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16 August 2018
Sixteen Individuals, Including Several Members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club, Charged for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the unsealing of three indictments charging the following individuals with the listed federal criminal violations:
Indictment One
Name
Age/City
Charge
Barbara Caylor-Hernandez, a/k/a Barb, a/k/a Barbie
47, Ormond Beach, FL
Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Ramiro Fraire-Chavarria
44, Dalton, GA
Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Michael Babin
47, Daytona Beach, FL
Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Melanie Kerr
28, Daytona Beach, FL
Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Keith Simmons
41, Oak Hill, FL
Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine;
and distribution of 50 or more grams of methamphetamine
Carla Ray
51, Oak Hill, FL
Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Spencer Burkard
49, New Smyrna Beach, FL
Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and distribution of 50 or more grams of methamphetamine
Robert Foster
37, St. Augustine, FL
Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and distribution of 50 or more grams of methamphetamine
Daniel Barbarino
54, Daytona Beach, FL
Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Andrew Shettler, a/k/a “Yeti”
33, Palm Coast, FL
Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Brian Burt, a/k/a “Sledge”
47, Port Orange, FL
Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Lawrence Sann
55, Bunnell, FL
Conspiracy to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine
Indictment Two
Name
Age/City
Charge
Keith Kirchoff
40, Key West, FL
Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; use and carry of a firearm in relation to, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime
Andrew Shettler, a/k/a “Yeti”
33, Palm Coast, FL
Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Michael Andrews, a/k/a “Clutch”
33, Palm Coast, FL
Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
Indictment Three
Name
Age/City
Charge
Cindy Bledsoe
30, Daytona Beach, FL
Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and distribution of more than five grams of methamphetamine
Jason Stringer
38, Daytona Beach, FL
Conspiracy to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine; and distribution of more than five grams of methamphetamine
Michael Andrews, a/k/a “Clutch”
33, Palm Coast, FL
Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine
If convicted on all counts, Kirchoff, Andrews, Shettler, Bledsoe, Caylor-Hernandez, Fraire-Chavarria, Babin, Kerr, Simmons, Ray, Burkard, Foster, Barbarino, and Burt each face a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. Sann and Stringer each face a maximum penalty of 40 years’ imprisonment.
According to the indictments, the defendants conspired to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine to individuals and groups in the Middle District of Florida, including to members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club, an outlaw motorcycle gang.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Volusia Bureau of Investigation, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Daytona Beach Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean P. Shecter.
Six Previously Deported Aliens Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that six previously deported aliens were indicted separately on August 15, 2018, by a federal grand jury for illegal re-entry into the United States.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Raymundo Bongomer-Moya, age 42, of Dominican Republic, was previously deported from the United States to the Dominican Republic in November 2006. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after November 2006, and was found in the United States in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Bongomer-Moya faces a maximum penalty of twenty years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
Rolando Juarez-Epitacio, age 29, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in June 2012, March 2013, and July 2013. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after July 2013, and was found in the United States in Centre County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Juarez-Epitacio faces a maximum penalty of ten years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
Juan Amarillas-Espinoza, age 24, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in March 2012 and February 2017. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after February 2017, and was found in the United States in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Hilario Garcia-Perez, age 34, of Guatemala, was previously deported from the United States to Guatemala in July 2009. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after July 2009, and was found in the United States in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Ronald Gomes-Fuentes, age 30, of Honduras, was previously deported from the United States to Honduras in April 2010 and July 2014. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after July 2014, and was found in the United States in York County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Nelson Galicia-Garcia, age 33, of El Savador, was previously deported from the United States to El Salvador in April 2014. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after April 2014, and was found in the United States in Franklin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Under federal law, Gomes-Fuentes, Garcia-Perez, Amarillas-Espinoza, and Galicia-Garcia all face a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
These cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian G. McDonnell is prosecuting the cases.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Shreveport man pleads guilty to damaging air force property with vehicle, drunk drivingRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a Shreveport man pleaded guilty to driving a vehicle while intoxicated onto Barksdale Air Force Base, damaging property and fleeing authorities.
Michael Taylor Phillips, 26, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to one count of damage to property of the United States; one count of driving while intoxicated, second offense; and one count of resisting arrest. According to the guilty plea, Phillips drove his vehicle into the North Gate of Barksdale Air Force Base and struck a steel bollard in the gate’s secured area. The impact damaged the bollard, and Phillips’ vehicle continued onto the airbase before it came to a stop at the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command Headquarters building. Phillips exited the vehicle and ran into a base residential area. He was later apprehended and detained.
Phillips faces up to 10 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, restitution and a $250,000 fine. The court set a November 29, 2018 sentencing date.
The FBI and U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary J. Mudrick and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John Odom are prosecuting the case.
Shreveport felon sentenced to more than 8 years in prison for possessing pistolRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a Shreveport felon was sentenced Wednesday to 100 months in prison for illegal possession of a pistol.
Jamario Montreal Harris, 26, of Shreveport, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the guilty plea, law enforcement agents found Harris in possession of a .40 caliber Glock pistol on March 20, 2017. He was previously convicted of a felony and is not allowed to possess a firearm.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tennille M. Gilreath and Mike O’Mara prosecuted the case.
Short-Videos Aimed at Educating Student Athletes, Parents and Coaches about Dangers of Opioids and Alcohol Distributed State-Wide as School Year BeginsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Public and education officials and community advocates held a press conference today to discuss a series of short videos entitled, “Opioids, Alcohol and Athletes,” being distributed to middle and high schools throughout New Mexico as the 2018-2019 school year begins. The videos, designed to educate student athletes, parents and coaches, about the dangers of opioids and alcohol, are a collaborative project of the Bernalillo County Department of Behavioral Health, the New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA), the New Mexico Parent Teachers Association (PTA), and Christopher Productions, LLC.
U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson hosted the press conference as part of the prevention and education component of the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative to underscore the fact that New Mexico’s use of opioids, including use by teens and young adults, has become epidemic. U.S. Attorney Anderson noted that the most recent New Mexico Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey (2015) reflected that 14.3% of students in grades 9 to 12 used prescription drugs without a prescription. The Survey also reflected that 26.1% of students in grades 9 to 12 were current drinkers, with 20% having had their first drinks before age 13, and 19.7% having ridden with a drinking driver. U.S. Attorney Anderson said, “These are startling facts that parents need to be aware of as their teenagers are returning to school.”
The “Opioids, Alcohol and Athletes” Project involved teens, parents, coaches and experts in creating a DVD with seven short videos for use in presentations to student athletes, parents and coaches. Three of the videos are specifically oriented for the high school level and two for middle school level. The Project was funded by Bernalillo County Department of Behavioral Health and the videos were produced by Christopher Productions, LLC.
“Combatting the opioid epidemic is a priority for Bernalillo County, and when it comes to kids, it hits close to home for many of us,” said Bernalillo County Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins. “For some young athletes, the prescription pain medication they’ve been prescribed for sports injuries starts the tragic slide into opioid addiction. During the 20 years my kids were involved in organized youth sports, I never once saw anything warning players or parents about the risks associated with the prescription painkillers used in treating sports injuries. This information needs to be shared with every student athlete and every parent because it can save lives.”
Chris Schueler, President of Christopher Productions, LLC, noted that the NMAA is making copies of the DVD available to all schools involved in the Association, in addition to using the DVD in face-to-face programs that will reach youth throughout the state. Mr. Schueler also noted that the NMAA has indicated that it will be loading the videos on its website, which gets approximately 750,000 hits per year. Mr. Schueler said, “Having worked on the opioid issue for more than six years through our ‘No Exceptions’ Program, it is very encouraging to see these partners engaging youth and parents in such a significant way. The distribution of this DVD to middle and high schools throughout the state will make a difference in the battle against the disease of addiction.”
The New Mexico PTA also is distributing the DVD to each PTA in the state, and will feature the “Opioid, Alcohol and Athletes” Project during its annual conference in May 2019. Wendy Ford-Licon, President of the New Mexico PTA said, “New Mexico PTA and PTAs across the country remain steadfast in our longstanding commitment to advocate and make a difference for the education, health and well-being of all children. Parents play an essential role in the fight to eradicate this epidemic. We need to look in our medicine cabinets and see what our kids have access to. Are the medications in our homes safe, secure and necessary? Prevention starts at home and with all of us.”
The Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) already have distributed the DVD to all its high schools. “APS has provided this DVD to all athletic directors at the high school level. We hope it will open doors for candid conversations between student athletes, parents and coaches about the potential risks and dangers of substance abuse,” said Susan McKee, M.A., LPCC, Director of Counseling, APS Student, Family & Community Support Division. “The DVD also provides an avenue for the Crossroads, or substance abuse, counselors to educate student athletes, sports teams and parents.”
Jennifer Weiss-Burke and Lou Duran, Executive Director and Community Advocate, respectively, at Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC) and Serenity Mesa, participated in the press conference. Ms. Weiss-Burke and Ms. Duran both lost teenaged sons – student athletes who became addicted to prescription painkillers prescribed for sports-related injuries – to heroin overdoses in 2011. They are now dedicated to providing support, education and treatment to families and communities fighting to end substance abuse among teens and young adults.
“It is critical for high school athletes and coaches to understand how potentially addictive and dangerous opioids can be. Just because a doctor prescribed them does not mean they are safe,” said Ms. Weiss-Burke. “Education is a key part in addressing the opioid epidemic that has affected so many people in New Mexico and across the United States.”
Ms. Duran added, “We have advocated for our youth across New Mexico for the past eight years, and we have learned that it takes much more than a village to raise a child – it takes an entire community! We are thankful for the opportunity and hope that the takeaway from these videos is that education and awareness are key to keeping our youth safe, and know that addiction can happen to anyone regardless of age, race or socioeconomic status.”
Tim Sheahan, President & CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Central New Mexico, a regular collaborator in the U.S. Attorney’s Office youth-related community outreach activities which have an anti-drug, anti-violence and anti-gang orientation, also participated in the press conference. Mr. Sheahan said, “The Boys & Girls Club uses a team approach that involves our staff, parents and community partners. We engage our members in discussion around decision-making skills, analyzing media and peer influence with the ultimate goal of promoting healthy lifestyles and encouraging responsible behavior.”
U.S. Attorney Anderson concluded the press conference by asking the media to join the partnership before them by letting the community know that the videos would be available to the public in about a week at safeteen.net.
The New Mexico 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.
Sentencings for August 13 - 14, 2018Read the Press Release
ETHAN TSUBASA THAO, 39, of Eureka, California was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on August 13, 2018 for possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Thao was arrested in Sweetwater County, Wyoming. He received twenty-one months of imprisonment, to be followed by forty-eight months of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment. The Wyoming Highway Patrol and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation investigated this case.
FRANCISCO GARCIA-REYES, 24, of Mexico was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on August 14, 2018 for unlawful possession of visas, permits, and other documents. Garcia-Reyes was arrested in Casper, Wyoming. He received time served plus ten days to allow for deportation proceedings and ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment at the time of deportation. The Department of Homeland Security investigated this case.
Seafood Company Sentenced for Illegal Sale of Blue CrabsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SHELL BEACH SEAFOOD CO., LLC (“SHELL BEACH SEAFOOD”), a company based in St. Bernard, Louisiana, was sentenced today to a fine of $7,500.00, one-year probation and a special assessment of $125 for the illegal sale of blue crabs, in violation of the Lacey Act.
According to the Bill of Information, from on or about May 1, 2012 through March 30, 2013, SHELL BEACH SEAFOOD, did knowingly sell and transport blue crabs in interstate commerce with a market value in excess of $350 when, in the exercise of due care, SHELL BEACH SEAFOOD should have known that said blue crabs were acquired and possessed in violation of and in a manner unlawful under the laws of the State of Louisiana, specifically Louisiana Revised Statutes, R.S. 56:306.4, R.S. 56:306.5, and R.S. 56:306.6.
U.S. Attorney Evans commended the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association and agents of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharan E. Lieberman, who is in charge of the prosecution.
Sacramento Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Marc C. Turner, 44, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 20 years in prison for receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, law enforcement agents searched Turner’s apartment in September 2016. Review of Turner’s computer located 90 videos and 171 still images depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of minors. At the time of the search, Turner was a registered sex offender based on a prior conviction in federal court in Sacramento for distributing child pornography.
This case was investigated by the Sacramento Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a federally and state-funded task force managed by the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department with agents from federal, state, and local agencies. The Sacramento ICAC investigates online child exploitation crimes, including child pornography, enticement, and sex trafficking. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Morris prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.
Rochester Hills Man Convicted of Sexual Abuse on an AircraftRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Rochester Hills man of sexual abuse onboard an aircraft, announced United States Attorney Matthew Schneider.
Schneider was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Timothy R. Stater, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division.
Convicted was Prabhu Ramamoorthy, 35. Ramamoorthy is in the United States on a work visa and will be deported once he has served his sentence.
The five-day trial was conducted before United States District Judge Terrence Berg. The jury deliberated approximately 3 1/2 hours before returning the guilty verdict.
The indictment alleged that on January 3, 2018, Ramamoorthy engaged in a sexual act with a female, while she was sleeping. At trial, the government admitted evidence demonstrating that Ramamoorthy digitally penetrated the woman sleeping next to him during an overnight flight from Las Vegas to Detroit. The sexual assault woke her up, she found her pants unbuttoned and unzipped, and she sought help from the flight attendants.
United States Attorney Matthew Schneider stated, ““Everyone has the right to be secure and safe when they travel on airplanes. We will not tolerate the behavior of anyone who takes advantage of victims who are in a vulnerable position, and we are glad the jury agreed. We appreciate the victim in this case for her courage to speak out.”
“The safety and security of all aircraft passengers is a priority for the FBI, our local and federal law enforcement partners, and airline carrier personnel,” said Timothy R. Slater, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Divison of the FBI. “The federal conviction of Prabhu Ramamoorthy demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to hold individuals accountable for their actions on an aircraft, especially those who commit such a heinous crime. If you, or someone you know, is the victim of a crime during air travel, immediately notify a flight crew member, airport security police, and the FBI. We remain committed to working with our federal, local, and private industry partners to ensure that anyone traveling by air is afforded a safe environment.”
A sentencing date has been set for December 12, 2018. Ramamoorthy faces up to life in prison
This case was investigated by the Wayne County Metropolitan Airport Authority, and Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda Jawad and Maggie Smith.
Quincy Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Quincy man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston on drug trafficking and firearm charges.
Jonathan Andrade, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris to 20 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In January 2018, Andrade pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine and cocaine base, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
On Sept. 15, 2017, a search warrant was executed at Andrade’s apartment in Quincy. The agents knocked on the door and announced their presence, and with no response from inside, they began forcing the door open. In the meantime, agents positioned outside of the building observed an open window in the apartment, and Andrade throwing a black canvas bag to the sidewalk below. The bag was recovered and found to contain approximately two kilograms of cocaine, one kilogram of fentanyl and 250 grams of cocaine base. Once agents entered the apartment, they found Andrade standing near the open window where he was arrested.
A further search of the apartment recovered of a Taurus, Model 709FS, 9mm semi-automatic firearm that was one of 33 firearms reported stolen in December 2012, approximately $20,000, luxury jewelry, and several gold bars. Baggies and a heat sealer were recovered from the kitchen.
During the search of Andrade’s vehicles – a BMW, Altima, Malibu, and Dodge Van – investigators discovered two electronic hides within the Altima. The hides contained approximately one kilogram each of cocaine and fentanyl.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William G. Gross made the announcement today. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Cannon of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit.
Plattsburgh Man Sentenced to 63 Months for Online FraudRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Thomas J. Howe, age 38, of Plattsburgh, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 63 months in prison and 3 years of post-release supervision for committing fraud and identity theft.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Plattsburgh Police Chief Levi J. Ritter.
As part of his plea on April 4, 2018, Howe admitted that he and Jared R. Hudson devised a scheme to defraud banks, merchants and individual consumers by purchasing information including credit card numbers, bank account numbers, expiration dates, security codes, answers to security questions, and other personal identification information, and to using that information to electronically purchase goods, and to fraudulently transfer and attempt to transfer funds electronically, between October 2009 and December 2014.
Initially, Howe used stolen credit card numbers belonging to others to order merchandise online, and had the merchandise shipped to him. Howe then used other people’s personal identification information to sign up for credit cards. He then opened investment accounts in his name, which were funded with money taken from other people’s bank accounts using stolen account numbers, routing numbers, identification, and bank security information. Howe admitted that his conduct caused at least $508,053.33 in losses.
Hudson was sentenced on January 10, 2018 to 79 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Plattsburgh Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer.
Pittsburgh Felon Trafficked HeroinRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – One former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to one count of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Anthony Ptomey, age 26, pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge Cathy Bissoon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on April 17, 2017, investigators were conducting surveillance in the City of Pittsburgh and saw Ptomey pull up in a Silver Hyundai. Ptomey entered a home and left after a short amount of time. When Ptomey left the home, he was making suspicious movements in his crotch area and continually re-adjusting his pants in the waistband area. Ptomey then reentered the Hyundai which was subsequently stopped by investigators.
When officers began to approach the vehicle, they saw Ptomey, who was in the front passenger’s seat, reaching back and pulling a diaper bag into the front of the car. When officers made contact with Ptomey, they learned that he had an open arrest warrant and was detained. Once Ptomey was detained, officers did a frisk of him and recovered seven bricks of heroin from his crotch region. The driver and owner of the vehicle, gave consent for officers to search the car. Officers recovered eight more bricks of heroin from the diaper bag that Ptomey was holding in the front of the car. The Allegheny County Crime Lab tested the seized substances and determined that the substances tested positive for heroin.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for December 20, 2018 at 2:15 p.m. Due to Ptomey’s prior conviction for drug trafficking, the law provides an increased penalty for a total maximum sentence of not more than 30 years in prison, a fine of $2,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Ptomey will continue to be detained pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Lanni is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation – Western District of Pennsylvania Opioid Task Force conducted the investigation leading to the guilty plea in this case. This Task Force is comprised of FBI Special Agents and state and local Task Force Officers, including officers from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Sherriff’s Department, Allegheny County Police, Port Authority Police, Munhall Police Department, West Mifflin Police Department, and Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
Pine Grove Man Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Brett Lamar Heinbach, age 36, formerly of Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, was indicted on August 14, 2018, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Heinbach conspired with other individuals to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine between March and April 2016. The indictment also alleges that Heinbach possessed multiple firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, one firearm having an obliterated serial number. Heinbach is also charged with being in possession of eight pipe bombs.
The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police, Schuylkill County District Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is 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.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Pharr Woman Sent to Prison for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A former bank employee has been ordered to prison for her admissions of she stealing more than $1 million from customer accounts, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Cynthia Luna Rodriguez, 45, pleaded guilty Jan. 31, 2018.
Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez handed Rodriguez a 85-month sentence to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court highlighted the extent to which Rodriguez went to conceal her crime, including changing addresses on accounts, getting an address of her own to use, falsifying tax paperwork, falsifying a letter from the bank and adding additional instructions to the account to control access of anyone other than Rodriguez. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the number of victims, the fact that some elderly victims did not have repairs made to their house because of the fraud, the fact that the fraud scheme happened over a number of years and that the victims were people who would trust Rodriguez. The court noted Rodriguez purposefully targeted elderly victims with limited access to the bank.
At the time of her plea, Rodriguez acknowledged she committed two counts of bank fraud and one count of embezzlement that occurred over eight years. Rodriguez admitted to illegally withdrawing money from customers’ accounts and to hiding the unauthorized withdrawals by back-filling the accounts with money from other customers’ accounts and by changing the address on the customer accounts without authorization.
Rodriguez worked at First National Bank in Edinburg. Beginning in at least January 2006, she began taking money from customer accounts without authorization. She continued to do so during the time PlainsCapital Bank took over First National Bank.
A PlainsCapital Bank audit resulted in her firing on Aug. 12, 2014. Following her termination, employees discovered documents at her desk including a 1099 statement belonging to one of the victims. The statement had been altered with whiteout over the address and interest earned sections and new information typed over them. The new address was actually a private mailbox that Rodriguez leased.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant on that private mailbox, at which time they discovered multiple mailings to account holders at her address.
Further investigation revealed a large amount of unexplained money deposited into some of Rodriguez’s accounts which corresponded with the time of the unauthorized withdrawls from the victim accounts. The victim accounts belonged to individuals who interacted with Rodriguez directly when she was employed at the bank. The accounts primarily belonged to elderly individuals and to individuals living out of the country whom were not likely to regularly monitor their accounts. When account holders or their representatives came in to close their statements, Rodriguez moved money from another victim’s account to backfill the account about to be closed.
A forensic audit conducted by an outside accounting firm determined that approximately $1.3 million was taken from six victim accounts over an eight-year time span. As part of her plea, Rodriguez agreed to pay more than $1.1 million in restitution.
Rodriguez 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 with the assistance of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Leonard is prosecuting the case.
Perkinsville Man Sentenced in Armed Pharmacy and Bank Robbery CaseRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Michael Bickford, age 38, formerly of Perkinsville, Vermont, was sentenced on August 6, 2018 in the United States District Court in Burlington on charges stemming from the December 5, 2016 armed robbery of the River Street Pharmacy in Springfield, Vermont. Bickford also admitted to committing the armed robberies of the Windsor County South Credit Union in Springfield, Vermont on October 18, 2016 and the Mascoma Savings Bank in Springfield, Vermont on November 10, 2016. United States District Judge Christina Reiss sentenced Bickford to 92 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Bickford was also ordered to pay $230.71 in restitution to the River Street Pharmacy.
As described in court records, at about 8:30 a.m. on December 5, 2016, Bickford entered the River Street Pharmacy located at 100 River Street in Springfield, Vermont armed with a pistol and wearing a dark-colored mask. Bickford approached the counter, pointed the pistol at a pharmacy employee’s midsection, and demanded prescription medications. While the first employee went to get prescription medications, Bickford pointed the pistol at a second employee. After the first employee gave Bickford the prescription medications, Bickford fled the pharmacy. Later that day, as law enforcement tried to confront Bickford, Bickford drove off at high speed and fled from police. Later that day, after an armed standoff with police, law enforcement arrested Bickford and found the loaded pistol in his vehicle, along with the prescription medications and pill bottles stolen from the River Street Pharmacy.
Also as described in court records, Bickford admitted that on October 18, 2016, he robbed the Windsor County South Credit Union located at 383 River Street in Springfield, Vermont. During this robbery, Bickford was armed with a handgun and unlawfully took about $3,324. Bickford also stole the keys to a vehicle from a credit union employee. Bickford further admitted that on November 10, 2016, he robbed the Mascoma Savings Bank located at 270 River Street in Springfield, Vermont. During this robbery, Bickford was armed with a handgun and unlawfully took about $12,000. Bickford also stole a truck from one of the bank employees.
The case was investigated by the Springfield, Vermont Police Department, the Weathersfield, Vermont Police Department, the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department, the Vermont State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Windsor County State’s Attorney’s Office also assisted in the investigation. “We thank our partners at the U.S. Attorney's Office for removing this individual from our streets. Today Windsor County is a safer place,” said David J. Cahill, Windsor County State’s Attorney.
U.S. Attorney Christina Nolan added: “This case exemplifies our ongoing initiative to come together at all levels of law enforcement to combat violence in Vermont. Bickford’s crime is among the most egregious we see in federal court. He put our brave police officers and law abiding, hardworking Vermonters at great risk of death or serious bodily injury. This is intolerable, and we will continue to collaborate to bring justice to violent offenders, particularly those who use firearms.”
Bickford is represented by Jordana Levine of Marsicovetere & Levine Law Group, P.C. The United States is represented by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Boscia.
Passaic County Man Admits Trying to Bring Loaded Gun on Plane at Newark Liberty International AirportRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Totowa, New Jersey, man today admitted knowingly possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon and trying to bring a loaded gun onto a plane, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Laron L. James, a/k/a/ “Juelz Santana,” 36, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to both counts of an indictment charging him with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and carrying a weapon on an aircraft.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
James admitted that on March 9, 2018, he knowingly possessed a loaded Derringer .38 caliber handgun despite the fact he was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his December 2012 conviction in Bergen County Superior Court for manufacturing and distributing a controlled dangerous substance. James also admitted that on that date, he attempted to bring the loaded gun onto a flight from Newark to San Francisco. The gun was discovered during the X-Ray screening of James’s luggage before he could board the flight.
Both charges in the indictment carry a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 12, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory Ehrie in Newark, and officers of the Port Authority Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Edward Cetnar, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace Latzer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Violent Crimes Unit in Newark.
Defense counsel: Brian J. Neary Esq., Hackensack, New Jersey
North Carolina man sentenced for firearm chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jared Tyrone Cooke, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was sentenced today to 84 months incarceration for using a firearm during a crime of violence, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Cooke, age 24, pled guilty to one count of “Use of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence” in April 2018. He admitted to brandishing a 12-gauge shotgun during a robbery in January 2017 in Morgantown, West Virginia.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Morgantown Police Department investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Nashville Man Facing Federal Charges for July Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
James Orion Fox, 49, of Nashville, Tennessee, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury and charged with two counts of bank robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to the indictment and court documents, on July 11, 2018, Fox entered the Fifth Third Bank on Murfreesboro Pike and placed a bag and note on the counter indicating that this was a robbery and stated that he had a gun. The bank teller placed money from the cash drawer in the bag and Fox fled the bank. The subsequent investigation identified Fox as the person responsible and on July 13, 2018, a criminal complaint and warrant was issued, charging Fox with Bank Robbery.
While Fox was being sought for this robbery, the indictment alleges that on July 24, 2018, he robbed the Fifth Third Bank on Church Street, in Downtown Nashville. Fox was subsequently located and arrested on August 5, 2018, by officers with the Smyrna Police Department.
If convicted, Fox faces up to 20 years in prison on each count.
This case was investigated by the FBI; the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the Smyrna Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Juliet Aldridge is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Moss Point Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – Keith Lavell Brown, age 46, of Moss Point, Mississippi, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Derryle Smith with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Brown admitted being involved in a conspiracy to bring cocaine to the Mississippi Gulf Coast from 2015 until August, 2017. The conspiracy involved several trips with multiple kilograms of cocaine. On one occasion, in March of 2016, an individual was stopped in Louisiana and, upon arresting the driver, Louisiana State Police located 15 kilograms of cocaine inside his vehicle. During the DEA and FBI’s investigation, they determined that Brown had conspired with the driver and others to have the cocaine brought from Texas to Mississippi.
After the stop in Louisiana, another individual driving an RV was stopped in Mississippi. During the stop, the RV was searched and law enforcement located 10 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside. During the investigation into the second stop, DEA and FBI agents learned that the 10 kilograms of cocaine were supposed to be delivered to Brown and others in Moss Point. Further information and evidence also showed that the cocaine located in the RV was not the driver’s first time to deliver cocaine to Brown. The driver had previously had a successful delivery of 13 kilograms of cocaine to Brown.
Brown will be sentenced on November 7, 2018 by Judge Guirola, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Louisiana State Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn R. Van Buskirk.
Montesano Man who Crashed Head-On into Forks Couple while High on Meth Sentenced to 18 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
A 51-year-old Montesano, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release for vehicular assault, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. KELLY L. LANDRY, was driving his employer’s work truck while impaired with methamphetamine and marijuana on September 6, 2017, when he crashed head-on into another car on Highway 101 near Lake Crescent. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Ronald B. Leighton said “When drugs come into your life your honesty, integrity and life go out the door.”
According to records filed in the case, LANDRY was driving east on Highway 101 and crossed the centerline, slamming head-on into a Taurus sedan driven by an 80-year-old Forks resident. The driver’s 70-year-old wife was in the passenger seat. Both suffered severe injuries, including a broken ankle, broken nose, fractured ribs, and fractured wrist. LANDRY was also injured in the crash. First responders to the scene found both a meth pipe and a marijuana pipe in the cab of LANDRY’s truck – a vehicle that was owned by his employer. A blood screen taken following the crash showed LANDRY had high levels of methamphetamine and some THC in his blood.
While both victims survived, their lives have been permanently changed because of lasting physical impacts from their injuries. They are no longer able to participate in many of the activities they enjoyed before the crash. An avid gardener, the 70-year-old is no longer able to work in her garden and must use a walker for mobility.
LANDRY had been identified in two prior incidents where he struck parked cars: In July 2016, he struck a parked car in Hoquiam and drove away. In February 2017, he drove his work truck into a parked car in Montesano and drove off. His employer contacted the victim, and Montesano Police were then able to identify LANDRY as the driver.
Because the September 2017 crash occurred on National Park Service land, the case was prosecuted in federal court. At a hearing on November 9, 2018, Judge Leighton will set a restitution amount to pay for the victims medical bills, towing fees and other expenses.
The case was investigated by the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney André M. Peñalver.
Monroe County Man Indicted for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Claude Turner, age 38, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on August 14, 2018, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking charges.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Turner distributed and possessed with the intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl on May 1, 2018, and cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, tramadol, and ketamine on May 17, 2018, in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. The indictment alleges that those two violations occurred within 1,000 feet of a playground, a protected place under federal law. The indictment further alleges that Turner possessed with intent to distribute marijuana on May 31, 2018.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 40 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Middlesex County Man Charged with Illegally Importing Scorpions and Other WildlifeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Metuchen, New Jersey, man was arrested today for allegedly smuggling shipments of live protected scorpions, giant millipedes and other species that were mislabeled to avoid detection, including one package of millipedes that was labeled as children’s toys, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Wlodzimie Lapkiewicz, 29, is charged by complaint with one count of smuggling wildlife and one count of false labelling of wildlife. He appeared this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court and was released on $50,000 unsecured bond.
According to the complaint:
Between July 2015 and July 2018, Lapkiewicz repeatedly engaged in the illegal importation and exportation of scorpions, giant millipedes, and other invertebrate species. On multiple occasions, Lapkiewicz imported emperor and dictator scorpions, both of which are listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species treaty as protected species.
Postal inspectors learned of Lapkiewicz’s illegal imports after they found live scorpions and giant millipedes that had escaped from a parcel originating from Tanzania while in transit to Lapkiewicz in July 2015.
The investigation revealed that Lapkiewicz participated and assisted others in intentionally mislabeling parcels of live wildlife to avoid detection, including labeling a shipment of multiple live giant millipedes as “Plush Toys for my Friends Child about to be born.” The investigation also revealed that Lapkiewicz used social media to arrange buyers for the scorpions, giant millipedes, and other invertebrates that he illegally imported.
The charge of wildlife smuggling carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charge of false labelling of wildlife carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Honora Gordon, with the investigation leading to these charges. He also thanked postal inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Judy Ramos, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Barnes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Public Protection Unit in Newark.
Defense counsel: David Holman Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark
Middlesex County Man Arrested and Charged with Attempting to Obtain United States Citizenship by FraudRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Special Agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested a Middlesex County, New Jersey, man this morning for allegedly trying to fraudulently obtain citizenship, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Pal Singh, a/k/a “Surinder Singh,” a/k/a “Harpal Singh,” 66, an Indian national residing in Iselin, New Jersey, is charged by criminal complaint with one count of naturalization fraud and one count of making false statements under oath in connection with naturalization proceedings. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor and was released on $200,000 bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In March 1992, Singh applied for admission into the United States as a tourist at Los Angeles International Airport by presenting an Indian passport that purported to contain an entry visa to the United States. Singh was refused admission into the United States because the entry visa was deemed fraudulent and he was detained pending exclusion proceedings. Singh later applied for asylum in the United States under his true name and was released on bond while his asylum claim was evaluated. In June 1993, an immigration judge in New York denied Singh’s asylum application and Singh was ordered to surrender for deportation. Singh failed to appear for his deportation as ordered.
In August 1995, Singh fraudulently applied for asylum in the United States under the identity of “Harpal Singh,” and claimed that he had entered the United States by crossing the United States-Mexico border in December 1994. Singh did not disclose that he had previously been denied asylum under his true identity – Pal Singh. In March 1996, an immigration judge denied Singh’s second asylum application and Singh was again ordered to surrender for deportation. Singh again failed to appear for his deportation as ordered.
In May 1996, Singh fraudulently applied for asylum in the United States under the identity of “Surinder Singh,” and claimed that he had entered the United States by crossing the United States-Mexico border in November 1995. Singh did not disclose that he had previously been denied asylum under his true identity and under the identity of Harpal Singh. This application further claimed that Surinder Singh had been beaten and tortured in India in 1994 despite the fact that Singh had been living in the United States at the time under his true identity. In June 1996, the Immigration and Naturalization Service granted Singh’s third asylum application in the name of “Surinder Singh” based on fraudulent information provided by Singh.
In December 2015, Singh filed an Application for Naturalization, Form 400-N, with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under the identity of Surinder Singh. He falsely answered questions relating to his identity, his prior immigration applications, and his immigration status. In May 2018, Singh appeared under the name of Surinder Singh before an officer of the Department of Homeland Security in Newark for an interview in connection with his application. The interview was audio and video recorded, and Singh was placed under oath. Singh was also assisted by counsel and by a Punjabi interpreter. Singh falsely answered additional questions relating to his identity, his prior immigration applications, and his immigration status.
A qualified fingerprint examiner from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Biometric Support Center compared fingerprints taken of Singh when he initially attempted to enter the United States in March 1992 to fingerprints taken in the names of Harpal Singh and Surinder Singh in connection with the above-described immigration proceedings. The fingerprint examiner concluded that the same individual made all of the fingerprints
The naturalization fraud charge carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison. The false statements charge carries a maximum potential sentence of five years imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael, with the investigation leading to the arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco J. Navarro and Thomas Kearney of the U.S Attorney’s Criminal Division in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Adalgiza A. Nunez Esq., Newark
Michigan man sentenced for heroin distributionRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Danzavious Dolphus, of Harper Woods, Michigan, was sentenced today to 84 months incarceration for a drug distribution conviction, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Dolphus, also known as “Dash,” age 24, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Heroin” in March 2018. Dolphus admitted to selling heroin in June 2017 in Monongalia County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.Member of Albuquerque-Based Armed Robbery Crew Sentenced to Seven Years for Conviction on Federal Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Gabriel Sanchez, 29, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court to 84 months in prison for his conviction for using and brandishing a firearm during the robbery of a commercial business engaged in interstate commerce. Sanchez will be on supervised release for three years after completing his prison sentence.
Co-defendant Virgal Malott, 23, also of Albuquerque, was charged by criminal complaint on Feb. 18, 2015. According to the complaint, officers of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) arrested Malott on outstanding state felony warrants on Feb. 14, 2015. Thereafter, APD executed a state search warrant at his residence as part of an investigation into a series of armed robberies of Albuquerque-area businesses. During the search, APD found a loaded firearm, which provided the basis for a federal criminal complaint charging Malott with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition that was filed on Feb. 18, 2015, by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). In June 2015, Malott was charged in an 11-count indictment with violating the Hobbs Act by robbing seven businesses engaged in interstate commerce, carjacking, using and brandishing a firearm during crimes of violence, and with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleged that Malott committed the crimes in Bernalillo County, N.M., between Dec. 2014 and Jan. 2015.
The indictment was superseded in Aug. 2015, to add two defendants, Sanchez and Paul Lujan, 22, also of Albuquerque, and two more charges. The superseding indictment charged the three men with conspiring to violate the Hobbs Act by robbing businesses engaged in interstate commerce in Jan. 2015, the armed robbery of five Albuquerque-area businesses, and using and brandishing firearms during crimes of violence. It also charged Malott alone with the armed robbery of two additional Albuquerque-area businesses, carjacking, and with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The superseding indictment alleged that the three men committed the crimes in Bernalillo County between Dec. 2014 and Jan. 2015.
On Aug. 2, 2018, Sanchez entered a guilty plea to a felony information charging him with using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. In entering the guilty plea, Sanchez admitted that on Jan. 30, 2015, he brandished a firearm and pointed the firearm at two store clerks during the armed robbery of Loan Max located at 6108 Lomas Blvd., NE in Albuquerque.
On Aug. 17, 2017, Malott entered a guilty plea to three counts of the superseding indictment charging him with the armed robbery of a business engaged in interstate commerce, carjacking, and using and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. In entering the guilty plea, Malott admitted robbing a title loan business located in Albuquerque on Dec. 22, 2014. Malott acknowledged that he was armed when he committed the robbery. He also admitted pointing the firearm at the business’s three employees and that he threatened to kill the employees. Malott admitted committing a carjacking on Jan. 19, 2015, by pointing a firearm at an individual who was at an Albuquerque convenience store and demanding the individual’s wallet and keys. Malott fled from the scene in the individual’s vehicle. Malott was sentenced on Feb. 15, 2018, to 200 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Lujan was arrested on Dec. 3, 2015, after he was transferred from state custody into federal custody. On Aug. 15, 2017, Lujan pled guilty to a felony information charging him with using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence. In entering the guilty plea, Lujan admitted that on June 30, 2015, he acted as the getaway driver during the armed robbery of the Loan Max Title Loan in Albuquerque. Lujan further admitted that he discarded a firearm while running from the police following the armed robbery. Lujan was sentenced on April 11, 2018, to 60 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of ATF and by APD, with assistance from the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rumaldo A. Armijo and David M. Walsh prosecuted the case.
McKenzie Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – On Tuesday, August 14, 2018, after two days of trial Nathan Adams, 36, pleaded guilty to production and attempted production of child pornography. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the guilty plea today.
The proof presented at trial showed Adams surreptitiously recorded videos of a 13-year-old minor female in various stages of undress, including fully nude. Adams filmed some of the videos from outside the minor’s home filming through a hole in the window blinds. On other occasions, Adams hid the recording device inside the minor’s bedroom or bathroom. Adams was reported to law enforcement after the minor’s mother discovered the recording device and the explicit videos of her daughter.
On the second day of trial, as the videos that Adams recorded were being played for the jury, Adams advised the Court that he wished to plead guilty to the charges against him. Adams faces a mandatory minimum 15 years of imprisonment. Sentencing is set for November 20, 2018 before U.S. District Chief Judge S. Thomas Anderson.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “Production of child pornography victimizes, harms, and exploits vulnerable children in a horrific way, and must be met with significant consequences. Under our Project Safe Childhood initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will bring the full resources of the federal government to bear in order to protect children in the Western District of Tennessee.”
This case was investigated by the McKenzie Police Department, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals. For more information about PSC, please visit http://www.justice.goc/psc. For more about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/resources.
This case was investigated by the McKenzie Police Department; Madison County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kasey Weiland and Debra L. Ireland are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Manteca Woman Sentenced to 2.5 Years in Prison for Unemployment Benefits Fraud and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Brittany Maunakea, 29, of Manteca, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. to two and a half years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud for her role in a scheme to defraud the State of California by filing false unemployment insurance claims, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Maunakea was also ordered to pay $139,071 in restitution.
According to court documents, beginning in February 2015, Maunakea entered a scheme to defraud the State of California by filing false unemployment insurance claims with the California Employment Development Department (EDD), using the stolen identities of over 250 California workers. In total, the conspirators filed at least 269 false claims seeking over $2.5 million in fraudulent benefits. EDD’s actual overpayment was $898,899. Maunakea participated in the scheme by receiving and facilitating EDD documents at her home and using debit cards issued in the names of identity-theft victims to withdraw the fraudulently obtained benefits.
“Ms. Maunakea’s crime victimized citizens whose stolen identities were used in furtherance of her personal enrichment. The Office of Inspector General will continue to make it a priority to work with our law enforcement and state workforce agency partners to protect the integrity of the Unemployment Insurance program and to seek justice on behalf of the victims of these identity theft schemes,” said Abel Salinas, Special Agent-in-Charge, Los Angeles Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Employment Development Department, Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Schuller Hitchcock is prosecuting the case.
Maunakea is the first of five defendants charged in the scheme to be sentenced. Co‑defendant Sergio Reyna has also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and is set to be sentenced on September 6, 2018. The charges against co-defendants Pamela Emanuel, Gregory Lee, and Russell White III remain pending. The charges against Emanuel, Lee and White are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lowell Woman Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Participating in Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Gayle McNamara, 57, of Lowell, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for participating in a heroin trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents and statements made in court, McNamara was one of eight defendants arrested on October 25, 2016 as part of a large investigation of heroin trafficking activities based in and around Lawrence, Massachusetts. McNamara and some of her co-defendants operated so-called trap houses, which were residences where customers of a drug trafficking organization could meet individuals who were delivering the drug to the customers. Other co-defendants picked up the drugs at the trap houses and sold them in New Hampshire and elsewhere.
On May 4, 2017, McNamara pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, heroin.
“Drug trafficking is causing serious damage to the health and safety of the citizens of the Granite State,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement colleagues to arrest and prosecute those who are responsible for distributing heroin and other deadly drugs.”
“Heroin and fentanyl are causing deaths in record numbers and DEA’s top priority is to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes these poisons,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Today’s sentence not only holds Ms. McNamara accountable for her crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are fueling the opioid epidemic.
This matter was investigated by the DEA; Homeland Security Investigations; the Massachusetts State Police; the Haverhill Police Department; the United States Marshals Service; the New Hampshire State Police; the Manchester Police Department; the Lawrence Police Department; the Lowell Police Department, the Methuen Police Department, and the Hillsborough County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Donald A. Feith prosecuted the case.
This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
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Long Island MS-13 Gang Members Face Additional Racketeering Charges, Including Murder and Attempted MurderRead the Press Release
Five members of La Mara Salvatrucha (also known as MS-13), Ruendy Jhonatan Hernandez-Vasquez, Jhonny Contreras, Reynaldo Lopez-Alvarado, Jeffrey Amador and Ronald Catalan, are scheduled to be arraigned this morning before United States District Judge Joseph F. Bianco, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York. The 75-count sixth superseding indictment was unsealed on August 8, 2018 and charges more than two dozen members of MS-13, a transnational criminal organization, with racketeering and related offenses.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Geraldine Hart, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), and Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), announced the charges.
The superseding indictment adds one new defendant, Hernandez-Vasquez, in connection with the October 10, 2016 murder of Javier Castillo in Freeport, and a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana. The indictment also adds racketeering offenses and related charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering against previously charged defendants Contreras, Lopez-Alvarado and Amador in connection with the November 19, 2015 murder of Cesar Rivera-Vasquez in Babylon, and racketeering offenses against Catalan for a June 23, 2009 shooting in Brentwood. In total, 16 murders committed by MS-13 members have been charged in this superseding indictment and underlying indictments in this case.
In addition, INTERPOL issued a Red Notice for Hernandez-Vasquez relating to an arrest warrant for a murder he allegedly committed in El Salvador before he illegally entered the United States.
“The MS-13’s mission to commit senseless and vicious acts of violence, terrorizing our communities in the process, is evident from the charges announced today,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “This Office and our law enforcement partners will continue our unyielding pursuit to ensure that all members of this brutal gang are held accountable for every crime they have committed and that neighborhoods on Long Island are kept safe and free from gang violence.” Mr. Donoghue expressed his sincere thanks to all the members of the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force for their work on the investigation.
“MS-13 members feed on brutal, ruthless attacks threatening the safety of our communities,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “With such a violent gang tormenting the neighborhoods of Long Island, it is essential that we work closely with our fellow law enforcement agencies to continue to round up the individuals committing these violent crimes. The persistence of the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force will never weaken—our investigations into MS-13 will not cease until this gang is eradicated.”
“The Suffolk County Police Department continues to work with all our partners and serves on the Long Island FBI Gang Task Force to eradicate MS-13,” stated SCPD Commissioner Hart. “This indictment sends another strong message to MS-13 members that their actions will not be tolerated and justice will be served. We applaud the Eastern District of New York for their ongoing and relentless commitment to prosecute violent gang members and will continue to work together to ensure that our communities are safe.”
“Today’s indictment of MS-13 member Ruendy Jhonatan Hernandez-Vasquez on charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder and distribution of cocaine and marijuana clearly shows how the work of our law enforcement agencies is a constant in our relentless efforts to remove gang members from our streets,” stated NCPD Commissioner Ryder. “Our determined and dedicated approach keeps our communities safe and I would like to thank all involved in the FBI Long Island Task Force for bringing these gang members to justice.”
2009 Attempted Murder of John Doe #1 in Brentwood
As set forth in court filings, including a detention memorandum filed earlier today, on June 23, 2009, Catalan and two other MS-13 members, all of whom were new members of the Brentwood Locos Salvatruchas clique, armed themselves with handguns and drove through Brentwood, hunting for rival gang members to attack and kill in order to increase their standing and solidify their membership in the MS-13 gang. They observed a group of males on Barleau Street, whom they believed to be members of the Bloods street gang. The MS-13 members got out of their car, approached the group and started firing. John Doe #1 was struck in the armpit and back as he tried to run. Catalan and the others ran back to the car and fled the scene. John Doe #1 underwent surgery and ultimately survived the attack.
2015 Murder of Cesar Rivera-Vasquez in Babylon
Contreras, Lopez-Alvarado and Amador are charged in this indictment with the November 19, 2015 murder of Cesar Rivera-Vasquez, who was killed because the MS-13 members suspected that he was a member of a rival Mexican gang, Raza Loca. The MS-13 members convinced the victim to go with them to a secluded area adjacent to the Long Island Railroad station in Babylon to smoke marijuana. Once there, Contreras, Lopez-Alvarado, Amador and two other MS-13 members attacked Rivera-Vasquez with knives and a baseball bat before Lopez-Alvarado took a knife and cut the victim’s throat. The MS-13 members buried his body near a large mound of dirt, and the body was not discovered until April 2018.
2016 Murder of Javier Castillo in Freeport
Hernandez-Vasquez has been added to previously charged offenses in this case in connection with the October 10, 2016 murder of Javier Castillo. The MS-13 members suspected Castillo of being a member of the rival 18th Street gang and convinced him to go with them to Cow Meadow Park in Freeport. Once there, they attacked and killed him with a machete and buried his body in a shallow grave near a saltwater marsh. Castillo’s body was not recovered until October 2017. The sixth superseding indictment also adds marijuana and cocaine conspiracy charges against Hernandez-Vasquez.
In addition to the Rivera-Vasquez and Castillo murders, 14 other murders previously were charged in this case, including, the May 26, 2013 murder of Derrick Mayes, the May 28, 2013 murder of Keenan Russell, the July 14, 2014 murder of Jose Lainez-Murcia, the June 30, 2015 murder of Jonathan Cardona-Hernandez, the April 29, 2016 murder of Oscar Acosta, the June 3, 2016 murder of Jose Pena, the September 13, 2016 murders of Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens, the October 13, 2016 murder of Dewann Stacks, the January 30, 2017 murder of Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla, and the April 11, 2017 murders of Justin Llivicura, Michael Lopez, Jorge Tigre and Jefferson Villalobos, as well as numerous attempted murders and assaults.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Today’s superseding indictment is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13. The MS-13’s leadership is based in El Salvador and Honduras, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States, comprised primarily of immigrants from Central America. With numerous branches, or “cliques,” the MS-13 is the largest and most violent street gang on Long Island. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults. Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 45 murders in the Eastern District of New York, and has convicted dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, comprising agents and officers of the FBI, SCPD, NCPD, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Suffolk County Probation, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, Rockville Centre Police Department, New York State Police and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys John J. Durham, Paul G. Scotti, Michael T. Keilty and Raymond A. Tierney are in charge of the prosecution.
New Defendant:
RUENDY JHONATAN HERNANDEZ-VASQUEZ (“Solido”)
Age: 22
Roosevelt and Freeport, New YorkPreviously Indicted Defendants Facing Additional Charges:
JHONNY CONTRERAS (“Muerte” and “Reaper”)
Age: 25
Brentwood, New YorkREYNALDO LOPEZ-ALVARADO (“Mente”)
Age: 26
Brentwood, New YorkJEFFREY AMADOR (“Cruel”)
Age: 22
Brentwood, New YorkRONALD CATALAN (“Stranger” and “Extrano”)
Age: 27
Brentwood, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-403 (S-6)(JFB)
Leader of Crips Gang Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Firearms Possession and Witness RetaliationRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that RUBIN MOYE, a/k/a “Nut,” a high-ranking member of the Crips gang, was sentenced to 192 months in prison for the unlawful possession of a firearm and for ordering the assault of an individual he believed might testify against him. MOYE was convicted on April 28, 2017, following a one-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels, who also imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Rubin Moye illegally carried a loaded gun in the Bronx, and after he was caught red-handed, he ordered the violent assault of a suspected witness. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will aggressively prosecute those who threaten our communities with illegal guns. And we will not tolerate efforts to threaten or retaliate against witnesses who speak up about these crimes.”
According to the Complaint, the Indictment, other filings in Manhattan federal court, evidence at trial, and statements made in court proceedings:
On March 3, 2016, MOYE, a high-ranking member of the Crips gang, unlawfully possessed a loaded .38 caliber Taurus revolver (“the Firearm”) while driving in the Bronx, New York. When MOYE failed to signal a right turn, two New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) officers conducted a routine traffic stop of MOYE’s vehicle. MOYE, who was driving without a license, could not produce identification. The officers asked MOYE to step out of the car and patted him down, discovering the Firearm inside MOYE’s pants. MOYE possessed the Firearm despite having previously been convicted of two felonies, including a conviction for manslaughter in 1999 stemming from an incident in which MOYE shot several individuals, killing one and wounding two others.
MOYE was subsequently charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1), and he proceeded to trial in January 2017. In connection with that trial, which resulted in a hung jury, MOYE ordered inmates to assault an incarcerated individual (the “Victim”) who MOYE anticipated might testify against him at trial. As a result, during MOYE’s first trial, the Victim was violently attacked by two other inmates.
MOYE was retried in April 2017 and found guilty of the firearms offense, as well as of witness intimidation, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1512(a)(2), and of witness retaliation, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1513(a)(2).
* * *
In addition to the prison term, MOYE, 35, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative efforts of the New York City Police Department, including members of the 43rd Precinct Anti-Crime Unit and the Violent Crimes Squad, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He also thanked the Office of the Bronx County District Attorney for its assistance.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Balsamello, Matthew Hellman, and Matthew Laroche are in charge of the prosecution.
Lawrence Man Sentenced for Participating in Heroin and Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today that Miguel Arias Velasquez, 22, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy.
According to documents filed with the court and statements made during the sentencing hearing, between approximately January 2017 and July 6, 2017, Arias-Velasquez made deliveries of heroin and fentanyl to customers of a drug organization working out of a residence on Water Street in Lawrence. Customers would call to order drugs and Arias-Velasquez and others would drive to locations in Massachusetts and New Hampshire to deliver the drugs. Arias-Velasquez and his coconspirators were arrested in July of 2017.
Arias Velasquez pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge on May 8, 2018. He is likely to be deported to the Dominican Republic after serving his sentence.
“Those who choose to sell heroin or fentanyl in New Hampshire will be prosecuted aggressively,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “We work each day with our law enforcement partners to protect our community by putting drug dealers out of business. Those who seek to profit from the sale of these deadly drugs will be targeted for arrest, prosecution and sentencing. This case is a product of that cooperative effort by law enforcement.”
“The state of New Hampshire is faced with an opioid crisis unlike ever before,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Those responsible for distributing lethal drugs like fentanyl and heroin to the citizens of New Hampshire need to be held accountable for their actions. DEA will aggressively pursue Drug Trafficking Organizations and individuals who are coming from out of state to distribute this poison in order to profit and destroy people’s lives. This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners.”
This matter was investigated by the DEA, the Massachusetts State Police, the United States Marshals Service, the New Hampshire State Police, and the Lawrence Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Donald A. Feith prosecuted the case.
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Last of Three Defendants Sentenced to More Than Eight Years for Robbing Elderly Victim on Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Kasey Lynn Keffer, 40, of Sylva, N.C., was sentenced today to 100 months in prison and three years of supervised release on robbery charges, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Keffer’s co-defendants, Mitchum Scott Turpin and Tillmon Gene Fortner, were previously sentenced to 120 and 78 months in prison, respectively, for their involvement in the robbery.
Chief Doug Pheasant, of the Cherokee Indian Police Department, joins U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and court proceedings, on October 29, 2017, the three co-defendants met at Keffer’s residence in Sylva, N.C., and discussed being short of money. Keffer identified the victim, a 72-year-old male and an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, as someone who had money. Later the same day, Keffer drove Turpin and Fortner to the victim’s apartment, located within the Indian reservation in Cherokee, N.C. Turpin, followed by Fortner, entered the victim’s apartment, where Turpin pointed a pistol at the victim and robbed him of $762. Turpin then ordered the victim into a closet. Keffer, Turpin and Fortner fled the scene in Keffer’s vehicle, and were apprehended shortly thereafter. Court records show that law enforcement later determined Turpin’s pistol to be a pellet gun.
All three defendants previously pleaded guilty to robbery charges. They are currently in custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the Cherokee Indian Police Department for their investigation of the case and the Maggie Valley Police Department for their assistance.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Justin Eason, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville, prosecuted the case.
Justice Department, DEA Proposes Significant Opioid Manufacturing Reduction in 2019Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- The Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have proposed a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year. Consistent with President Trump’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” that seeks to “cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years,” the proposal decreases manufacturing quotas for the most six frequently misused opioids for 2019 by an average ten percent as compared to the 2018 amount. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) marks the third straight year of proposed reductions, which help reduce the amount of drugs potentially diverted for trafficking and used to facilitate addiction.
On July 11, 2018, the Justice Department announced that DEA was issuing a final rule amending its regulations to improve the agency’s ability consider the likelihood of whether a drug can be diverted for abuse when it sets annual opioid production limits. The final rule also promotes greater involvement from state attorneys general, and today’s proposed reduction will be sent to those offices.
In setting the aggregate production quote (APQ), DEA considers data from many sources, including estimates of the legitimate medical need from the Food and Drug Administration; estimates of retail consumption based on prescriptions dispensed; manufacturers’ disposition history and forecasts; data from DEA’s own internal system for tracking controlled substance transactions; and past quota histories.
The DEA has proposed to reduce more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl (see chart below).
Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs.
"The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "President Trump has set the ambitious goal of reducing opioid prescription rates by one-third in three years. We embrace that goal and are resolutely committed to reaching it. According to the National Prescription Audit, we have already made significant progress in reducing prescription rates over the past year. Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse. The American people can be confident that federal law enforcement and the Trump administration are taking action to protect them from dangerous drugs. These smarter limits bring us one big step closer to President Trump's goal of finally ending this unprecedented crisis. I congratulate Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon and his team for taking action.”
“We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”
United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island Stephen G. Dambruch, who is a member of the Attorney General’s Advisory Council’s Heroin and Opioid Working Group, added, “Enactment of the proposed quota will assist our efforts to restrict the flow of illicit opioids and reduce the number of opioid overdose deaths both in Rhode Island and across the country.”
Once the aggregate quota is set, DEA allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to those manufacturers that apply for them. DEA may revise a company’s quota at any time during the year if change is warranted due to increased or decreased sales or exports, new manufacturers entering the market, new product development, or product recalls.
When Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, the quota system was intended to reduce or eliminate diversion from “legitimate channels of trade” by controlling the quantities of the basic ingredients needed for the manufacture of controlled substances.
The Proposed Aggregate Production Quotas for schedule I and II controlled substances published in the Federal Register reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks. DEA establishes an APQ for more than 250 schedule I and II controlled substances annually.
In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines to practitioners recommending a reduction in the prescribing of opioid medications for chronic pain. DEA and its federal partners have increased efforts in the last several years to educate practitioners, pharmacists, manufacturers, distributors, and the public about the dangers associated with the misuse of opioid medications and the importance of proper prescribing.
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Justice Department, DEA Propose Significant Opioid Manufacturing Reduction in 2019Read the Press Release
The Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have proposed a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year. Consistent with President Trump’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” that seeks to “cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years,” the proposal decreases manufacturing quotas for the most six frequently misused opioids for 2019 by an average ten percent as compared to the 2018 amount. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) marks the third straight year of proposed reductions, which help reduce the amount of drugs potentially diverted for trafficking and used to facilitate addiction.
On July 11, 2018, the Justice Department announced that DEA was issuing a final rule amending its regulations to improve the agency’s ability consider the likelihood of whether a drug can be diverted for abuse when it sets annual opioid production limits. The final rule also promotes greater involvement from state attorneys general, and today’s proposed reduction will be sent to those offices.
In setting the aggregate production quote (APQ), DEA considers data from many sources, including estimates of the legitimate medical need from the Food and Drug Administration; estimates of retail consumption based on prescriptions dispensed; manufacturers’ disposition history and forecasts; data from DEA’s own internal system for tracking controlled substance transactions; and past quota histories.
The DEA has proposed to reduce more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl: (see chart attached below)
Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs.
"The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "President Trump has set the ambitious goal of reducing opioid prescription rates by one-third in three years. We embrace that goal and are resolutely committed to reaching it. According to the National Prescription Audit, we have already made significant progress in reducing prescription rates over the past year. Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse. The American people can be confident that federal law enforcement and the Trump administration are taking action to protect them from dangerous drugs. These smarter limits bring us one big step closer to President Trump's goal of finally ending this unprecedented crisis. I congratulate Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon and his team for taking action.”
“We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”
Once the aggregate quota is set, DEA allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to those manufacturers that apply for them. DEA may revise a company’s quota at any time during the year if change is warranted due to increased or decreased sales or exports, new manufacturers entering the market, new product development, or product recalls.
When Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, the quota system was intended to reduce or eliminate diversion from “legitimate channels of trade” by controlling the quantities of the basic ingredients needed for the manufacture of controlled substances.
The Proposed Aggregate Production Quotas for schedule I and II controlled substances published in the Federal Register reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks. DEA establishes an APQ for more than 250 schedule I and II controlled substances annually.
In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines to practitioners recommending a reduction in the prescribing of opioid medications for chronic pain. DEA and its federal partners have increased efforts in the last several years to educate practitioners, pharmacists, manufacturers, distributors, and the public about the dangers associated with the misuse of opioid medications and the importance of proper prescribing.
Justice Department, DEA Propose Significant Opioid Manufacturing Reduction in 2019Read the Press Release
HONOLULU – The Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have proposed a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year. Consistent with President Trump’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” that seeks to “cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years,” the proposal decreases manufacturing quotas for the most six frequently misused opioids for 2019 by an average ten percent as compared to the 2018 amount. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) marks the third straight year of proposed reductions, which help reduce the amount of drugs potentially diverted for trafficking and used to facilitate addiction.
On July 11, 2018, the Justice Department announced that DEA was issuing a final rule amending its regulations to improve the agency’s ability consider the likelihood of whether a drug can be diverted for abuse when it sets annual opioid production limits. The final rule also promotes greater involvement from state attorneys general, and today’s proposed reduction will be sent to those offices.
In setting the aggregate production quote (APQ), DEA considers data from many sources, including estimates of the legitimate medical need from the Food and Drug Administration; estimates of retail consumption based on prescriptions dispensed; manufacturers’ disposition history and forecasts; data from DEA’s own internal system for tracking controlled substance transactions; and past quota histories.
The DEA has proposed to reduce more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl:
Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs. “The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “President Trump has set the ambitious goal of reducing opioid prescription rates by one-third in three years. We embrace that goal and are resolutely committed to reaching it. According to the National Prescription Audit, we have already made significant progress in reducing prescription rates over the past year. Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse. The American people can be confident that federal law enforcement and the Trump administration are taking action to protect them from dangerous drugs. These smarter limits bring us one big step closer to President Trump’s goal of finally ending this unprecedented crisis. I congratulate Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon and his team for taking action.”
U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii, Kenji M. Price, commented: “Across the country, and even here in Hawaii, the opioid epidemic is taking precious lives. We applaud this effort by the DEA to stem the tide of this epidemic by seeking to limit the ways in which these drugs are able to make their way into our communities here in Hawaii.”
“We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”
Once the aggregate quota is set, DEA allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to those manufacturers that apply for them. DEA may revise a company’s quota at any time during the year if change is warranted due to increased or decreased sales or exports, new manufacturers entering the market, new product development, or product recalls.
When Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, the quota system was intended to reduce or eliminate diversion from “legitimate channels of trade” by controlling the quantities of the basic ingredients needed for the manufacture of controlled substances.
The Proposed Aggregate Production Quotas for schedule I and II controlled substances published in the Federal Register reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks. DEA establishes an APQ for more than 250 schedule I and II controlled substances annually.
In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines to practitioners recommending a reduction in the prescribing of opioid medications for chronic pain. DEA and its federal partners have increased efforts in the last several years to educate practitioners, pharmacists, manufacturers, distributors, and the public about the dangers associated with the misuse of opioid medications and the importance of proper prescribing.
Justice Department, DEA Propose Significant Opioid Manufacturing Reduction in 2019Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- The Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have proposed a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year. Consistent with President Trump’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” that seeks to “cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years,” the proposal decreases manufacturing quotas for the most six frequently misused opioids for 2019 by an average ten percent as compared to the 2018 amount. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) marks the third straight year of proposed reductions, which help reduce the amount of drugs potentially diverted for trafficking and used to facilitate addiction.
On July 11, 2018, the Justice Department announced that DEA was issuing a final rule amending its regulations to improve the agency’s ability consider the likelihood of whether a drug can be diverted for abuse when it sets annual opioid production limits. The final rule also promotes greater involvement from state attorneys general, and today’s proposed reduction will be sent to those offices.
In setting the aggregate production quote (APQ), DEA considers data from many sources, including estimates of the legitimate medical need from the Food and Drug Administration; estimates of retail consumption based on prescriptions dispensed; manufacturers’ disposition history and forecasts; data from DEA’s own internal system for tracking controlled substance transactions; and past quota histories.
The DEA has proposed to reduce more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl:
Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs.
"The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "President Trump has set the ambitious goal of reducing opioid prescription rates by one-third in three years. We embrace that goal and are resolutely committed to reaching it. According to the National Prescription Audit, we have already made significant progress in reducing prescription rates over the past year. Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse. The American people can be confident that federal law enforcement and the Trump administration are taking action to protect them from dangerous drugs. These smarter limits bring us one big step closer to President Trump's goal of finally ending this unprecedented crisis. I congratulate Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon and his team for taking action.”
“We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”
“The effect of the opioid epidemic could not be clearer – American life expectancy is shorter for the first time in decades,” United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa Peter E. Deegan, Jr. stated. “Heroin and prescription opioid abuse have taken a devastating toll on communities in this district and my office is committed to prosecuting those who distribute these dangerous drugs. But criminal prosecutions alone will not protect our communities. Reducing the amount of prescription opioids on the street and the number of people who become addicted to prescription opioids is another important step in addressing the opioid epidemic.”
Once the aggregate quota is set, DEA allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to those manufacturers that apply for them. DEA may revise a company’s quota at any time during the year if change is warranted due to increased or decreased sales or exports, new manufacturers entering the market, new product development, or product recalls.
When Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, the quota system was intended to reduce or eliminate diversion from “legitimate channels of trade” by controlling the quantities of the basic ingredients needed for the manufacture of controlled substances.
The Proposed Aggregate Production Quotas for schedule I and II controlled substances published in the Federal Register reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks. DEA establishes an APQ for more than 250 schedule I and II controlled substances annually.
In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines to practitioners recommending a reduction in the prescribing of opioid medications for chronic pain. DEA and its federal partners have increased efforts in the last several years to educate practitioners, pharmacists, manufacturers, distributors, and the public about the dangers associated with the misuse of opioid medications and the importance of proper prescribing
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Justice Department, DEA Propose Significant Opioid Manufacturing Reduction in 2019Read the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have proposed a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year. Consistent with President Trump’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” that seeks to “cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years,” the proposal decreases manufacturing quotas for the most six frequently misused opioids for 2019 by an average ten percent as compared to the 2018 amount. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) marks the third straight year of proposed reductions, which help reduce the amount of drugs potentially diverted for trafficking and used to facilitate addiction. On July 11, 2018, the Justice Department announced that DEA was issuing a final rule amending its regulations to improve the agency’s ability consider the likelihood of whether a drug can be diverted for abuse when it sets annual opioid production limits. The final rule also promotes greater involvement from state attorneys general, and today’s proposed reduction will be sent to those offices.In setting the aggregate production quote (APQ), DEA considers data from many sources, including estimates of the legitimate medical need from the Food and Drug Administration; estimates of retail consumption based on prescriptions dispensed; manufacturers’ disposition history and forecasts; data from DEA’s own internal system for tracking controlled substance transactions; and past quota histories.
The DEA has proposed to reduce more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl:
Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs.
"The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "President Trump has set the ambitious goal of reducing opioid prescription rates by one-third in three years. We embrace that goal and are resolutely committed to reaching it. According to the National Prescription Audit, we have already made significant progress in reducing prescription rates over the past year. Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse. The American people can be confident that federal law enforcement and the Trump administration are taking action to protect them from dangerous drugs. These smarter limits bring us one big step closer to President Trump's goal of finally ending this unprecedented crisis. I congratulate Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon and his team for taking action.”
“We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”
“Given our loss of 1,565 Kentuckians last year – over one a day in Louisville – to drug overdose, this federal regulatory change has potential to save lives in our Commonwealth,” said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “Legitimate patients should always have access to needed medications but common sense suggests that this move will reduce opiate diversion.”
Once the aggregate quota is set, DEA allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to those manufacturers that apply for them. DEA may revise a company’s quota at any time during the year if change is warranted due to increased or decreased sales or exports, new manufacturers entering the market, new product development, or product recalls.
When Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, the quota system was intended to reduce or eliminate diversion from “legitimate channels of trade” by controlling the quantities of the basic ingredients needed for the manufacture of controlled substances.
The Proposed Aggregate Production Quotas for schedule I and II controlled substances published in the Federal Register reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks. DEA establishes an APQ for more than 250 schedule I and II controlled substances annually.
In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines to practitioners recommending a reduction in the prescribing of opioid medications for chronic pain. DEA and its federal partners have increased efforts in the last several years to educate practitioners, pharmacists, manufacturers, distributors, and the public about the dangers associated with the misuse of opioid medications and the importance of proper prescribing.
# # #
Justice Department, DEA Propose Significant Opioid Manufacturing Reduction in 2019Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- The Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have proposed a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year. Consistent with President Trump’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” that seeks to “cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years,” the proposal decreases manufacturing quotas for the most six frequently misused opioids for 2019 by an average ten percent as compared to the 2018 amount. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) marks the third straight year of proposed reductions, which help reduce the amount of drugs potentially diverted for trafficking and used to facilitate addiction.
On July 11, 2018, the Justice Department announced that DEA was issuing a final rule amending its regulations to improve the agency’s ability consider the likelihood of whether a drug can be diverted for abuse when it sets annual opioid production limits. The final rule also promotes greater involvement from state attorneys general, and today’s proposed reduction will be sent to those offices.
In setting the aggregate production quote (APQ), DEA considers data from many sources, including estimates of the legitimate medical need from the Food and Drug Administration; estimates of retail consumption based on prescriptions dispensed; manufacturers’ disposition history and forecasts; data from DEA’s own internal system for tracking controlled substance transactions; and past quota histories.
The DEA has proposed to reduce more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl.
Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs.
“The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “President Trump has set the ambitious goal of reducing opioid prescription rates by one-third in three years. We embrace that goal and are resolutely committed to reaching it. According to the National Prescription Audit, we have already made significant progress in reducing prescription rates over the past year. Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse. The American people can be confident that federal law enforcement and the Trump administration are taking action to protect them from dangerous drugs. These smarter limits bring us one big step closer to President Trump's goal of finally ending this unprecedented crisis. I congratulate Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon and his team for taking action.”
“We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”
United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith stated: “These reductions in opioid production and prescriptions can reduce addiction, serious injury and death, and help turn the tide on the opioid epidemic that has caused so much pain and suffering here in Upstate New York and throughout the country. This is an important part of our country’s comprehensive strategy to defeat the causes of the most deadly drug epidemic in our history.”
Once the aggregate quota is set, DEA allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to those manufacturers that apply for them. DEA may revise a company’s quota at any time during the year if change is warranted due to increased or decreased sales or exports, new manufacturers entering the market, new product development, or product recalls.
When Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, the quota system was intended to reduce or eliminate diversion from “legitimate channels of trade” by controlling the quantities of the basic ingredients needed for the manufacture of controlled substances.
The Proposed Aggregate Production Quotas for schedule I and II controlled substances published in the Federal Register reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks. DEA establishes an APQ for more than 250 schedule I and II controlled substances annually.
In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines to practitioners recommending a reduction in the prescribing of opioid medications for chronic pain. DEA and its federal partners have increased efforts in the last several years to educate practitioners, pharmacists, manufacturers, distributors, and the public about the dangers associated with the misuse of opioid medications and the importance of proper prescribing.
Justice Department, DEA Propose Significant Opioid Manufacturing Reduction in 2019Read the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration announced today a proposal to significantly reduce the aggregate production quotas for certain prescription opioids. The attached press release provides more detailed information. The release is also available here: www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-dea-propose-significant-opioid-manufacturing-reduction-2019.
This proposal complements the work of the Western Oklahoma Opioid Enforcement Team, a collective effort of federal and state law enforcement agencies. Participants include the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the Department of Health and Human Services—Office of Inspector General, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigations, the District Attorney’s Office for Oklahoma County, the District Attorney’s Office for Cleveland, Garvin, and McClain Counties, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Office of Personnel Management—Office of Inspector General.
Justice Department, DEA Propose Significant Opioid Manufacturing Reduction in 2019Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- The Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have proposed a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year. Consistent with President Trump’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” that seeks to “cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years,” the proposal decreases manufacturing quotas for the most six frequently misused opioids for 2019 by an average ten percent as compared to the 2018 amount. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) marks the third straight year of proposed reductions, which help reduce the amount of drugs potentially diverted for trafficking and used to facilitate addiction.
On July 11, 2018, the Justice Department announced that DEA was issuing a final rule amending its regulations to improve the agency’s ability consider the likelihood of whether a drug can be diverted for abuse when it sets annual opioid production limits. The final rule also promotes greater involvement from state attorneys general, and today’s proposed reduction will be sent to those offices.
In setting the aggregate production quote (APQ), DEA considers data from many sources, including estimates of the legitimate medical need from the Food and Drug Administration; estimates of retail consumption based on prescriptions dispensed; manufacturers’ disposition history and forecasts; data from DEA’s own internal system for tracking controlled substance transactions; and past quota histories.
The DEA has proposed to reduce more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl.
Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs.
"The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "President Trump has set the ambitious goal of reducing opioid prescription rates by one-third in three years. We embrace that goal and are resolutely committed to reaching it. According to the National Prescription Audit, we have already made significant progress in reducing prescription rates over the past year. Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse. The American people can be confident that federal law enforcement and the Trump administration are taking action to protect them from dangerous drugs. These smarter limits bring us one big step closer to President Trump's goal of finally ending this unprecedented crisis. I congratulate Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon and his team for taking action.”
“We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee fully supports the Department’s goal to reduce opioid manufacturing rates in 2019. Our communities are currently facing the deadliest drug crisis in American history and Tennessee has already been established as an acute ‘hot spot’ for prescription opioid abuse and opioid overdose deaths,” said U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey. “Reducing the availability of powerfully addictive prescription opioids will help our efforts to combat this growing opioid addiction crisis and save lives,” added U.S. Attorney Overbey.
Once the aggregate quota is set, DEA allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to those manufacturers that apply for them. DEA may revise a company’s quota at any time during the year if change is warranted due to increased or decreased sales or exports, new manufacturers entering the market, new product development, or product recalls.
When Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, the quota system was intended to reduce or eliminate diversion from “legitimate channels of trade” by controlling the quantities of the basic ingredients needed for the manufacture of controlled substances.
The Proposed Aggregate Production Quotas for schedule I and II controlled substances published in the Federal Register reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks. DEA establishes an APQ for more than 250 schedule I and II controlled substances annually.
In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines to practitioners recommending a reduction in the prescribing of opioid medications for chronic pain. DEA and its federal partners have increased efforts in the last several years to educate practitioners, pharmacists, manufacturers, distributors, and the public about the dangers associated with the misuse of opioid medications and the importance of proper prescribing.
# # #
Justice Department, DEA Propose Significant Opioid Manufacturing Reduction in 2019Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- The Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have proposed a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year. Consistent with President Trump’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” that seeks to “cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years,” the proposal decreases manufacturing quotas for the most six frequently misused opioids for 2019 by an average ten percent as compared to the 2018 amount. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) marks the third straight year of proposed reductions, which help reduce the amount of drugs potentially diverted for trafficking and used to facilitate addiction.
On July 11, 2018, the Justice Department announced that DEA was issuing a final rule amending its regulations to improve the agency’s ability consider the likelihood of whether a drug can be diverted for abuse when it sets annual opioid production limits. The final rule also promotes greater involvement from state attorneys general, and today’s proposed reduction will be sent to those offices.
In setting the aggregate production quote (APQ), DEA considers data from many sources, including estimates of the legitimate medical need from the Food and Drug Administration; estimates of retail consumption based on prescriptions dispensed; manufacturers’ disposition history and forecasts; data from DEA’s own internal system for tracking controlled substance transactions; and past quota histories.
The DEA has proposed to reduce more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl:
Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs.
"The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "President Trump has set the ambitious goal of reducing opioid prescription rates by one-third in three years. We embrace that goal and are resolutely committed to reaching it. According to the National Prescription Audit, we have already made significant progress in reducing prescription rates over the past year. Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse. The American people can be confident that federal law enforcement and the Trump administration are taking action to protect them from dangerous drugs. These smarter limits bring us one big step closer to President Trump's goal of finally ending this unprecedented crisis. I congratulate Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon and his team for taking action.”
“We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”
“This proposed manufacturing reduction is a critical, common-sense measure that will undoubtedly result in fewer overdoses and less unlawful distribution of these dangerous substances,” U.S. Attorney Thomas T. Cullen stated. “As this bold action indicates, Attorney General Sessions and the DEA are committed to reversing the tide of the opioid epidemic.”
Once the aggregate quota is set, DEA allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to those manufacturers that apply for them. DEA may revise a company’s quota at any time during the year if change is warranted due to increased or decreased sales or exports, new manufacturers entering the market, new product development, or product recalls.
When Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, the quota system was intended to reduce or eliminate diversion from “legitimate channels of trade” by controlling the quantities of the basic ingredients needed for the manufacture of controlled substances.
The Proposed Aggregate Production Quotas for schedule I and II controlled substances published in the Federal Register reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks. DEA establishes an APQ for more than 250 schedule I and II controlled substances annually.
In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines to practitioners recommending a reduction in the prescribing of opioid medications for chronic pain. DEA and its federal partners have increased efforts in the last several years to educate practitioners, pharmacists, manufacturers, distributors, and the public about the dangers associated with the misuse of opioid medications and the importance of proper prescribing.
# # #
Justice Department, DEA Propose Significant Opioid Manufacturing Reduction in 2019Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- The Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have proposed a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year. Consistent with President Trump’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” that seeks to “cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years,” the proposal decreases manufacturing quotas for the most six frequently misused opioids for 2019 by an average ten percent as compared to the 2018 amount. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) marks the third straight year of proposed reductions, which help reduce the amount of drugs potentially diverted for trafficking and used to facilitate addiction.
On July 11, 2018, the Justice Department announced that DEA was issuing a final rule amending its regulations to improve the agency’s ability consider the likelihood of whether a drug can be diverted for abuse when it sets annual opioid production limits. The final rule also promotes greater involvement from state attorneys general, and today’s proposed reduction will be sent to those offices.
In setting the aggregate production quote (APQ), DEA considers data from many sources, including estimates of the legitimate medical need from the Food and Drug Administration; estimates of retail consumption based on prescriptions dispensed; manufacturers’ disposition history and forecasts; data from DEA’s own internal system for tracking controlled substance transactions; and past quota histories.
The DEA has proposed to reduce more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl:
Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs.
"The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "President Trump has set the ambitious goal of reducing opioid prescription rates by one-third in three years. We embrace that goal and are resolutely committed to reaching it. According to the National Prescription Audit, we have already made significant progress in reducing prescription rates over the past year. Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse. The American people can be confident that federal law enforcement and the Trump administration are taking action to protect them from dangerous drugs. These smarter limits bring us one big step closer to President Trump's goal of finally ending this unprecedented crisis. I congratulate Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon and his team for taking action.”
“We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”
“The Northern District of Alabama is one of 12 federal judicial districts across the country participating in a Justice Department opioid pilot program focused on investigating and prosecuting health care providers who have chosen greed over care for far too many victims of this crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town. “We are fighting daily to prevent the illegal diversion of deadly opioids into our communities and the DEA’s reduction in manufacturing quotas is critical to that fight.”
Once the aggregate quota is set, DEA allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to those manufacturers that apply for them. DEA may revise a company’s quota at any time during the year if change is warranted due to increased or decreased sales or exports, new manufacturers entering the market, new product development, or product recalls.
When Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, the quota system was intended to reduce or eliminate diversion from “legitimate channels of trade” by controlling the quantities of the basic ingredients needed for the manufacture of controlled substances.
The Proposed Aggregate Production Quotas for schedule I and II controlled substances published in the Federal Register reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks. DEA establishes an APQ for more than 250 schedule I and II controlled substances annually.
In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines to practitioners recommending a reduction in the prescribing of opioid medications for chronic pain. DEA and its federal partners have increased efforts in the last several years to educate practitioners, pharmacists, manufacturers, distributors, and the public about the dangers associated with the misuse of opioid medications and the importance of proper prescribing.
# # #
Justice Department, DEA Propose Significant Opioid Manufacturing Reduction in 2019Read the Press Release
MACON: Charles E. Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia announces that the Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have proposed a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year. Consistent with President Trump’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” that seeks to “cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years,” the proposal decreases manufacturing quotas for the most six frequently misused opioids for 2019 by an average ten percent as compared to the 2018 amount. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) marks the third straight year of proposed reductions, which help reduce the amount of drugs potentially diverted for trafficking and used to facilitate addiction.
On July 11, 2018, the Justice Department announced that DEA was issuing a final rule amending its regulations to improve the agency’s ability consider the likelihood of whether a drug can be diverted for abuse when it sets annual opioid production limits. The final rule also promotes greater involvement from state attorneys general, and today’s proposed reduction will be sent to those offices.
In setting the aggregate production quote (APQ), DEA considers data from many sources, including estimates of the legitimate medical need from the Food and Drug Administration; estimates of retail consumption based on prescriptions dispensed; manufacturers’ disposition history and forecasts; data from DEA’s own internal system for tracking controlled substance transactions; and past quota histories.
The DEA has proposed to reduce more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl.
Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs.
"The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "President Trump has set the ambitious goal of reducing opioid prescription rates by one-third in three years. We embrace that goal and are resolutely committed to reaching it. According to the National Prescription Audit, we have already made significant progress in reducing prescription rates over the past year. Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse. The American people can be confident that federal law enforcement and the Trump administration are taking action to protect them from dangerous drugs. These smarter limits bring us one big step closer to President Trump's goal of finally ending this unprecedented crisis. I congratulate Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon and his team for taking action.”
“We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”
“Under the leadership of Attorney General Sessions, our office has established a team of civil and criminal Assistant United States Attorneys empowered to use all available means to pursue those who unlawfully divert opioids for use beyond that which is medically necessary for patient health,” said Charles E. Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. “This production quota adjustment is a step in the right direction to ridding the streets of unlawful opioids.”
Once the aggregate quota is set, DEA allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to those manufacturers that apply for them. DEA may revise a company’s quota at any time during the year if change is warranted due to increased or decreased sales or exports, new manufacturers entering the market, new product development, or product recalls.
When Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, the quota system was intended to reduce or eliminate diversion from “legitimate channels of trade” by controlling the quantities of the basic ingredients needed for the manufacture of controlled substances.
The Proposed Aggregate Production Quotas for schedule I and II controlled substances published in the Federal Register reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks. DEA establishes an APQ for more than 250 schedule I and II controlled substances annually.
In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines to practitioners recommending a reduction in the prescribing of opioid medications for chronic pain. DEA and its federal partners have increased efforts in the last several years to educate practitioners, pharmacists, manufacturers, distributors, and the public about the dangers associated with the misuse of opioid medications and the importance of proper prescribing.
Questions regarding this release should be sent to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, at 478-621-2603 or [email protected].
Justice Department, DEA Propose Significant Opioid Manufacturing Reduction in 2019Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- The Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have proposed a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year. Consistent with President Trump’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” that seeks to “cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years,” the proposal decreases manufacturing quotas for the most six frequently misused opioids for 2019 by an average ten percent as compared to the 2018 amount. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) marks the third straight year of proposed reductions, which help reduce the amount of drugs potentially diverted for trafficking and used to facilitate addiction.
On July 11, 2018, the Justice Department announced that DEA was issuing a final rule amending its regulations to improve the agency’s ability consider the likelihood of whether a drug can be diverted for abuse when it sets annual opioid production limits. The final rule also promotes greater involvement from state attorneys general, and today’s proposed reduction will be sent to those offices.
In setting the aggregate production quote (APQ), DEA considers data from many sources, including estimates of the legitimate medical need from the Food and Drug Administration; estimates of retail consumption based on prescriptions dispensed; manufacturers’ disposition history and forecasts; data from DEA’s own internal system for tracking controlled substance transactions; and past quota histories.
The DEA has proposed to reduce more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl.
Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs.
"The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "President Trump has set the ambitious goal of reducing opioid prescription rates by one-third in three years. We embrace that goal and are resolutely committed to reaching it. According to the National Prescription Audit, we have already made significant progress in reducing prescription rates over the past year. Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse. The American people can be confident that federal law enforcement and the Trump administration are taking action to protect them from dangerous drugs. These smarter limits bring us one big step closer to President Trump's goal of finally ending this unprecedented crisis. I congratulate Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon and his team for taking action.”
“We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”
U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “Too many lives have been affected by this deadly epidemic. I have a designated Opioid Coordinator who works daily with federal, state and local agencies to identify and prosecute those who over prescribe or illegally deal opioids to users.”
Once the aggregate quota is set, DEA allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to those manufacturers that apply for them. DEA may revise a company’s quota at any time during the year if change is warranted due to increased or decreased sales or exports, new manufacturers entering the market, new product development, or product recalls.
When Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, the quota system was intended to reduce or eliminate diversion from “legitimate channels of trade” by controlling the quantities of the basic ingredients needed for the manufacture of controlled substances.
The Proposed Aggregate Production Quotas for schedule I and II controlled substances published in the Federal Register reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks. DEA establishes an APQ for more than 250 schedule I and II controlled substances annually.
In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines to practitioners recommending a reduction in the prescribing of opioid medications for chronic pain. DEA and its federal partners have increased efforts in the last several years to educate practitioners, pharmacists, manufacturers, distributors, and the public about the dangers associated with the misuse of opioid medications and the importance of proper prescribing.
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18-1058
Justice Department, DEA Propose Significant Opioid Manufacturing Reduction in 2019Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- The Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have proposed a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year. Consistent with President Trump’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” that seeks to “cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years,” the proposal decreases manufacturing quotas for the most six frequently misused opioids for 2019 by an average ten percent as compared to the 2018 amount. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) marks the third straight year of proposed reductions, which help reduce the amount of drugs potentially diverted for trafficking and used to facilitate addiction.
On July 11, 2018, the Justice Department announced that DEA was issuing a final rule amending its regulations to improve the agency’s ability consider the likelihood of whether a drug can be diverted for abuse when it sets annual opioid production limits. The final rule also promotes greater involvement from state attorneys general, and today’s proposed reduction will be sent to those offices.
In setting the aggregate production quote (APQ), DEA considers data from many sources, including estimates of the legitimate medical need from the Food and Drug Administration; estimates of retail consumption based on prescriptions dispensed; manufacturers’ disposition history and forecasts; data from DEA’s own internal system for tracking controlled substance transactions; and past quota histories.
The DEA has proposed to reduce more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl:
Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs.
"The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "President Trump has set the ambitious goal of reducing opioid prescription rates by one-third in three years. We embrace that goal and are resolutely committed to reaching it. According to the National Prescription Audit, we have already made significant progress in reducing prescription rates over the past year. Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse. The American people can be confident that federal law enforcement and the Trump administration are taking action to protect them from dangerous drugs. These smarter limits bring us one big step closer to President Trump's goal of finally ending this unprecedented crisis. I congratulate Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon and his team for taking action.”
“We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”
“Today’s announcement reducing the manufacturing quota for opioids makes sense, as the reduction in the supply of these licit opioids should eventually result in a decrease in the demand for illicit opioids,” noted James P. Kennedy, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York. “With less opiates available, it stands to reason that one or both of the following things will happen: (1) the number of patients being prescribed opiates will be reduced; and/or (2) the duration/frequency of each patient’s use of opiates will be reduced. With less people, being prescribed less opiates, for shorter periods of time, the likelihood that users will develop a dependence on these dangerous drugs will also be diminished. By lessening dependence on legal opioids we succeed in diminishing the very affliction that causes so many in our country to pay for deadly and dangerous illegal opioids with their lives.”
Once the aggregate quota is set, DEA allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to those manufacturers that apply for them. DEA may revise a company’s quota at any time during the year if change is warranted due to increased or decreased sales or exports, new manufacturers entering the market, new product development, or product recalls.
When Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, the quota system was intended to reduce or eliminate diversion from “legitimate channels of trade” by controlling the quantities of the basic ingredients needed for the manufacture of controlled substances.
The Proposed Aggregate Production Quotas for schedule I and II controlled substances published in the Federal Register reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks. DEA establishes an APQ for more than 250 schedule I and II controlled substances annually.
In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines to practitioners recommending a reduction in the prescribing of opioid medications for chronic pain. DEA and its federal partners have increased efforts in the last several years to educate practitioners, pharmacists, manufacturers, distributors, and the public about the dangers associated with the misuse of opioid medications and the importance of proper prescribing.
Justice Department, DEA Propose Significant Opioid Manufacturing Reduction in 2019Read the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have proposed a reduction for controlled substances that may be manufactured in the U.S. next year. Consistent with President Trump’s “Safe Prescribing Plan” that seeks to “cut nationwide opioid prescription fills by one-third within three years,” the proposal decreases manufacturing quotas for the six most frequently misused opioids for 2019 by an average ten percent as compared to the 2018 amount. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) marks the third straight year of proposed reductions, which help reduce the amount of drugs potentially diverted for trafficking and used to facilitate addiction.
On July 11, 2018, the Justice Department announced that DEA was issuing a final rule amending its regulations to improve the agency’s ability to consider the likelihood of whether a drug can be diverted for abuse when it sets annual opioid production limits. The final rule also promotes greater involvement from state attorneys general, and today’s proposed reduction will be sent to those offices.
In setting the aggregate production quota (APQ), DEA considers data from many sources, including estimates of the legitimate medical need from the Food and Drug Administration; estimates of retail consumption based on prescriptions dispensed; manufacturers’ disposition history and forecasts; data from DEA’s own internal system for tracking controlled substance transactions; and past quota histories.
The DEA has proposed to reduce more commonly prescribed schedule II opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, and fentanyl:
(see attached chart below)
Ultimately, revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potential addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs.
"The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "President Trump has set the ambitious goal of reducing opioid prescription rates by one-third in three years. We embrace that goal and are resolutely committed to reaching it. According to the National Prescription Audit, we have already made significant progress in reducing prescription rates over the past year. Cutting opioid production quotas by an average of ten percent next year will help us continue that progress and make it harder to divert these drugs for abuse. The American people can be confident that federal law enforcement and the Trump administration are taking action to protect them from dangerous drugs. These smarter limits bring us one big step closer to President Trump's goal of finally ending this unprecedented crisis. I congratulate Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon and his team for taking action.”
“We’ve lost too many lives to the opioid epidemic and families and communities suffer tragic consequences every day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This significant drop in prescriptions by doctors and DEA’s production quota adjustment will continue to reduce the amount of drugs available for illicit diversion and abuse while ensuring that patients will continue to have access to proper medicine.”
“Today’s announcement of the third consecutive year of decreases in proposed opioid manufacturing quotas shows continued progress in the right direction in our ongoing battle against this unprecedented public health and criminal justice crisis,” said U.S. Attorney David J. Freed. “The flooding of diverted prescription opioids into our communities has directly contributed to the demand for illicit drugs, exploited by violent drug dealers, and the death and destruction that is the only sure result of their criminal enterprises. Along with education, enforcement and meaningful treatment, reduction in supply will ultimately save lives.”
Once the aggregate quota is set, DEA allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to those manufacturers that apply for them. DEA may revise a company’s quota at any time during the year if change is warranted due to increased or decreased sales or exports, new manufacturers entering the market, new product development, or product recalls.
When Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, the quota system was intended to reduce or eliminate diversion from “legitimate channels of trade” by controlling the quantities of the basic ingredients needed for the manufacture of controlled substances.
The Proposed Aggregate Production Quotas for schedule I and II controlled substances published in the Federal Register reflects the total amount of controlled substances necessary to meet the country’s medical, scientific, research, industrial, and export needs for the year and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks. DEA establishes an APQ for more than 250 schedule I and II controlled substances annually.
In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines to practitioners recommending a reduction in the prescribing of opioid medications for chronic pain. DEA and its federal partners have increased efforts in the last several years to educate practitioners, pharmacists, manufacturers, distributors, and the public about the dangers associated with the misuse of opioid medications and the importance of proper prescribing.
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Justice Department Settles Disability Claims with Two Clinical Psychology Offices Involving Sign Language Interpreters and Service AnimalRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan has reached settlements with two clinical psychology practices: Michael Vredevoogd P.C., and Apex Behavioral Health-Dearborn, P.L.L.C., to resolve allegations that they violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider announced today.
The ADA requires that places of public accommodation, such as medical offices, provide sign language interpreters or other appropriate auxiliary aids and services to ensure effective communication with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. The ADA also requires that public accommodations make reasonable modifications to their policies and practices, such as allowing a service animal in a treatment room, when necessary to afford full and equal services to individuals with disabilities.
Michael Vredevoogd, P.C. is a neuropsychology practice in Clinton Township, Michigan and Apex Behavioral Health-Dearborn P.L.L.C. provides mental and behavioral health services in Dearborn, MI.
These settlements resolve investigations prompted by complaints that Apex Behavioral Health-Dearborn P.L.L.C. failed to provide a sign language interpreter to a patient who is deaf and communicates using American Sign Language, and that Michael Vredevoogd, P.C., refused to provide services to a patient who used a service dog. The investigations confirmed both allegations. It also revealed that Michael Vredevoogd, P.C., had a policy of refusing to provide sign language interpreters for patients who are deaf, thus patients with disabilities at both practices were denied the opportunity to get psychological care and communicate effectively with their therapists
“It is critical for patients to be able to communicate effectively with their mental health care providers, especially clinical psychologists who must understand sensitive details in order to appropriately treat complex psychological issues” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider. “It is also important for patients who use service animals to be able to access the office of mental health providers. The Americans with Disabilities Act ensures that persons with disabilities are given equal access to health care.”
Under the settlement, both medical offices have agreed to update their policies and train their staff to ensure compliance under the ADA. They have also agreed to take steps to ensure that interpreters or other appropriate auxiliary aids and services are provided to individuals who need them in the future. The complainants in the Apex Behavioral Health matter will also receive monetary compensation.
For more information on the ADA and the DOJ’s Barrier Free Healthcare Initiative, visit http://www.ada.gov/usao-agreements.htm. Those interested in finding out more about these settlements or the obligations of public accommodations under the ADA may call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD), or access its ADA website at www.ada.gov. ADA complaints may be submitted to the U.S. Attorney’s Office by email at [email protected], or by calling 313-226-9151.
Jury Convicts North Las Vegas Man of Receipt and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Following a three-day jury trial, a Las Vegas man was found guilty of using a filing sharing network and the internet to receive and distribute sexually explicit images and videos of children, announced U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson of the District of Nevada.
Bret Alan Humphries, 60, was convicted of one count of receipt and/or distribution of child pornography. The jury trial was before U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon who scheduled a sentencing hearing on November 15, 2018. Humphries faces the maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and $250,000 fine.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between October 4, 2011, and August 30, 2012, Humphries used Shareaza, a peer-to-peer file sharing program, to receive and distribute child pornography. Federal task force agents executed a search warrant at his residence and seized 3 devices containing child pornography. After a forensic examination of the devices, law enforcement discovered 71 images and 120 video files depicting pre-pubescent children and toddlers engaged in sexually explicit conduct and being subjected to sado-masochistic sexual abuse. Computer forensics showed that Humphries had been using various file sharing networks to receive and view child pornography since at least 2006.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Burton and Elham Roohani are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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 and for information about internet safety education, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
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Judge Sentences Pittsburgh Drug Felon to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – An Allegheny County resident has been sentenced in federal court to 12 years’ imprisonment, followed by eight years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating the federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Glaudis Lawrence, age 45, of Pittsburgh, PA.
According to information presented to the court, from in and around January 2016, and continuing until in and around July 2016, in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, Lawrence conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance. Lawrence has a prior federal felony drug-trafficking conviction that also involved heroin.
Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) responsible for the successful prosecution of Lawrence. That task force was comprised of members drawn from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Department, the Baldwin Borough Police Department, the Duquesne Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Munhall Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, the City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Scott Township Police Department, and the West Homestead Police Department, along with assistance from the Borough of McKees Rocks Police Department, the Borough of Ambridge Police Department, the Borough of Sewickley Police Department, the Crescent Township Police Department, the City of Aliquippa Police Department, the Borough of New Brighton Police Department, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Jersey City Man Admits Scamming Investors of $3.4 MillionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Jersey City man today admitted that he swindled two investors of $3.4 million by falsely representing that his businesses had secured lucrative contracts to sell olive oil to major retailers, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Antonio Fasolino, 62, entered a guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Michael Vazquez in Newark federal court to all four counts of indictment charging him with three counts of wire fraud and one count of transacting in criminal proceeds. Judge Vazquez deferred acceptance of the guilty plea until sentencing, which is scheduled for Jan. 11, 2019.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Fasolino owned several companies that were purportedly involved in the manufacture, sale and distribution of pasta, tomato sauce, olive oil and other food products. In 2012, Fasolino obtained approximately $3.4 million from two victims by falsely representing that Fasolino’s companies had been awarded lucrative contracts to sell olive oil.
In fact, there were never any such contracts. Fasolino supplied the victims with altered bank statements and spent the money on himself, including car and mortgage payments, apartment rentals, a wedding, college tuition and credit card payments.
Each count of wire fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. The transacting in criminal proceeds count carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison. Each charge in the indictment is also punishable by a potential $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory Ehrie in Newark, and IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bryant Jackson, with the investigation leading to today’s plea.
The government is represented by Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Zach Intrater and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Devlin of the Assert Forfeiture and Money Laundering Unit.
Defense counsel: Chester Keller Esq., Newark