked to contact HSI at 866-347-2423.
Cantu Madril IndictmentTickfaw Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
VERNON SWEENEY, JR. (“SWEENEY”), age 52, of Tickfaw, Louisiana, was sentenced today for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans.
On October 12, 2017, law enforcement officers with the Louisiana State Police and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, arrested SWEENEY during the execution of a state search warrant at his Tickfaw home after finding that SWEENEY was in possession of several items, including a laptop computer, thumb drives and cellular phones that contained images depicting the sexual victimization of prepubescent children.
U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon sentenced SWEENEY to ten years incarceration to be followed by supervised release for life. SWEENEY will also be required to register as a sex offender pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Fraud Section Chief, Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.
Three Suspected Cocaine Traffickers ArrestedRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama– Three (3) suspected cocaine traffickers made their initial appearance in federal court yesterday and are facing charges of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. Jose Ocampo-Gonzalez, 49, Kristopher Kashif Baker, 32, and Robert Reynolds, Jr., all from Tuskegee, were arrested this week and are currently in United States Marshals custody pending a detention hearing.
The arrests follow a federal investigation that has led to the seizure of 9 kilograms of cocaine, 23 kilograms of marijuana, 100 grams of crack cocaine, and 221 grams of hydrocodone. In addition, over $260,000 and at least 13 firearms were seized.
This investigation is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce the distribution of illegal drugs and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Each defendant is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigating agencies include: the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), the Montgomery Police Department, the Prattville Police Department, the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office, the Central Alabama Drug Task Force, the Autauga County Sheriff’s Office, the Millbrook Police Department, the Eufaula Police Department and the Alabama Attorney General’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Curtis Ivy, Jr., and R. Randolph “Rand” Neeley.
Three Gypsy Joker Outlaw Motorcycle Club Members & Associate Indicted for Violent Murder and Kidnapping in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - A federal grand jury in the District of Oregon has returned a four-count indictment charging three members and associates of the Gypsy Joker Outlaw Motorcycle Club (GJOMC) for racketeering, kidnapping and murder. The indictment was returned on June 28, and unsealed today.
The indictment was announced by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams for the District of Oregon; Special Agent in Charge Darek Pleasants of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosive’s (ATF) Seattle Field Division; and Chief of Police Danielle Outlaw of the Portland Police Bureau (PPB).
“The defendants allegedly violently kidnapped and murdered Robert Huggins to maintain and advance their positions in the Gypsy Joker Outlaw Motorcycle gang,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Cronan. “This indictment is an important step toward dismantling this violent gang, and should send a clear message that the Department of Justice will bring to justice those who commit such heinous crimes on our streets.”
“Pursuing organized criminal organizations and individual members that commit violent crimes and threaten public safety is a top priority for the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Oregon,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “We will use every law enforcement tool available to hold members of criminal organizations accountable for their violent and lawless criminal gang activity.”
“ATF remains committed to combatting violent crime organizations that endanger our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Pleasants. “ATF will always stand shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement partners to protect the public.”
“The Portland Police Bureau is proud to be a part of this collaborative effort that resulted in the indictment of people engaged in violent activity,” said Chief Outlaw. “Violent crime deeply affects our community and by working in partnership, we can use effective strategies to locate those individuals who are responsible for violence and hold them accountable.”
Mark Leroy Dencklau, 58, of Woodburn, Oregon; Earl Deverle Fisher, 48, of Gresham, Oregon; and Tiler Evan Pribbernow, 37, of Portland are charged with murder in aid of racketeering; kidnapping in aid of racketeering, resulting in death; kidnapping resulting in death and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, resulting in death. According to the indictment, the defendants are alleged from June 30 to July 1, 2015 to have kidnapped and murdered Robert Huggins, a resident of southeast Portland, Oregon.
According to the indictment, GJOMC oversees several “support clubs” in Oregon and Washington, including the Road Brothers Northwest Motorcycle Club, Solutions Motorcycle Club, Northwest Veterans Motorcycle Club, High-Side Riders, and the Freedom Fellowship Motorcycle Club. The indictment alleges that the three men engaged in the violent actions leading to Huggins’ death for the purpose of maintaining and increasing their positions in the GJOMC criminal enterprise.
Dencklau, Fisher and Pribbernow made their initial appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Portland on July 9, 10, and 13, 2018, respectively.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the PPB and ATF, with assistance from the Clark County, Washington Sheriff’s Office, the Oregon State Police, and the Oregon and Washington State Crime Labs. Trial Attorney Rebecca A. Staton of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah K. Bolstad of the District of Oregon are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Three Gypsy Joker Outlaw Motocycle Club Members & Associate Indicted for Violent Murder and Kidnapping in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the District of Oregon has returned a four-count indictment charging three members and associates of the Gypsy Joker Outlaw Motorcycle Club (GJOMC) for racketeering, kidnapping and murder. The indictment was returned on June 28, and unsealed today.
The indictment was announced by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams for the District of Oregon; Special Agent in Charge Darek Pleasants of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosive’s (ATF) Seattle Field Division; and Chief of Police Danielle Outlaw of the Portland Police Bureau (PPB).
“The defendants allegedly violently kidnapped and murdered Robert Huggins to maintain and advance their positions in the Gypsy Joker Outlaw Motorcycle gang,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Cronan. “This indictment is an important step toward dismantling this violent gang, and should send a clear message that the Department of Justice will bring to justice those who commit such heinous crimes on our streets.”
“Pursuing organized criminal organizations and individual members that commit violent crimes and threaten public safety is a top priority for the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Oregon,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “We will use every law enforcement tool available to hold members of criminal organizations accountable for their violent and lawless criminal gang activity.”
“ATF remains committed to combatting violent crime organizations that endanger our communities,” said ATF Special Agent Charge Pleasants. “ATF will always stand shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement partners to protect the public.”
“The Portland Police Bureau is proud to be a part of this collaborative effort that resulted in the indictment of people engaged in violent activity,” said Chief Outlaw. “Violent crime deeply affects our community and by working in partnership, we can use effective strategies to locate those individuals who are responsible for violence and hold them accountable.”
Mark Leroy Dencklau, 58, of Woodburn, Oregon; Earl Deverle Fisher, 48, of Gresham, Oregon; and Tiler Evan Pribbernow, 37, of Portland are charged with murder in aid of racketeering; kidnapping in aid of racketeering, resulting in death; kidnapping resulting in death and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, resulting in death. According to the indictment, the defendants are alleged from June 30 to July 1, 2015 to have kidnapped and murdered Robert Huggins, a resident of southeast Portland, Oregon.
According to the indictment, GJOMC oversees several “support clubs” in Oregon and Washington, including the Road Brothers Northwest Motorcycle Club, Solutions Motorcycle Club, Northwest Veterans Motorcycle Club, High-Side Riders, and the Freedom Fellowship Motorcycle Club. The indictment alleges that the three men engaged in the violent actions leading to Huggins’ death for the purpose of maintaining and increasing their positions in the GJOMC criminal enterprise.
Dencklau, Fisher and Pribbernow made their initial appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Portland on July 9, 10, and 13, 2018, respectively.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the PPB and ATF, with assistance from the Clark County, Washington Sheriff’s Office, the Oregon State Police, and the Oregon and Washington State Crime Labs. Trial Attorney Rebecca A. Staton of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah K. Bolstad of the District of Oregon are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The Woodlands Woman Sent to Prison for Defrauding EmployerRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 53-year-old resident of The Woodlands has been sentenced following her conviction of wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Kavita Nehendra Duvvuru pleaded guilty Oct. 11, 2017.
Today, U.S. District Judge Sim Lake handed Duvvuru a 24-month sentence. At the hearing, a representative of victim company Vinmar International Ltd. told the court the company was like a family and that Duvvuru’s crime a shock. In handing down the sentence, Judge Lake noted the crime deserved punishment by a prison sentence. She will also be required to serve a three-year-term of supervised release following completion of her sentence. She was further ordered to make restitution of $2,537,885.66. The court also entered a forfeiture order imposing a money judgment of $2.5 million.
Duvvuru was a former employee of Vinmar International Ltd. At the time of her plea, she admitted that while employed there, she made unauthorized charges and cash advances for personal expenses on credit cards which were only to be used for Vinmar business expenses. Duvvuru further admitted she altered the credit card statement and provided false information to conceal her fraud from the company.
Duvvuru began employment with the Houston petrochemical distribution and marketing company Vinmar in 2004. Vinmar paid the balances on several credit cards issued in the name of Vinmar’s president and another officer of Vinmar on a monthly basis. These credit cards included an American Express Plum card and two MasterCards and were used to charge Vinmar’s business expenses. Duvvuru had credit cards issued in her name on those accounts as well, but was only authorized to charge Vinmar business expenses.
Beginning in or about 2010, Duvvuru began making unauthorized charges for personal expenses on the American Express Plum credit card. Eventually, these unauthorized personal charges reached between $10,000 and $20,000 per month. She also obtained unauthorized cash advances from the MasterCard credit cards, which she used for personal expenses including payment of her property taxes and college tuition payments for her children.
In late 2016, Duvvuru made $22,359.29 in unauthorized personal charges on the American Express Plum card. She later accessed the online statement, downloaded a copy and used a software program to alter it to conceal her unauthorized personal charges. She then added a falsified charge for the same amount and attributed it to a Vinmar vendor. She also created false entries to account for the charge it to make it appear to be a legitimate Vinmar business expense. She then submitted the falsified entries to Vinmar’s accounting department.
Duvvuru was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Braddock is prosecuting the case.
Tangipahoa Parish Men Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JERRY PEA, age 42 of Ponchatoula, and JAMES JACKSON, age 34 of Hammond, were indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on one count of conspiring to distribute crack cocaine and heroin in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 846; five counts of distributing crack cocaine and/or heroin in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1), and one count each of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A).
According to the indictment and an earlier-filed complaint, PEA and JACKSON conspired to distribute, and did in fact distribute, over 28 grams of crack cocaine and quantities of heroin across five days between March and May 2018, and each of the men possessed a firearm during at least one of those narcotics transactions. If convicted of the narcotics charges, PEA and JACKSON face terms of imprisonment of 5-40 years, fines of up to $5 million, and at least four years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of the firearms charges, PEA and JACKSON face terms of imprisonment of 5 years to run consecutive to any other sentence, fines of up to $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely an allegation and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Sandman is in charge of the prosecution
Synthetic Drug Dealer Convicted on All CountsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Following a month-long jury trial, Douglas Jason Way, aka Jason Way, 45, of Evanston, Illinois, was found guilty today on all counts for a conspiracy to manufacture and distribute synthetic marijuana, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
On May 15, 2014, Way was charged by an indictment filed in Fresno with conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute synthetic cannabinoids or designer drugs, commonly known at the street level as “spice,” “K2” or “herbal incense.” He was also charged with manufacturing, distributing, possessing with intent to distribute, and attempting to possess with intent to distribute synthetic cannabinoids and with conspiring to possess acetone, a List II chemical, for the purpose of manufacturing synthetic cannabinoids, conspiring to defraud the United States and commit offenses against the United States, and causing the introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce.
According to court documents, Way was the leader of a drug conspiracy involving the manufacture and distribution of at least 24 tons of smokable synthetic cannabinoids that contained the synthetic drugs AM-2201 and XLR11, also known as 5-F-UR-144. The chemicals came from China and the finished product was sold to smoke shops and retail outlets throughout the United States and generated over $32 million in illicit income in five months. Manufactured by companies called Zencense and ZenBio, the drugs were processed in warehouses in Millbrae and Stockton and marketed under the brand names of Bizarro, Posh, Sonic Zero, Headhunter, Neutronium, and Orgazmo. They were distributed to The Stuffed Pipe smoke shops located throughout the Central Valley of California, as well as to other retail establishments in 47 states.
Public health and law enforcement agencies have seen the emergence of synthetic drug use. State and local public health departments note that synthetic cannabinoids cause serious adverse health effects, including agitation, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, tachycardia, elevated blood pressure, tremor, seizures, hallucinations, paranoid behavior, and even death. According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, poison centers throughout the United States received 5,230 calls about exposures to these drugs in 2012 and 2,656 exposures in 2013. Making matters worse, synthetic cannabinoids are often marketed as “legal” substances and sometimes labeled as “herbal incense” or “potpourri.” The 2012 Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act made 26 types of synthetic cannabinoids, including AM-2201, Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substance Act. DEA placed JWH-018 in Schedule I in 2011 and placed XLR11 in Schedule I in 2013.
This case was the product of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation by the DEA, IRS, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Numerous other law enforcement agencies assisted in follow-up investigation, including the St. Cloud, Minnesota Police Department; Mars Hill, North Carolina Police Department; Montgomery County, North Carolina Sheriff’s Office; Buncombe County, North Carolina, Sheriff’s Office; and Willis, Texas Police Department. The OCDETF Program was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack against organized drug traffickers. Today, the OCDETF Program is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises. This OCDETF investigation was also part of a nationwide law enforcement effort coordinated by the DEA’s Special Operations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen A. Escobar and Vincenza Rabenn are prosecuting the case.
Way is scheduled for sentencing on October 29, 2018, before U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. With respect to the drug charges, Way faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine, as to each count. The conspiracy to defraud charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The FDA mislabeling charge carries a maximum statutory penalty of three years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Way is also facing the forfeiture of over $589,000, representing the drug proceeds that he derived from the illegal operation. To date, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has forfeited more than $6.5 million of drug proceeds: $6,488,000 in cash and $191,000 in other assets, including a 2013 Ford F350 pickup truck and a 2014 Airstream travel trailer.
St. Louis County Doctor Pleads Guilty to Obstructing FBI InvestigationRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Dr. Vidal Sheen, 58, St. Louis County, Missouri, pled guilty to obstructing an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) regarding whether he billed the Medicare program and private insurers for “face to face” office visits performed on dates when he was actually traveling outside of Missouri, and sometimes traveling outside of the United States.
According to his plea agreement, Dr. Sheen operated a medical office in St. Louis County, Missouri. At the medical office, Dr. Sheen created medical records using a template falsely recited patients’ symptoms and histories, and sometimes recorded vital signs (e.g. pulse rates) that did not change between patients’ visits.
Moreover, from time to time, defendant traveled to various destinations, including Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and Florida. For these timeframes when Dr. Sheen was out of town, he created office notes with false entries reflecting that he had seen patients in his office, using his electronic signature. Dr. Sheen's medical records did not discuss the role of the other employees in his office during the out-of-town visits, or his absence from the office on the dates of service.
The United States served Dr. Sheen’s office with a subpoena requesting medical records regarding his office visits in late 2016. In response to the subpoena, on December 1, 2016, Dr. Sheen produced medical records to the FBI in which he had made false entries about face-to-face office visits, in an effort to impede, obstruct, and influence the FBI’s billing investigation.
Dr. Sheen pled guilty to one felony count of obstructing an investigation before United States District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig. Sentencing has been set for October 23, 2018. He now faces a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000, per count. In determining the actual sentences, a Judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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St. Augustine Sex Offender Charged with Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Kenneth Brian Hanger (46, St. Augustine) with attempted online enticement of a minor, attempted production of child pornography, and online solicitation of child pornography. In 1994, Hanger was convicted of aggravated indecent assault in Bradford County, Pennsylvania and is required to register as a sexual offender. Because of his prior child sex offense conviction, Hanger faces cumulative enhanced penalties in this case of 70 years, and up to life, in federal prison. On July 6, 2018, Hanger was ordered detained pending his trial.
According to court documents, on May 22, 2018, a detective with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office (SJSO) reviewed sexual offender registration information provided by Hanger. Hanger disclosed his use of a Facebook account that did not list his true name. Posing as a minor child, the detective sent a “friend request” to this account, and Hanger accepted this request and made online contact with the “child.” Between May 24 and June 5, 2018, Hanger and the “child” engaged in online conversations on several occasions using a texting application. Hanger was advised and acknowledged that the “child” was 13 years old.
On June 1, 2018, Hanger raised the topic of sexual activity between himself and the “child” and suggested meeting to engage in sex. On June 4, 2018, Hanger and the “child” again discussed meeting for sex, and Hanger sent the “child” an explicit photo of himself. Hanger suggested that they would need to use condoms so that the “child” would not become pregnant and Hanger would not “leave any DNA.” Later that day, Hanger asked the “child” to send him a graphic video depicting “her” genitalia. The next day, SJSO detectives arrested Hanger at his home.
This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Six defendants charged in high-end car theft ringRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Six defendants have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of stealing expensive cars from dealerships in three states, altering their Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN), and fraudulently obtaining new titles for the cars.
“These defendants were brazen in stealing expensive vehicles from car dealerships,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “They are alleged to have altered the Vehicle Identification Numbers of the stolen cars to cover their tracks and to allow them to sell the cars as legitimate.”
“The FBI Atlanta’s Organized Crime Task Force, working in coordination with the Alpharetta Public Safety Department and others, were able to bring a stop to the illicit business this crime ring is alleged to have been conducting,” said J.C. Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The combined effort is another example of how law enforcement will go to every length to protect our citizens and bring those who violate the law to justice.”
“When a civil servant is associated with criminal activity, it undermines the public’s trust in government,” said Special Agent in Charge Floyd Martinez. “The General Services Administration Office of Inspector General will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and hold accountable individuals who abuse this trust for personal gain.”
“This is another great example of what happens when we combine federal and local resources in an effort to combat expansive criminal activity,” said Alpharetta Police Chief John Robison. “We are grateful for our strong partnership with the FBI, and we look forward to continuing to work with them in the future.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges, and other information presented in court: The defendants allegedly worked together to steal high-end vehicles, mainly from car dealerships in Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. After stealing the cars, the defendants researched vehicles that were similar to the ones they had stolen, and when a similar car was found, they used that vehicle’s VIN to create a new VIN for the stolen car. They then affixed the new VIN to the dashboard to thwart detection that the vehicle was actually stolen.
At that point, defendants submitted fraudulent powers of attorney to state motor vehicle departments to obtain copies of the titles of the similar cars. With the fake title in hand, the defendants allegedly sold the stolen car with its new VIN. The defendants allegedly stole eight Bentleys, three Audis, two Mercedes-Benz, two GMC Yukons, two Chevrolet Corvettes, as well as other expensive cars.
The following defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury on June 26, 2018 and charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, and altering a VIN:
●Everett Tripodis, 42, of Atlanta, Georgia;
●Janell Payne, 39, of Atlanta, Georgia;
●Mark Wilson, 31, of Toledo, Ohio;
●Kakawana Tate, 42, of Atlanta, Georgia;
●Antonio Tyler, 42, of Augusta, Georgia; and
●Quentin Berry, 45, of Atlanta, Georgia.
Tripodis and Payne were arraigned on July 10, 2018, on federal charges of stealing expensive cars, altering their Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN), and fraudulently obtaining new titles for the cars. Tripodis was also ordered detained on July 13, 2018, pending trial by U.S. Magistrate Judge Russel G. Vineyard. Tripodis has two previous federal convictions for tampering with and altering VINs. Payne is trained as a lawyer.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Alpharetta Police Department, the Atlanta Police Department, and the General Services Administration – Office of Inspector General also provided assistance on the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phyllis Clerk and Paul R. Jones are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Shasta County Woman Sentenced to 1 Year in Prison for Faking Redding-Area Drug Test ResultsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Demetri Dearth, 61, of Cottonwood, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. to one year in prison and $2,500 in special assessments for forging and falsifying documents and then billing clients of her employment drug testing company for tests that never occurred, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between about 2006 and about 2010, Dearth owned and operated Advanced Substance Abuse Programs in Redding, California. This company assisted employers in complying with United States and California regulations requiring pre-employment and random employee drug screenings. Dearth’s client roster included more than 80 companies in industries as varied as aviation, trucking, construction, logging, and education. They paid her to test prospective and current employees for drug use, to notify companies of these drug test results, and to maintain testing records in compliance with federal and state regulations.
Between March 2009 and February 2010, Dearth forged some of the drug test results that she reported to her client companies. In at least 46 instances, Dearth did not forward urine samples to approved testing laboratories. Instead, she faked documents certifying that the samples had been tested and obtained negative results. Doing so allowed her to bill client companies for testing that never occurred. It also prevented these companies from knowing whether their prospective and current employees were, in fact, drug-free when they performed potentially dangerous work, such as driving heavy trucks on public highways or providing services to the airline industry.
On October 20, 2017, Dearth pled guilty to 16 counts of making false statements to a government agency and nine counts of mail fraud. Dearth has been ordered to surrender to federal authorities on September 6, 2018. After completing her prison sentence, she will serve one year of probation.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Department of Transportation, Office of the Inspector General and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda Beck, Michael D. Anderson, and Lee S. Bickley prosecuted the case.
Seven Nigerian nationals indicted for operating online romance fraud scheme that cost victims nationwide over $1.5 million in lossesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – A federal grand jury has returned two indictments charging seven Nigerian nationals with federal charges ranging from wire fraud to identity theft arising from their operation of online romance fraud schemes that cost users of American dating websites over $1.5 million in losses. Federal agents have arrested five of the seven defendants - two defendants remain at-large. The indictments were partially unsealed earlier today.
“The defendants in these cases allegedly used fake personas on online dating websites to trick lonely individuals into giving them money,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “The defendants would allegedly spend weeks cultivating online relationships with their victims before defrauding them. Some victims lost hundreds of thousands of dollars from their retirement savings or inheritances. Users of online dating websites should be aware of such scams and should exercise extreme caution if asked for money by anyone online or over the phone.”
“The anonymity of the internet often makes a tempting playground for unscrupulous individuals who are simply waiting for an opportunity to steal from others,” said Thomas J. Holloman, III, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. “The special agents of the IRS - Criminal Investigation are uniquely skilled in their ability to trace the criminal proceeds obtained as a result of online fraud, and will continue to work with our law enforcement partners in an effort to hold cybercriminals accountable for their actions.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the indictments, and other information presented in court: The defendants and other conspirators allegedly created phony dating profiles on popular online dating websites that described fictitious personas. These profiles depicted photographs of attractive men and women that, in some instances, were public figures, such as government officials or models, taken from publically available websites. The conspirators allegedly used their fake online personas to target users of online dating websites and falsely pose as potential paramours by expressing strong romantic interest in the targeted users. These conspirators often targeted vulnerable individuals who possessed financial assets and in some cases spent weeks and months cultivating romantic relationships with them through online messaging, text messaging, and voice calls.
After gaining their affection and trust, the conspirators, posing as the fake paramours, allegedly provided the targeted users with elaborate false stories to cause the users to send them money through interstate wire or online transfers to bank accounts controlled by the conspirators. The fake paramours often claimed to be working overseas and in need of money to travel back to the United States or to complete business deals abroad. Once the conspirators received money from targeted users, the conspirators quickly withdrew the funds and dispersed them into other accounts, domestically and abroad.
The indictments charge the defendants with a total of 60 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, identity theft, and use of false passports. The defendants charged in the indictments are as follows:
●Olu Victor Alonge, a/k/a Serge Damessi, a/k/a Didier Baraze, a/k/a Mobo Marcus Adeh, a/k/a Ayo Baraze, a/k/a Nicolas Soglo, 34, of Newnan, Georgia;
●Ugochukwu Lazarus Onebunne, a/k/a Policap Tizhe, a/k/a Saheed Ademoha, 41, of Douglasville, Georgia;
●Olajide Olalekan Adara, a/k/a Kelvin Mensah, 33, of Loganville, Georgia;
●Joshua Adedeji Ipoade, 28, of Atlanta, Georgia;
●Oladunni Temitope Oladipupo, 24, of Lynn, Massachusetts; and
●Two other defendants are fugitives and their identities remain sealed.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John S. Ghose and Sekret Sneed are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Secret Service Presenting Law Enforcement Anti-Terrorism Training in Huntsville & TrussvilleRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – The U.S. Secret Service will present anti-terrorism training for law enforcement next week in both Huntsville and Trussville.
In conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama and the Huntsville and Trussville police departments, the Critical Protective Analysis Group of the Secret Service will present a one-day conference on Tuesday, July 17, at the Huntsville Public Safety Training Academy, 6000 Cecil Fain Drive. It will present the same conference on Thursday, July 19, at the Trussville Civic Center, 5381 Trussville Clay Road. The conference will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days, with registration from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
The training is free and open to all law enforcement. It is approved for six credit hours with the Alabama Peace Officers Standards & Training Commission. Training will focus on terrorism trends and tactics.
U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town will open Tuesday’s conference in Huntsville. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Lloyd Peeples will open the conference Thursday in Trussville. Only the opening segment of the conferences will be open to the media.
Advance registration will be available until noon Monday by emailing to [email protected] the name, address and phone number of your organization, along with the names of individuals planning to attend.
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Salvadoran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Carlos Alberto Andrade, age 34, a citizen of El Salvador, pleaded guilty yesterday to a one-count indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
At sentencing, which is set for August 23, 2018, Andrade faces a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than two years, a fine of $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.00. Additionally, Andrade is subject to a period of supervised release after imprisonment of up to one year.
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Spiro G. Latsis is in charge of the prosecution.
Ride-Sharing Driver Sentenced to 19 Months in Prison for Sexual Assault of PassengerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Selvin Chocooj, 32, a former driver with a national ride-sharing company, was sentenced today to 19 months in prison for sexually assaulting a passenger last year in Northeast Washington, D.C., U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Chocooj, who is from Guatemala and had been living in Oxon Hill, Md., pled guilty in April 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to third-degree sexual abuse. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon prison sentence of 12 to 24 months, to be followed by a period of supervised release and sex offender registration. The Honorable Craig Iscoe accepted the plea and sentenced Chocooj accordingly. Chocooj will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his prison term.
According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, on Dec. 10, 2017, at approximately 4 a.m., near the 400 block of East Capitol Street NE, Chocooj and the victim were seated in the front of the defendant’s Toyota Prius. While in the car, Chocooj touched the victim’s breast by force and against her will. She resisted and a physical struggle ensued. During this struggle, the victim sustained injuries to her neck and shoulder, and Chocooj sustained injuries to his face. As the struggle continued, Chocooj physically forced the victim out of the vehicle, got back into the car, and drove away. The victim remained on the scene and called 911.
The day after the incident, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department went to an apartment building in Oxon Hill, Md., and attempted to speak with Chocooj about the allegations. Chocooj jumped out of a third-story window and fled. He was eventually located by the U.S. Marshals Service in the Pikeville, Ky. area and arrested on Dec. 22, 2017.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit. She also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service. She acknowledged work of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Tracy Hawkins, Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Jones, and Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Matt Williams, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Repeat Offender Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Illegal Firearms Possession and Conspiracy to Obstruct JusticeRead the Press Release
A repeat offender who used his wife to repeatedly illegally purchase firearms, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 7 years in prison for four federal felonies, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. ROBERT A. STANARD, 42, of Stanwood, Washington was convicted in January 2018 of illegally possessing two firearms, illegal possession of ammunition, illegal possession of an unregistered silencer and conspiracy to obstruct justice. At the sentencing hearing Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez stated that STANARD had a violent felony history and had lied repeatedly at his trial. “You don’t get to take the stand and perjure yourself. That is offensive to our entire system of justice…His false denials went to essential elements of his case.”
“Federal felons with violent criminal histories are prohibited from possessing firearms because they have shown what a danger they pose in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “This defendant has repeatedly demonstrated his danger, not only to his family but to law enforcement tasked with public safety. Keeping firearms out of the hands of felons in a top priority for the Department of Justice.”
According to records in the case and testimony at trial, STANARD repeatedly directed his wife in person and via text message to purchase firearms for his use. The weapons included an AR-15 assault rifle and a Ruger .380 handgun. STANARD ordered more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition from online sources, as well as gun parts. He directed his wife to purchase ammunition as well. His wife was confused at the gun stores and in a series of text messages and pictures consulted STANARD about every purchase. STANARD used items he ordered online to construct a silencer for one of the weapons. STANARD was arrested in October 2016, following reports of domestic violence. While incarcerated at Snohomish County Jail and later at the Federal Detention Center, STANARD sent coded emails and spoke in code on telephone calls to get a family member to retrieve a third pistol that was hidden in his pick-up truck. The conspirators called the gun a “CD player” and the family member confirmed in the emails and telephone calls that he had retrieved it and was secreting it from law enforcement.
STANARD is prohibited from possessing firearms due to multiple prior convictions including two federal cases. In 2004, STANARD was sentenced to ten years in prison for two unrelated crimes. In March of 2001 in Utah, STANARD illegally possessed an unregistered firearm and, while in an argument with his cousin, he fired the gun with the bullet passing through the wall of a neighboring apartment. While on pretrial release for that crime, STANARD traveled to Washington, where he first pistol whipped a man in Port Angeles, and then plotted to use a pipe bomb to kill the man by blowing-up the man’s long stay motel. But for the work of an alert Sequim Police officer who stopped STANARD’s car due to a broken tail light, the bombing could have killed many innocent people.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington State Patrol.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew Friedman and Joshua Ferrentino.
Realtor pleads guilty to stealing millions from clientsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Emily Moerdermo Fu, a metro Atlanta realtor and businesswoman, who defrauded clients out of more than $22 million dollars over a 2-year period, pleaded guilty to mail fraud on July 12, 2018.
“Real estate professionals who embezzle their clients’ investment funds threaten the integrity of our real estate market,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Investors must remain vigilant against fictitious loans, made-up closings, and other schemes by licensed professionals before they invest their monies.”
“The defendant used her position as a well-regarded realtor to defraud money from hardworking investors for her own personal financial gain,” said Scott D. Fix, Acting U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge of the Charlotte Division. “Postal Inspectors will continue to vigorously pursue and bring to justice those individuals who use the U.S. mail to commit crimes.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Fu operated Capital Investment International Management, Inc., a company located in Suwanee, Georgia, that offered a wide range of services to investors in commercial properties around the Atlanta area, including investment recommendations, property financing and acquisition, and management services.
From 2004 to 2017, Fu established several investment companies for a group of clients for the supposed purchase of commercial real estate in Forsyth, Gwinnett, Fulton, and other metro counties. In November 2017, the investors discovered irregularities in the records of some of the investment companies and confronted Fu, who admitted to embezzling around $930,000. Through queries into county property databases and other investigations, it was determined that Fu had never followed through on several commercial real estate purchases, each valued in the millions of dollars. The properties included medical and shopping centers in Atlanta and across the northern metro area.
Fu told her victims that she had completed the closings and was managing the properties, when in fact, she had diverted the loans and investment funds for these “ghost purchases” for her own purposes. She also used properties, purchased by the investors with cash, as collateral for unauthorized loans which she then pocketed. Fu had been a prominent real estate professional, whose recognitions included “Individual of the Year – Governor’s International Award” in Georgia in 2012.
Sentencing for Emily Fu, 57, of Atlanta, Georgia has not been scheduled.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Pearce is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Psychic Reader Sentenced for Tax Return SchemeRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Candy Miller, age 40, of Wilmington, Delaware, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Leonard P. Stark for filing a false tax return to one year and one day of incarceration.
According to statements made at sentencing and documents filed in court, Miller, who operated a Psychic Readings business in Wilmington, filed false tax returns for the years 2010, 2011, and 2012, underreporting her total income by $1,074,000. This unreported income was received from clients of Miller’s business who were told by Miller that she was removing the negativity from their lives by anonymously donating their money to charities, selected by Miller. In fact, Miller made no donations and spent all the money on personal expenses. The offense resulted in a total tax loss of $337,430.
Following the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “Criminal tax laws are designed to protect the public interest in preserving the integrity of the nation’s tax system. Here, the source of the unreported income came from unwitting customers whom Miller duped. My office will continue to fight against abuse of our tax system and to seek sentences that serve to act as deterrents to would-be tax cheats and those who defraud the public.”
“We should not forget that the ultimate victims in tax fraud cases are the people of the United States; those honest taxpayers who diligently file and pay their taxes each year,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent-in-Charge Guy Ficco. Miller’s sentence is a reminder that IRS-CI is working to make sure that all taxpayers file and pay their fair share of taxes.”
This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edmond Falgowski.
Previously Convicted Sex Offender from Albuquerque Arraigned on Federal Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – James Highfield, 63, of Albuquerque, N.M., was arraigned this morning in federal court on an indictment charging him with child pornography offenses and committing a federal sex offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender. Highfield entered a not guilty plea to the charges during this morning’s arraignment hearing. Highfield was ordered detained pending trial based on judicial findings that he poses a risk of flight and a danger to the community.
U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson said that Highfield, whose criminal history includes two prior convictions for sex offenses including a child sex offense and who was required to register as a sex offender, is being prosecuted as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets violent, repeat offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders primarily based on their prior criminal convictions for federal prosecution offenders with the goal of making communities in New Mexico safer places for people to live and work.
The indictment, which was filed on June 26, 2018, charges Highfield with six counts of production of child pornography and one count of commission of a felony sex offense involving a minor by an individual required to register as a sex offender. The first six counts of the indictment allege that on six dates in Sept. 2017 and Oct. 2017, Highfield persuaded, enticed and coerced a child under the age of 18 to engage in sexually explicit conduct so he could produce child pornography. Count 7 alleges that Highfield, an individual required to register as a sex offender, committed the sex offenses involving a minor that are charged in the first six counts of the indictment. The indictment alleges that Highfield committed the offenses in Bernalillo County, N.M.
Highfield was arrested on the indictment earlier today after he was transferred into federal custody from state custody where he was being held on related state charges filed by the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
The penalty for a conviction on a production of child pornography charge is a statutory mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years of imprisonment. A defendant with one prior qualifying sex offense conviction faces an enhanced penalty of a statutory mandatory minimum of 25 years and a maximum of 50 years of imprisonment. A defendant with two prior qualifying sex offense convictions faces an enhanced penalty of a statutory mandatory minimum of 35 years and a maximum of life imprisonment.
The penalty for a conviction for committing a felony sex offense involving a minor by an individual required to register as a sex offender is ten years of imprisonment, which must be served consecutive to any sentence imposed on other offenses.
The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Albuquerque office of Homeland Security Investigations and the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Mease is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
The case also was brought as a part of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force’s mission, which is to locate, track, and capture Internet child sexual predators and Internet child pornographers in New Mexico. There are 86 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies associated with the New Mexico ICAC Task Force, which is funded by a grant administered by the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office. Anyone with information relating to suspected child predators and suspected child abuse is encouraged to contact federal or local law enforcement.
Philipsburg Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm ViolationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – Doyle Wesley Pearson, a 39-year-old Philipsburg resident, was sentenced today to 48 months in prison followed by 3 years supervised release after pleading guilty to prohibited person in possession of firearms on March 6, 2018. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters handed down the sentence.
Between July 29 and August 1, 2016, Pearson possessed and pawned eight firearms in Livingston, Butte, and Missoula, Montana. Pearson told law enforcement officers that he pawned the eight firearms at eight difference pawnshops so he would not appear suspicious. Pearson’s prior convictions include a Montana failure to register as a sex offender in August 2015 and sodomy in the second degree sodomy from Oregon in 1995. At the time, Pearson was on absconder status with his supervising probation officer and using methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the Bozeman Police Department, Montana Highway Patrol, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
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.
Pay Phone Owner Sentenced for $2.4 Million ScamRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 61-year-old Friendswood man has been ordered to federal prison for mail and wire fraud and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. David Grudzinski pleaded guilty April 13, 2018.
Today, U.S. District Judge Sim Lake handed Grudzinski an 18-month term of imprisonement. In handing down the sentence, Judge Lake noted it was a sophisticated fraud but took into consideration Grudzinski’s lack of criminal history. Grudzinski will be required to serve three years of supervised release following completion of the prison term.
Grudzinski owned approximately 450 pay phones in the Houston area. At the time of his plea, Grudzinski admitted to running a scam to unlawfully obtain payments from the owners of toll-free numbers for calls to his pay phones.
Using specialized software, he caused his phones to robotically dial toll-free telephone numbers assigned to various federal and state government agencies as well as other private entities. As a result, Grudzinski fraudulently-obtained $.494 per such call from 2005 through July 10, 2015.
Because of his scheme, Grudzinski collected over $2.4 million in fraudulently-obtained payments during that timeframe.
Grudzinski was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The General Services Administration - Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, FBI and IRS - Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Annis is prosecuting the case.
Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge Announced by the Department of JusticeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Attorney General Jeff Sessions, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott of the Eastern District of California and DEA Special Agent in Charge Chris Nielsen announced this week Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), a new program that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas, specifically fentanyl, and to identify wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers.
“When it comes to synthetic opioids, there is no such thing as a small case,” Attorney General Sessions said. “In 2016, synthetic opioids killed more Americans than any other kind of drug. Three milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal — that’s not even enough to cover up Lincoln’s face on a penny. Our prosecutors in Manatee County, Florida have shown that prosecuting seemingly small synthetic opioids cases can have a big impact and save lives, and we want to replicate their success in the districts that need it most. This new strategy — and the new prosecutors who will help carry it out — will help us put more traffickers behind bars and keep the American people safe from the threat of these deadly drugs.”
As part of Operation S.O.S., the Department will launch an enforcement surge in 10 districts that have experienced high drug overdose death rates, including the Eastern District of California. The DEA Special Operations Division will coordinate efforts to ensure that leads from street-level cases are used to identify larger-scale distributors. In addition, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Executive Office will send an additional two-year term Assistant United States Attorney to each participating district to assist with drug-related prosecutions.
“The deadliness of synthetic opioids cannot be emphasized enough,” U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott said. “These drugs kill and have the power to ruin the lives of those in their grip. The Eastern District of California is a transshipment corridor for all kinds of drugs, including fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, and many of our communities, especially in the district’s northern counties, have experienced their devastating effects. We plan to employ these new resources to help protect our communities from these lethal drugs.”
“Too many Americans are caught in the terrible grip of opioid addiction, and fentanyl can kill,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Chris Nielsen. “We have seen an increase in the availability of synthetic opioids in this region — along with the destructive consequences that follow. DEA is committed to using every tool available to pursue those distributing this poison in our communities, and we welcome this announcement by the Attorney General.”
The Eastern District of California will use the additional resources to coordinate with district attorney offices to prosecute every readily provable case involving the distribution of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and other synthetic opioids. The office will also redouble efforts to disrupt the distribution of these drugs by targeting the transshipment corridors that bisect the district: Interstate Highways 5 and 80. Through these efforts, law enforcement can stop further distribution of the drugs to the Midwest and East Coast, while also working to identify and prosecute large-scale suppliers. Already this year, 13.9 kilos (over 30 pounds) of fentanyl have been seized in the Eastern District of California.
According to the California Department of Public Health, Modoc County had an opioid overdose death rate of 23.78 out of 100,000 residents in 2017, which is about five times the overall rate for California, which is 4.49 opioid deaths per 100,000 residents. Yuba and Shasta County’s opioid overdose death rate is almost three times the state’s rate.
The other nine districts participating in Operation S.O.S. are:
Northern District of Ohio
Southern District of Ohio
Eastern District of Tennessee
Eastern District of Kentucky
Southern District of West Virginia
Northern District of West Virginia
District of Maine
Western District of Pennsylvania
District of New Hampshire
Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge Announced by the Department of JusticeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Attorney General Jeff Sessions, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott of the Eastern District of California and DEA Special Agent in Charge Chris Nielsen announced this week Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), a new program that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas, specifically fentanyl, and to identify wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers.
“When it comes to synthetic opioids, there is no such thing as a small case,” Attorney General Sessions said. “In 2016, synthetic opioids killed more Americans than any other kind of drug. Three milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal — that’s not even enough to cover up Lincoln’s face on a penny. Our prosecutors in Manatee County, Florida have shown that prosecuting seemingly small synthetic opioids cases can have a big impact and save lives, and we want to replicate their success in the districts that need it most. This new strategy — and the new prosecutors who will help carry it out — will help us put more traffickers behind bars and keep the American people safe from the threat of these deadly drugs.”
As part of Operation S.O.S., the Department will launch an enforcement surge in 10 districts that have experienced high drug overdose death rates, including the Eastern District of California. The DEA Special Operations Division will coordinate efforts to ensure that leads from street-level cases are used to identify larger-scale distributors. In addition, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Executive Office will send an additional two-year term Assistant United States Attorney to each participating district to assist with drug-related prosecutions.
“The deadliness of synthetic opioids cannot be emphasized enough,” U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott said. “These drugs kill and have the power to ruin the lives of those in their grip. The Eastern District of California is a transshipment corridor for all kinds of drugs, including fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, and many of our communities, especially in the district’s northern counties, have experienced their devastating effects. We plan to employ these new resources to help protect our communities from these lethal drugs.”
“Too many Americans are caught in the terrible grip of opioid addiction, and fentanyl can kill,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Chris Nielsen. “We have seen an increase in the availability of synthetic opioids in this region — along with the destructive consequences that follow. DEA is committed to using every tool available to pursue those distributing this poison in our communities, and we welcome this announcement by the Attorney General.”
The Eastern District of California will use the additional resources to coordinate with district attorney offices to prosecute every readily provable case involving the distribution of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and other synthetic opioids. The office will also redouble efforts to disrupt the distribution of these drugs by targeting the transshipment corridors that bisect the district: Interstate Highways 5 and 80. Through these efforts, law enforcement can stop further distribution of the drugs to the Midwest and East Coast, while also working to identify and prosecute large-scale suppliers. Already this year, 13.9 kilos (over 30 pounds) of fentanyl have been seized in the Eastern District of California.
According to the California Department of Public Health, Modoc County had an opioid overdose death rate of 23.78 out of 100,000 residents in 2017, which is about five times the overall rate for California, which is 4.49 opioid deaths per 100,000 residents. Yuba and Shasta County’s opioid overdose death rate is almost three times the state’s rate.
The other nine districts participating in Operation S.O.S. are:
Northern District of Ohio
Southern District of Ohio
Eastern District of Tennessee
Eastern District of Kentucky
Southern District of West Virginia
Northern District of West Virginia
District of Maine
Western District of Pennsylvania
District of New Hampshire
Omaha Nation Woman Sentenced for AssaultRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced today that U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Curtina Morris, 48, of Macy, Nebraska, on July 11, 2018, to 12 months’ imprisonment after her conviction of misdemeanor assault.
In March of 2017, Curtina Morris stabbed her daughter in the abdomen after an argument at her home in Macy within the Omaha Nation Indian Reservation. Her daughter was not seriously injured.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Oklahoma Orthopedic Company and Physicians Agree to Pay $670,000 to Settle Allegations of False Claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and TricareRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – SOUTHWEST ORTHOPAEDIC SPECIALISTS, PLLC; ANTHONY CRUSE, D.O.; R.J. LANGERMAN, JR., D.O.; DANIEL J. JONES, M.D.; MEHDI ADHAM, M.D.; DEREK WEST, D.O.; BRIAN LEVINGS, D.O.; SHANE HUME, D.O.; BRAD REDDICK, D.O.; and KRISTOPHER AVANT, D.O., have agreed to pay $670,000 to settle civil claims stemming from allegations that they submitted false claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare, announced Robert J. Troester, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Mike Hunter, Oklahoma Attorney General.
Defendants Cruse, Langerman, Jones, Adham, West, Levings, Hume, Reddick, and Avant are physicians who practiced medicine at and held ownership in Southwest Orthopaedic. The United States alleges that from January 1, 2012, through September 22, 2016, Southwest Orthopaedic and the individual defendants caused false claims to be submitted to Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare for unnecessary medical procedures involving ultrasonic guidance for needle placement imaging supervision and interpretation. The United States also alleges that from January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2015, Southwest Orthopaedic and Defendant Levings caused false claims to be submitted to Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare for a surgery assistant who did not perform the services billed.
In order to resolve these allegations, Southwest Orthopaedic and the individual defendants have agreed to pay $670,000. Oklahoma will receive a portion of this total because of alleged false claims submitted to Medicaid.
This settlement resolves two of the allegations filed in a lawsuit by a whistleblower who formerly worked for Southwest Orthopaedic. The lawsuit was filed in federal district court in Oklahoma City under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private individuals to sue on behalf of the United States for false claims and to share in the recovery. The Act also allows the government to intervene in the lawsuit. In this case, the government intervened in the allegations resolved by this settlement. Other claims continue to be litigated.
In reaching this settlement, Southwest Orthopaedic and the individual defendants did not admit liability, and the United States and Oklahoma did not concede that their claims lack merit. The agreement allows the parties to avoid the delay, expense, inconvenience, and uncertainty of litigating the case.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ronald R. Gallegos and Scott Maule and Assistant Attorney General Christopher P. Robinson.
New Orleans Women Sentenced to Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier sentenced ASHLI MARTIN, age 34, and ANGELMICA AUGUSTINE, age 28, both of New Orleans, to terms of three years’ probation and time served, respectively, after they pled guilty to drug charges. MARTIN pled guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin and cocaine base (“crack”) and AUGUSTINE pled guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin.
According to court documents, In March of 2017, members of the NOPD/HIDTA Task Force received information from a source of information that three individuals, including Chris Wells, MARTIN’S boyfriend, and Jason Craft, AUGUSTINE’S boyfriend, were heroin distributors in the area of Mandeville Street and Derbigny Street in New Orleans.
In April 2017, officers conducting surveillance observed Wells and Craft conduct hand-to-hand narcotics transactions with several individuals. Officers arrested one of the individuals who purchased heroin and seized the purchased heroin. In a post-arrest statement, the individual admitted that he routinely purchased heroin by calling one telephone that was shared by Wells, Craft, and a third person. According to the individual, any one of the three would answer the phone and sell him an ounce of heroin on a weekly basis.
Officers and DEA Special Agents obtained search warrants for the residence at 406 East Liberaux Street in Chalmette, Louisiana, shared by Wells and MARTIN and the residence at 14070 Wales Street in New Orleans, shared by Craft and AUGUSTINE. During the search of the Chalmette residence, officers and agents seized 70 grams of heroin, 38 grams of crack, and a Smith & Wesson 9 mm semi-automatic pistol. During the search of the Wales Street residence, officers and agents seized 4.9 grams of heroin and several firearms, including two semi-automatic rifles, a semi-automatic pistol, and a shotgun.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the New Orleans Police Department, and the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney André Jones was in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Charged with Violating Federal Gun LawRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ROMALIS WILLIAMS, age 25, of Orleans Parish, was charged in a one-count Indictment with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
ROMALIS WILLIAMS was arrested by agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Louisiana State Police. Following a brief foot pursuit, a Louisiana State Police trooper arrested ROMALIS WILLIAMS. The trooper located a Hi-Point model JCP, .40 S&W caliber semi-automatic pistol in ROMALIS WILLIAMS waistband. ROMALIS WILLIAMS is a convicted felon.
If convicted of the gun violation, ROMALIS WILLIAMS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a period of up to 3 years supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.00.
U. S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed is in charge of the prosecution.