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Tuesday 26 June 2018
Department of Justice Announces $110 Million Set Aside Grant Program to Assist Crime Victims in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
This year, for the first time, the 2018 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act provides for three percent of funds from the Crime Victims Fund to be used to support a broad set-aside program for Indian tribes to improve services to crime victims.
The Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is seeking applications for the FY 2018 Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Program solicitation. Under the solicitation, OVC will award eligible tribes, tribal consortia, and tribal designees grants to support a wide-range of services for victims of crime. OVC anticipates making up to $110 million available through this solicitation to support tribes to improve victim services.
The Department of Justice has long recognized the critical need to fully and more effectively support American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) victims of crime. In recent years, the department has conducted numerous tribal consultations and listening sessions to learn more about the needs and resources associated with supporting AI/AN crime victims. The FY 2018 set-aside program has expanded the types of crimes addressed to cover victims of human trafficking; victimization as a result of opioid/drug-related crisis, child abuse and neglect, as well as victims of cybercrime and financial crime, among other areas.
In developing the scope of activities allowable with this funding, OVC took into account input from tribal leaders and other stakeholders regarding needs for victim services in tribal communities. This solicitation has a streamlined, two-phase application process for this unique program.
OVC will conduct a Phase 1 pre-application webinar on Thursday, June 28. Webinar participation is optional but strongly encouraged. OVC staff will review the solicitation requirements and conduct a question and answer session with interested potential applicants. Phase 1 applications are due on August 6, 2018.
To find out more about the tribal set-aside program and to register for the webinar online, visit here.
Current and Former Supervisory Corrections Officers Indicted for Use of Unreasonable Force and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
Federal indictments were unsealed today charging current and former supervisory corrections officers at the Cheatham County Jail in Ashland City, Tennessee, with federal civil rights and obstruction offenses, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Don Cochran of the Middle District of Tennessee. Former Corporal Mark Bryant is charged with two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 242, and two counts of obstruction of justice, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1519. Sergeant Gary Ola is charged with two counts of making false statements to federal investigators, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001. Both were arrested earlier today and will make initial appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge later this afternoon.
Bryant’s indictment alleges that, on Nov. 5, 2016, he twice used unlawful force on a restrained 18-year-old detainee inside the jail. In the first incident, Bryant used a Taser to stun the detainee four times for a total of approximately 50 seconds while the detainee was in a restraint chair. In a second incident that occurred on the same night, Bryant tased the detainee for approximately 11 seconds without legitimate justification after the detainee was placed in handcuffs and surrounded by multiple officers. As a result of these unjustified uses of force, the detainee sustained bodily injury. The indictment further charges that Bryant obstructed justice by submitting false reports about both incidents.
Ola’s indictment alleges that he made materially false statements to investigators in two separate interviews during the investigation of Bryant’s Taser usage. In August 2017, Ola falsely told agents with the FBI and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation that he walked away from Bryant and did not see one or more of the Taser cycles that Bryant used on the restrained detainee. In a second interview with the FBI in May 2018, Ola stated falsely that he did not see Bryant tase the detainee after officers placed the detainee in handcuffs.
If convicted, Bryant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the color of law charges and 20 years in prison for the obstruction charges, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Ola faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Beth Myers of the Middle District of Tennessee’s Nashville Office and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Michael J. Songer.
Convicted Sex Offender Is Sentenced to 27 Months for Threatening to Kill Gaston County District Attorney and State ProsecutorRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced today that Larry Brandon Moore, 31, of Gastonia, N.C. was sentenced to 27 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for threatening to kill Gaston County District Attorney Locke Bell and Assistant District Attorney (ADA) Deborah Gulledge.
John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and court proceedings, on March 1, 2017, while incarcerated in the Avery Mitchell Correctional Institution in Spruce Pine, N.C., Moore mailed a letter to a ADA Gulledge, in which he threatened to kill her and to murder her family. ADA Gulledge had successfully prosecuted Moore on state charges for sexually exploiting a minor, which resulted in Moore’s conviction and incarceration. Moore also threatened to kill two detectives employed by the Gastonia Police Department.
On or about March 1, 2017, Moore also sent a letter to Gaston County District Attorney Locke Bell, threatening to kill Mr. Bell’s family, to punish the District Attorney and to hold him accountable for ADA Gulledge’s actions.
Moore pleaded guilty to two counts of mailing threatening communications.
In announcing today’s sentence, U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad, Jr. stated in open court, “The fact that the defendant committed the offense while serving an active term of incarceration for exploitation of a minor justified a sentence at the very top of the sentencing guideline range.”
The FBI led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana Washington, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.
Clinton Man Pleads Guilty to $4.7 Million Cattle Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Clinton, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to a $4.7 million investment fraud scheme in which he defrauded 89 investors who believed they were purchasing cattle for resale at a profit.
Cameron J. Hager, 42, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
Hager, who operated 5A Holdings, LLC, admitted that he engaged in the fraud scheme from July 2015 to September 2017. Hager solicited victims to invest in a “cattle fund” that was used to purchase herds of cattle to be sold later at a substantial profit, although he never actually purchased or intended to purchase any cattle.
Hager received $4.7 million dollars from 89 investors, with investment amounts from $1,000 to $267,000. Hager deposited $394,074 into his business bank account. He also used the proceeds of the scheme, among other things, to make substantial payments on the mortgage of his 46.6-acre residential property (currently listed for sale with an asking price of $899,000), and to purchase a Ford F-150 pickup truck, a Toyota 4Runner, and two Winnebago travel trailers. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, all of Hager’s interest in that property must be forfeited to the government.
Hager convinced his victims that he was locating herds of cattle that farmers in distress needed to sell. He told them he would use investor funds to buy such herds, then transport the cattle to pastures/feed lots owned by himself or his company, 5A Holdings, where the cattle would be cared for, fattened, and eventually sold to slaughterhouses where Hager had “contacts.” Hager consistently represented that these transactions would produce a net “return” of from 23 to 28 percent on each investment.
Investors filed complaints with the Missouri Secretary of State’s Securities Division, and that office opened an investigation. Hager sent the Securities Division a written response to the allegations of fraud; in that response he admitted that there were no cattle and that he had made false representations to investors.
The wire fraud charge relates to e-mails sent by Hager to a victim investor. The money laundering charge relates to Hager’s withdrawal of $21,500 from his business bank account to purchase a Ford F-150 pickup truck. The FBI determined that the money withdrawn by Hager for this transaction was derived from his wire fraud scheme.
Under federal statutes, Hager is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Ketchmark and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Larson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Perkins Rock is handling the forfeiture. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Missouri Secretary of State, Securities Division.
Choctaw Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Jaylon Thomas, 28, of Choctaw, Mississippi, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to sexual abuse of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze.
On October 16, 2015, the Choctaw Police Department responded to a call for assistance in the Pearl River Community. Officers were able to speak with the minor victim who was transported to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson for treatment. Thomas admitted to his sexual abuse of the minor.
Judge Jordan will sentence Thomas on September 25, 2018, at 9:00 a.m. in Jackson. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes.
Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Man Admits Conspiring to Deal in Firearms without a LicenseRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Cherry Hill, New Jersey, man today admitted his role in conspiring to sell at least 100 handguns without a federal firearms license, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Fr’Neil Hickson, a/k/a “Philly,” 38, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden federal court to Count Two of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to deal in firearms without a federal firearms license.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Hickson admitted that between December 2009 and April 2013 he sold or brokered the sale of at least 100 handguns obtained from sources outside of New Jersey. The investigation showed that Hickson obtained many of the weapons from Joshua Jackson, a/k/a “Apple,” a/k/a “Trent,” and that Jackson obtained most of the firearms through purchases at gun shows from unlicensed gun sellers without background checks. Some of the firearms were also purchased at Ohio gun stores by straw purchasers working for Jackson, who transported the handguns to New Jersey and resold them to Hickson and Terrance Laboo, a Camden drug dealer. Hickson admitted some of the weapons were equipped with extended magazines capable of holding more than 15 rounds of ammunition.
Hickson also sold handguns directly to Terrance Laboo. At the time of the gun sales, Laboo was engaged with others in drug trafficking, including the sale of PCP and cocaine at the corner of 4th and Chestnut streets in Camden. Hickson and Laboo sold, directed or brokered the sale of many of the firearms to other drug dealers and felons in Camden and surrounding areas.
The count of conspiracy to deal in firearms without a license to which Hickson pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 1, 2018.
Hickson has been in federal custody since his arrest in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 29, 2014. In a separate case in Atlanta, investigated jointly by ATF agents from the Atlanta office and the District of New Jersey, Hickson was arrested for illegal possession of 12 firearms. He pleaded guilty in Atlanta federal court to possession of firearms by a convicted felon and on Oct. 25, 2016, he was sentenced to four years in prison by U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones. Hickson completed his sentence in that case in August 2017, but remained in federal custody on the indictment that resulted in today’s guilty plea.
This case was part of a long-term investigation of illegal gun trafficking referred to as “Operation Buckeye,” as the bulk of the illegal guns recovered from felons in the Camden, Philadelphia and surrounding areas were originally purchased in Ohio.
On July 21, 2016, Laboo, who had previously pleaded guilty to dealing in firearms without a license, conspiracy to deal in firearms without a license, possession of firearms by a convicted felon, and distribution of a controlled substance, was sentenced by Judge Kugler to six years in prison. On Oct. 25, 2016, Jackson, of Willingboro, New Jersey, who had previously entered a guilty plea to dealing in firearms without a license, conspiracy to deal in firearms without a license, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon, was sentenced to six years in prison.
The ATF investigation showed that the conspiracy involved the illegal acquisition, interstate transfer, and illegal sale of approximately 300 handguns to drug dealers and others.
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited special agents of the ATF Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John B. Devito; the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Mary Eva Colalillo; and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Scott A. Coffina, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Askin and Alyson Oswald of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man caught selling methamphetamine in July 2017 pled guilty today to a federal drug conspiracy charge, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Timothy Boggs, 21, entered his guilty plea to an indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine. Stuart praised the joint investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department STOP Team.
“Excellent teamwork by law enforcement resulted in the conviction of this meth dealer,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “We continue to address the resurgence of meth throughout southern West Virginia communities with aggressive prosecution.”
Boggs admitted that from at least June 2017 to September 2017, he distributed methamphetamine for Melody Legg in Kanawha County. As part of the plea agreement, Boggs admitted to distributing approximately 13 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in July 2017.
Boggs faces at least 5 years but not more than 40 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on October 4, 2018.
The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution.
The drug prosecution is part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Carlsbad Felon Sentenced to 15 Years for Conviction on Federal Kidnapping and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Richard Fierro, 43, of Carlsbad, N.M., was sentenced this morning in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to 15 years of imprisonment for his conviction on kidnapping and firearms charges. Fierro will be on supervised release for three years after completing his prison sentence. U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson, Special Agent in Charge John J. Durastanti of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Shane Skinner of the Carlsbad Police Department (CPD) announced the sentence.
Fierro was prosecuted as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets violent, repeat offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders primarily based on their prior criminal convictions for federal prosecution offenders with the goal of making communities in New Mexico safer places for people to live and work.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested Fierro in Nov. 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with violating the federal firearms laws on Oct. 28, 2016, in Carlsbad, in Eddy County, N.M. According to the complaint, Fierro forced two children into his vehicle at gunpoint, crashed the vehicle, and attempted to flee the scene before CPD officers arrested him. Officers found a firearm, ammunition, and marijuana in Fierro’s vehicle during a search incident to the arrest.
Fierro was indicted on Feb. 15, 2017, and was charged with kidnapping two victims, and with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition on Oct. 28, 2016, in Eddy County. According to the indictment, Fierro was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted on cocaine trafficking, aggravated battery, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of cocaine base with intent to distribute.
On Oct. 17, 2017, Fierro pled guilty to the indictment. In entering the guilty plea, Fierro admitted that on Oct. 28, 2016, he forced the two juveniles into his vehicle based on the belief that he needed to kidnap them in order to protect his daughter from harm. He later realized that this was not true. Fierro admitted driving around Carlsbad with the two kidnapped victims until he crashed into another vehicle and fled the scene. Fierro also admitted possessing a firearm and ammunition during the kidnapping even though he was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to his status as a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Carlsbad Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Saltman of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.
Canadian Accountant Pleads Guilty to Stealing Nearly $600,000 from Massachusetts CompanyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Canadian national who worked as an accountant for a Massachusetts company pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to stealing nearly $600,000 from her employer.
Thanh Tam Tao Huynh, a/k/a Tiffany Huynh, 30, most recently of Quincy, Mass., pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud in connection with a scheme to steal nearly $600,000 from her employer. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Oct. 4, 2018.
Huynh was employed as the accountant/bookkeeper by the company from approximately March 2016 through December 2017. Huynh used her position and access to the company’s bank accounts to wire about $425,000 from a company account at the Royal Bank of Canada to accounts in the United States that Huynh and her associates controlled. She also used a company credit card to make unauthorized purchases for herself and her friends. To conceal her actions, Huynh provided her employer with false balance information for the Canadian account, and withheld the personal charge information from the credit card statements she submitted for review. In total, Huynh defrauded her employer of approximately $588,278.
The wire fraud statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Balthazard of Lelling’s Economic Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
California Man Sentenced to over 23 Years for Violating Federal Drug LawsRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – United States District Judge Greg N. Stivers sentenced Charles Henry Ickes, 36, to 280 months in prison followed by 10 years’ Supervised Release, announced United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman.
In March, a federal jury found Ickes guilty of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine after a two-day trial. The evidence introduced during trial showed that Ickes was the source of supply for 100% pure crystal methamphetamine being shipped to the Bowling Green, Kentucky, area from California.
“If like Mr. Ickes you choose to bring substantial amounts of drugs into Kentucky communities, you should expect to spend a substantial amount of time in federal prison” stated U.S. Attorney Russell M. Coleman.
Jordan Grider met Ickes while travelling in California. She later introduced him to Adaryll White, knowing that both were involved in drug trafficking. Ickes initially sent hash oil, dabs and pills – but the drugs didn’t move well. He later fronted eight ounces of crystal methamphetamine to White who distributed the drugs in Bowling Green, Kentucky, through Jason Dean Borden and Joshua Preston Moore.
Law enforcement officials became aware of the drug trafficking when a United States Priority Mail package was intercepted. Execution of a search warrant on the package revealed the presence of one and one-half pounds of crystal methamphetamine. Later forensic testing revealed 100% purity. The Warren County/Bowling Green Drug Task Force became involved in the controlled delivery of the package to White. Law enforcement officials monitored further delivery to Borden at which point he was arrested. Further investigation revealed that Borden used his nephew, Moore, to further the drug trafficking.
Bank records, telephone records, and recorded communications revealed Ickes as the source of supply for the methamphetamine. In the month of January 2015, alone, $14,100.00 was deposited into Ickes’ bank account separate from the VA disability. His only legitimate source of income was a VA disability check for approximately $3,100.00 each month. Trial evidence further showed that the methamphetamine had been imported from Mexico and that Ickes owed “Mexicans” for the drugs he had shipped to Kentucky.
There is no parole in the federal criminal justice system. Ickes faced a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 20 years because he had a prior drug felony conviction from California. In 2012, he was convicted of possessing one ounce of methamphetamine for the purpose of sale. He must serve at least 85% of the sentence before consideration for discharge. He remains in the custody of the United States Marshals service pending designation by the Bureau of Prisons.
Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless prosecuted the case with assistance from the Warren County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and Warren County Attorney’s Office. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives conducted the investigation in conjunction with the Warren County/Bowling Green Drug Task Force. The Task Force is made up of law enforcement officials representing federal, state and local entities. Agencies involved in this investigation and prosecution included United States Postal Inspection Service, Kentucky State Police, and the Bowling Green Police Department.
California Man Apprehended at Cyril E. King Airport Sentenced to Incarceration for Possession of Marijuana with the Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Kelley Hansen, 28, of California, was sentenced today before District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez, to 2 ½ months incarceration for possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced. He was credited by the court for time he had served in custody, pending his sentencing. Judge Gomez also sentenced Hansen to 2 years of supervised released, 200 hours of community service, and a $100 special assessment.
According to the plea agreement, Hansen travelled from California to St. Thomas with the intention of distributing marijuana. Hansen arrived on St. Thomas onboard a commercial airline with approximately two kilograms of marijuana. He was apprehended at the Cyril E. King Airport with the drugs.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Department of Homeland Security U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.
Burlington County, New Jersey, Man Admits Collecting Disabled Brother’s Monthly Benefit ChecksRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Burlington County, New Jersey, man today admitted stealing his disabled brother’s Social Security benefits, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Steven Mitchell, 43, of Marlton, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jerome B. Simandle in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of theft of government funds.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Mitchell admitted that prior to 2010 his brother was receiving Disabled Adult Child Survivor benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA). After the death of their mother in 2009, Mitchell became the representative payee with the SSA for his disabled brother in 2010. Mitchell acknowledged that the SSA funds were to be used to pay for his brother’s care at a facility run by the N.J. Division of Developmental Disabilities. Mitchell was supposed to provide Prince Association for the Developmentally Disabled, which is part of the N.J. Division of Developmental Disabilities, with 75 percent of his brother’s survivor benefits to pay for his brother’s care and maintenance at the facility.
While Mitchell was the representative payee, the SSA paid benefits into his brother’s bank account. Mitchell admitted that instead of paying for his brother’s care, he accessed his bank account by making withdrawals and used that money to pay for his personal expenses, including utilities, food, and car payments. Mitchell admitted that from February 2010 to April 2017, he collected $110,495 to which he was not entitled.
The charge to which Mitchell pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 15, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the SSA, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Edward J. Ryan, with investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel Jason M. Richardson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Meriah Russell of the U.S. Attorney's Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
Defense counsel: Maggie Moy Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Camden
Bucks County Couple and Telemarketing Firm Agree to Pay Penalty to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA - U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that the United States filed a civil complaint against John Paul Ryan and Mary Motz Ryan, a married couple in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and a telemarketing company that they operate together, Scholars in Print. The civil complaint alleges that they violated the False Claims Act by shipping unordered textbooks to the Federal Bureau of Prisons and demanding payment. Also today, the government filed a joint motion asking the court to enter a stipulated order and consent judgment to resolve the matter. The proposed resolution will require the court’s approval before it takes effect.
The government’s complaint alleges that Scholars and Print, acting through the Ryans, made unsolicited telemarketing calls to Bureau of Prisons facilities throughout the country in an attempt to sell textbooks for use in prison libraries. According to the complaint, most facilities said no, but Scholars in Print shipped textbooks anyway and then sent unpaid bills to collection agencies. When confronted, Scholars in Print allegedly stated that the facilities had ordered the textbooks during the telemarketing calls. The complaint alleges that those assertions were false. Other times, Scholars in Print allegedly offered to send the facilities a free sample, and then invoiced them—a classic bait and switch.
The complaint contains several examples of false claims. In one of them, a Bureau of Prisons official allegedly refused to purchase textbooks from Scholars in Print during an unsolicited telemarketing call. John Ryan allegedly hung up on him, prompting the official to email the company to confirm his refusal to order textbooks. A few weeks later, the company allegedly sent textbooks to the same official. During a subsequent call to report the delivery, Ryan allegedly described himself, falsely, as “Dr. Ryan, one of the volunteers here,” and falsely claimed to be “reading from a conversation” presumably documenting that the official had ordered the textbooks.
On another occasion, Ryan allegedly identified himself as Edward Teach—more famously known as Blackbeard, the eighteenth century pirate—and offered a free sample of textbooks to a prison psychologist. The complaint alleges that Ryan then invoiced the prison $331 for these “free” textbooks. According to the complaint, Ryan told investigators that he sometimes identified himself as Edward Teach during telemarketing calls because “you don’t want people to know your name.”
On still another occasion, Scholars in Print demanded that a prison facility pay $680.90 for textbooks that the facility did not order. This demand prompted the facility to send a letter asking the company to stop shipping books for review. Scholars in Print then sent the same facility additional books and an invoice demanding another $435.00.
If approved by the court, defendants will pay a civil penalty of $75,689 for submitting false claims. They will also refrain from marketing products to any federal agency through unsolicited communications or telemarketing.
“The False Claims Act is a powerful tool to stem the tide of fraud against the government, and the allegations in this complaint fall squarely in that category,” said U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain. “Those who try to cheat a federal agency out of taxpayer money will not get away with it, and this case demonstrates our Office is ready, willing, and able to put a stop to this kind of behavior.”
“The OIG is committed to investigating individuals who attempt to defraud taxpayers and the Bureau of Prisons. We will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to ensure those who try to cheat the system are held accountable,” stated Lewe F. Sessions, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General’s Fraud Detection Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Macko handled the case, which arose from an investigation led by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General.
The allegations against the Ryans and Scholars in Print are allegations only and not findings of liability.
Brooklyn Man Pleads Guilty to Government Contracting FraudRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A New York man pleaded guilty today to committing government contracting fraud.
According to court documents, Alter Stesel, aka Herman Stesel, aka Randy Stern, aka Henry Shtaiseel, 41, of Brooklyn, was a government contractor based in Brooklyn. Stesel and his company, A1 4 Electronics Inc., were placed in proposed debarment status by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for providing counterfeit goods and for a history of failure to perform or unsatisfactory performance on contracts. After learning of his proposed debarment, Stesel created a new company called A1 Tech Pal, Inc., in order to continue obtaining government contracts, including contracts awarded by the General Services Administration and U.S. Department of State, despite his ineligibility due to his proposed debarment status. Stesel used a fake alias to falsely certify to the United States government that he was not currently proposed for debarment. A1 Tech Pal received approximately 37 contracts worth approximately $245,000 as a result of this false certification. Stesel later created another company called Pomegranate Office, Inc., and used another fake alias to falsely certify that he was not presently debarred, although by that time his debarment was in effect. Pomegranate Office received approximately seven contracts worth approximately $60,000 as a result of this false certification.
Stesel pleaded guilty to six counts of wire fraud and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on September 20. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Carol Fortine Ochoa, Inspector General, General Services Administration, and Steve A. Linick, Inspector General for the Department of State, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Grace L. Hill and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell Carlberg are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-175.
Bristol Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin Distribution Charge Stemming from Overdose InvestigationRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ROGER TUSCANO, 48, of Bristol, pleaded guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, heroin.
This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 26, 2017, the Southington Police Department and emergency medical personnel responded to a residence for an unresponsive 54-year-old female who had suffered an apparent drug overdose. Responders attempted lifesaving measures on the victim, including administering naloxone, with minimal effect. The victim was then transported to the hospital. At the scene, officers seized drug and non-drug evidence, including four wax folds that contained heroin.
The victim died on April 28, 2017.
The Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that the victim’s death was caused by a combination of heroin and clonazepam.
On May 3, 2017, the Bristol Police Department conducted a court-authorized search of TUSCANO’s residence and seized 175 wax folds of suspected heroin, some of which had the same brand stamp as the wax folds found with the victim on April 26. Investigators also seized three cellphones from the residence.
The investigation, which included witness interviews and analysis of TUSCANO’s cell phones, revealed that the victim purchased heroin from TUSCANO at a gas station in New Britain on the morning of April 26, 2017.
TUSCANO was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on October 25, 2017.
Chief Judge Hall scheduled sentencing for September 18, 2018, at which time TUSCANO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. TUSCANO is detained pending sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Task Force and the Southington and Bristol Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr.
Brazilian National Sentenced for Role in ATM Skimming SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national pleaded guilty and was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with an ATM skimming operation.
Karem Kawamura, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the use of a counterfeit access device and was immediately sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to time served (three months) and one year of supervised release. Kawamura has agreed to be deported.
In November 2017, Kawamura and her husband, Alexandre Kawamura, entered the U.S. on six-month tourist visas. They traveled to Texas, where, with his wife’s knowledge, Mr. Kawamura placed skimming devices on ATMs in several cities. In January they traveled to the Boston area, and Mrs. Kawamura checked them into a hotel in Chelsea using a fake ID with the alias “Sheyla Porto.” She used this alias to receive two packages from Brazil, each containing ATM skimming equipment. Mr. Kawamura rented a storage unit in Everett using a fake ID with the alias “Alex Justo.” With his wife’s knowledge, he used the storage unit to store ATM skimming equipment. Also with his wife’s knowledge, between February 24 and March 15, 2018, Mr. Kawamura placed skimming devices on drive-up ATMs at Eastern Bank branches in Saugus, Medford, Stoneham, and Malden.
On March 16, 2018, the Kawamuras shopped at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Medford. Mr. Kawamura went to the register and used a credit card bearing his “Alex Justo” alias to pay for a shirt, jacket, and hat. The magnetic strip on the card contained a victim’s stolen bank account information, which Mrs. Kawamura knew about. Mr. Kawamura was arrested later that day and is facing federal charges. He has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial. Mrs. Kawamura was arrested two weeks after her husband.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office; Medford Police Chief Leo Sacco; Milton Police Chief John E. King; Saugus Police Chief Domenic J. DiMella; Stoneham Police Chief James T. McIntyre; and Woburn Police Chief Robert J. Ferullo Jr. made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the cases.
Augusta Man Sentenced for Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated that Phillip Thompson of Augusta, Ga. was sentenced for conspiracy involving theft of government funds, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, § 371. United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs, of Columbia, sentenced Thompson to 23 months in jail after a sentencing hearing. The judge further ordered that Thompson repay $4,580,469.83 in restitution and, after his release from the Bureau of Prisons, that he serve three years on supervised release.
Facts presented in court established that Thompson worked at the Savannah River Site for Wise Services, and that, beginning in September of 2009 and continuing for several years, Thompson was involved in a scheme in which he and a codefendant stole money using false and fraudulent invoices. An investigation by the U. S. Department of Energy Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed that Thompson and his codefendant stole more than six million dollars.
April G. Stephenson, Acting Inspector General for the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General, said: “The Office of Inspector General remains committed to ensuring the integrity of our contractors and subcontractors. Those who choose to abuse their positions of trust while hiding behind sophisticated embezzlement and fraud schemes, will be held accountable.
The U. S. Department of Energy Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney John C. Potterfield of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Alamance County Man Sentenced on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. – A Snow Camp man who pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography was sentenced today, announced Matthew G.T. Martin, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.
SAMUEL DEXTER RAY, 60, of Snow Camp, North Carolina, pleaded guilty on February 27, 2018, to one count of receipt of child pornography. He was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Thomas D. Schroeder to 78 months of imprisonment followed by 8 years of supervised release. RAY was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution.
Investigators searched RAY’S home on September 15, 2017 and seized several of his electronic devices. They ultimately found thousands of child pornography files on RAY’s laptop and storage devices. RAY downloaded the child pornography from the “dark web” and peer-to-peer file-sharing networks.
This case was investigated by the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office, a member of the North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric L. Iverson.
It was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Monday 25 June 2018
U.S. Attorney Announces the Indictment of Sixteen Individuals on Federal Firearms Charges; Ten are Convicted FelonsRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN - On June 11, 2018, a federal grand jury indicted sixteen individuals for various federal violations originating from criminal conduct in eight counties across West Tennessee. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the indictments today. As charged in the indictments, ten of the defendants are prohibited by federal firearms laws from possessing firearms.
Several defendants charged in this series of indictments are alleged to be convicted felons. Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual convicted of a felony to possess a firearm. This is a violation of Title 18, United States Code, § 922(g)(1). A violation of this section is punishable by a term of up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of no less than two years. The penalty for a violation of § 922(g)(1) is enhanced when a defendant has a prior criminal record that includes three convictions for a violent felony or serious drug offenses. Under this enhanced sentencing provision, the defendant is subject to a mandatory minimum statutory sentence of at least 15 years imprisonment, with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
It is also against federal law to possess or use and carry a firearm during or in relation to a crime of violence or a drug trafficking crime. This is a violation of 18 USC § 924(c). A violation of this section is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of at least five years imprisonment to a maximum of life imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Violent crime reduction is the top priority of this office and the Department of Justice. Our strategy is to remove firearms from the hands of dangerous and prohibited people, and to remove those violent offenders from our communities. These indictments will impose significant consequences for illegal possession of firearms, and will make our district safer."
Christopher Bills, 25 of Bolivar, Tenn, was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm which had been shipped/transported in interstate commerce.
Jerrod Jennings 31, of Jackson, Tenn, was charged with being a convicted felon and unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm, which had been shipped/transported in interstate commerce; and possession of a firearm during commission of a drug trafficking crime.
Mark Lockhart, 40, of Jackson, Tenn, was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a stolen firearm, which had been shipped/transported in interstate commerce.
Kenneth Mitchell Fongers, 52, of Milan, Tenn, was charged with transporting a minor with intent to engage in unlawful sexual activity.
Carl Clarke, 28, of Dyersburg, Tenn, was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm which had been shipped/transported in interstate commerce.
Dexter Sowell, 34, of Jackson, Tenn, was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm which had been shipped/transported in interstate commerce.
William Martin Greene, 50, of Jackson, Tenn, was charged with being a convicted felon in possession and disposing of a firearm which had been shipped/transported in interstate commerce.
Charles Curry, 26, of Jackson, Tenn, was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm which had been shipped/transported in interstate commerce.
Houston Crafton, 22, of Jackson, Tenn, was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm which had been shipped/transported in interstate commerce.
Dacarlos Watkins, 37, of Jackson, Tenn, was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm which had been shipped/transported in interstate commerce.
Demarlon Gardner, 33, of Brownsville, Tenn, was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm which had been shipped/transported in interstate commerce.
An additional five indictments are under seal. The United States also seeks criminal forfeiture of any proceeds related to the crimes.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Memphis Men Sentenced to a total of 20 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing HeroinRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Two Memphis men have been sentenced to a total of 244 months imprisonment for distributing heroin. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, in August and September of 2017, Bartlett Police determined Mark Keith to be a heroin dealer in the Memphis area. After an investigation, Keith was arrested with a substantial amount of heroin and methamphetamines on his person. On October 3, 2017, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamines both in violation of Title 21 United States Code 841 (a)(1).
Between June and July of 2017, Bartlett Police received information that Frederick Hamilton was dealing heroin in North Memphis. After an investigation from law enforcement, Hamilton was arrested while trying to flee and found with heroin on his person. On November 21, 2017, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging possession with intent to distribute heroin in violation of Title 21 United States Code 841 (a)(1).
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Heroin is a deadly drug that is destroying countless lives across the country and right here in West Tennessee. Drug dealers who sow addiction and death into our communities by selling this poison will reap long prison sentences for their selfish and lawless conduct."
Both men pleaded guilty. On June 21, 2018, United States District Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr., sentenced both Keith and Hamilton; Keith to 144 months imprisonment and Hamilton 100 months in federal prison.
These cases were investigated by the Bartlett Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph F. Griffith prosecuted these cases on the government’s behalf.
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Toledo man sentenced to 20 years in prison for trafficking heroin and cocaine and firearms crimesRead the Press Release
A Toledo man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for trafficking heroin and cocaine and for firearms crimes.
Cornelius Henry, 44, pleaded guilty earlier this year to 45 counts, including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, money laundering, being a felon in possession of firearms and maintaining a drug house, among others.
Henry conspired with others from 2011 through 2016 to possess with intent to distribute large amounts of heroin and cocaine. He also possessed at least two firearms despite multiple felony convictions that made it illegal for him to have a firearm. He used the residence at 2214 Airport Highway in Toledo to store and distribute the drugs, according to court documents.
Henry also forfeited two properties on Airport Highway, three firearms and ammunition, six automobiles, one motorcycle and more than $10,000 in cash seized as part of the investigation.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Toledo office, the Internal Revenue Service and the Toledo Metro Drug Task Force. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alissa M. Sterling and Michael J. Freeman.
Three Sedalia Men Among Nine Indicted for Marijuana ConspiracyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Three Sedalia, Mo., men are among nine men who have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana in Pettis, Cooper, Boone, Morgan, Pulaski and Jackson counties.
Zachary Scott Nutt, also known as “Tuna,” 35, a Sedalia native living in Los Angeles, Calif.; Christopher Patrick Martin, 38, and Joshua Ryan Gilmore, 36, both of Sedalia; Charles Christopher Thomas, 36, of Otterville, Mo.; James Devon Garrett, 31, of Fulton, Mo.; Melvin Frank Lovejoy, 36, of Waynesville, Mo.; Nicholas Anders Glaholt, 35, of Independence, Mo.; James Edward Smalley III, 36, of Laytonville, Calif.; and Brian Michael Rodriguez, 39, of Willits, Calif.; were charged in a 20-count superseding indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo., on May 3, 2018.
The indictment has been unsealed. Rodriguez, the final co-defendant to be arrested, appeared in federal court today for his arraignment. This superseding indictment replaces an indictment returned on July 5, 2017, and adds seven new defendants.
The federal indictment alleges that all nine of the co-defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana in Pettis, Cooper, Boone, Morgan, Pulaski and Jackson counties from Oct. 5, 2010, through June 13, 2017.
In addition to the conspiracy, several defendants are charged in various counts with possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute and with crossing state lines to promote the conspiracy. Additionally, Martin is charged with two counts of maintaining a place for the storage and distribution of marijuana.
Thomas is also charged with illegally possessing a firearm. The indictment alleges that Thomas, an unlawful user of a controlled substance, was in possession of a Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun.
In addition to the drug-trafficking conspiracy, Nutt, Glaholt and Smalley are charged with participating in a money-laundering conspiracy.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Nutt and Glaholt – who have leadership roles in the conspiracy – obtained marijuana from multiple sources, including a grow operation in California. They have directly supervised and executed the transportation and distribution of the marijuana obtained from California, the affidavit says.
Law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Glaholt’s residence and another residence in Kansas City, Mo., on June 13, 2017. At Glaholt’s residence they seized approximately $20,000 believed to be drug proceeds, several individual packages of marijuana, marijuana wax, digital scales, vacuum sealers, ledgers, computers, tablets and notes. At the Kansas City residence investigators seized approximately 261 pounds of marijuana (including packaging), cell phones, digital scales, drug packaging equipment, eight empty duffel bags, .22-caliber ammunition and drug ledgers from a safe.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Nutt, Glaholt, Smalley and Martin to forfeit to the government all property obtained from the drug-trafficking conspiracy or used to commit the conspiracy, including Martin’s commercial property for his business, Old 50 Auto & Marine in Sedalia; Smalley’s residential property in California; $22,339 seized from a bank account; and a money judgment equal to the amount obtained by each defendant involved in the conspiracy.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt.
This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Sedalia, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Cooper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the East Central Drug Task Force and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
The Bureau of Justice Assistance Announces over $2 Million to Support Nevada Law Enforcement and First Responders from Las Vegas Mass ShootingRead the Press Release
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) today awarded $2,000,100 to the State of Nevada to cover expenses related to the law enforcement response to the Oct.1, 2017, mass shooting in Las Vegas. The shooting, which occurred during a country music festival, left 58 people dead and over 500 injured.
State and local law enforcement agencies mobilized officers who responded to the shooting and carried out critical operations and support. This award, which supplements an earlier award of $1 million announced last October, will reimburse the agencies for continued expenses resulting from services provided by sworn and non-sworn law enforcement personnel, including protecting and safeguarding those directly affected, including members of the public and local, and state personnel who responded to the tragedy.
"In this Department of Justice, we back the blue," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "That’s why, when there is a tragedy, we are there for police and first responders. Today we continue to help state and local police in Nevada to rebuild after the deadliest mass shooting in American history, providing a total of $3 million to cover their expenses since that terrible day. We honor and respect the 85 percent of law officers in this country who serve at the state, local, and tribal levels, and we continue to support them and their life-saving work every single day."
BJA invited the Nevada Department of Public Safety to apply for funding under the Bureau of Justice Assistance Fiscal Year 2018 Emergency Federal Law Enforcement Assistance Program. This program supports the Department of Justice’s mission of reducing crime and supporting public safety personnel in the context of an emergency situation in which state and local resources may be inadequate to protect the lives and property of citizens or to enforce criminal law.
For more information about the Bureau of Justice Assistance please visit www.bja.gov
Stamford Woman Pleads Guilty to Fraud Offense Stemming from Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CANDACE RISPOLI, 31, of Stamford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to one count of wire fraud stemming from an embezzlement scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately January 2012 until June 2016, RISPOLI was employed by Lodestone Management Consultants, later known as Infosys Consulting (the “Company”). Beginning in approximately 2013, RISPOLI worked for the Company from her former home in East Haven, which she shared with her then-boyfriend, Michael Miano. In her capacity as a Company employee, RISPOLI had an American Express credit card to use to pay for travel, entertainment and other business expenses incurred by the Company’s employees and potential employees.
From approximately 2013 until July 2016, RISPOLI wrongfully charged more than $250,000 of her own and Miano’s personal expenses to the Company’s American Express card. RISPOLI also wrongfully transferred more than $800,000 in funds from the Company’s American Express card to PayPal and Venmo accounts controlled by RISPOLI and Miano. To conceal her scheme, RISPOLI altered the Company’s American Express account statements and created false billing summaries, which she emailed to the Company’s accounting firm.
In pleading guilty, RISPOLI has agreed to pay $1,098,176 in restitution.
Wire fraud carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
RISPOLI is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
On September 1, 2017, Miano, 31, of Branford, guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to this scheme. He awaits sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Cherry and Jonathan Francis.
Second Defendant Sentenced in Multimillion Dollar Telemarketing Scam Targeting Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
An individual who managed a multimillion dollar fraudulent telemarketing scam was sentenced on June 25, 2018, to serve 63 months in prison by a federal judge in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Department of Justice announced.
Michael Rossi, 52, of Las Vegas, was sentenced to 63 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey also ordered Rossi to pay $2,785,508.36 in restitution, reflecting the victim losses from the scheme.
Rossi pleaded guilty in December 2017 to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud based on his role in managing a telemarketing operation that defrauded thousands of victims, many of whom were elderly, out of millions of dollars. Co-defendant, Glen Burke, 58, of Las Vegas, was sentenced on March 12 to 87 months in prison.
“This case demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to prosecuting scammers who defraud elderly Americans,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to take every step possible to prosecute perpetrators of elder fraud scams and deliver justice for victims.”
“Seniors and caregivers should be alert to and mindful of these types of scams. Criminals who prey on and steal from seniors will face prosecution and be brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada. “If someone believes they or someone they know is a victim of elder fraud, they should report it to the FTC at 1-877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office of Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.”
According to documents filed in court, Rossi managed the fraudulent telemarketing operation for Burke, who controlled the operation. Telemarketers working for Burke and Rossi falsely told victims that they had won one of five valuable prizes: a Chevy Camaro; a Boston Whaler boat; a diamond-and-sapphire bracelet; $3,000 cash; or a cruise that could be exchanged for $2,300. To claim the prize, consumers were told to pay hundreds, or in some cases thousands, of dollars. Once they paid, victims received a nearly worthless piece of costume jewelry or nothing at all.
Individuals who made an initial payment were sometimes called again, and misled into believing they had won an even better prize, in a process called “loading” or “reloading,” which could be repeated multiple times. This caused victims to lose thousands of dollars.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Readler commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. He also thanked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for bringing a civil enforcement action that resulted in the shutdown of the defendants’ telemarketing operation and for the FTC’s assistance during the criminal investigation and prosecution. The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Timothy Finley and Daniel Zytnick of the Consumer Protection Branch of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Dickinson of the District of Nevada.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv.
Second Defendant Sentenced in Multimillion Dollar Telemarketing Scam Targeting Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – An individual who managed a multimillion dollar fraudulent telemarketing scam was sentenced today to serve 63 months in prison by a federal judge in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Department of Justice announced.
Michael Rossi, 52, of Las Vegas, was sentenced to 63 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey also ordered Rossi to pay $2,785,508.36 in restitution, reflecting the victim losses from the scheme.
Rossi pleaded guilty in December 2017 to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud based on his role in managing a telemarketing operation that defrauded thousands of victims, many of whom were elderly, out of millions of dollars. Co-defendant, Glen Burke, 58, of Las Vegas, was sentenced on March 12, 2018, to 87 months in prison.
“This case demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to prosecuting scammers who defraud elderly Americans,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to take every step possible to prosecute perpetrators of elder fraud scams and deliver justice for victims.”
“Seniors and caregivers should be alert to and mindful of these types of scams. Criminals who prey on and steal from seniors will face prosecution and be brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada. “If someone believes they or someone they know is a victim of elder fraud, they should report it to the FTC at 1-877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office of Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.”
According to documents filed in court, Rossi managed the fraudulent telemarketing operation for Burke, who controlled the operation. Telemarketers working for Burke and Rossi falsely told victims that they had won one of five valuable prizes: a Chevy Camaro; a Boston Whaler boat; a diamond-and-sapphire bracelet; $3,000 cash; or a cruise that could be exchanged for $2,300. To claim the prize, consumers were told to pay hundreds, or in some cases thousands, of dollars. Once they paid, victims received a nearly worthless piece of costume jewelry or nothing at all.
Individuals who made an initial payment were sometimes called again, and misled into believing they had won an even better prize, in a process called “loading” or “reloading,” which could be repeated multiple times. This caused victims to lose thousands of dollars.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Readler commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. He also thanked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for bringing a civil enforcement action that resulted in the shutdown of the defendants’ telemarketing operation and for the FTC’s assistance during the criminal investigation and prosecution. The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Timothy Finley and Daniel Zytnick of the Consumer Protection Branch of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Dickinson of the District of Nevada.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv.
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Portland Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Crack TraffickingRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Tem Tom, 24, of Portland, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to seven years in prison and eight years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” He pleaded guilty on November 15, 2017.
Court records reveal that on February 2, 2017, law enforcement agents conducting surveillance in Portland approached a vehicle in which Tom was a passenger following a suspected drug transaction and seized more than an ounce of crack and $3,580 from Tom.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Portland Police Department.
Pascagoula Man Pleads Guilty to Being an Unlawful User of Controlled Substances in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – Byron Ratliff, Jr., 20, of Pascagoula, Mississippi, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to being an unlawful user of controlled substances in possession of a firearm, announced U. S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Ratliff will be sentenced by Judge Ozerden on October 4, 2018 at 10:00 a.m., and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case arose when the Pascagoula Police Department responded to a shots fired report on April 5, 2018. Based on witness descriptions of the car involved, police identified Ratliff as the shooter along with two others in the car in possession of marijuana and two firearms. Both guns were reported stolen out of Long Beach, Mississippi just a few hours before the shooting incident.
The Pascagoula Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Notice to Vacate Federal Property Issued to "Occupy ICE PDX" Demonstrators in SW PortlandRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore. – At approximately 10:30am today, law enforcement officers from the Federal Protective Service (FPS) began distributing notices to vacate federal property to individuals participating in the “Occupy ICE PDX” demonstration at 4310 SW Macadam Avenue, in Southwest Portland.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is working with FPS and ICE to reopen the federal building on Southwest Macadam that serves many critical functions requiring public and employee access. We acknowledge the community’s concerns driving these demonstrations. While demonstrators have a lawful right to assemble and voice their concerns, blocking the building’s driveways or entrances is not permitted under federal law,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
It is unlawful under 41 C.F.R. § 102-74.390 and § 102-74.450 to obstruct the entrances, foyers, lobbies, corridors, offices and parking lots of federal facilities. Under these regulations, demonstrators are not permitted to obstruct the driveway or entrance of the ICE facility located on SW Macadam Avenue.
Federal law does not restrict demonstrators from gathering on non-federal property adjacent to a federal facility. However, demonstrators are encouraged to review and adhere to all applicable state laws and local regulations.
Flyers communicating the notice to vacate were distributed by federal law enforcement officers throughout demonstrators’ encampment and posted at the entrances to the ICE facility.
Individuals who continue to obstruct the entrance of this federal facility will be subject to arrest and prosecution in federal court under the above listed regulations.
FPS provides integrated security and law enforcement services to more than 9,500 federal facilities throughout the U.S. and is the lead law enforcement agency for this action.
Norwalk Doctor Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution, Health Care Fraud OffensesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, announced that Dr. BHARAT PATEL, 71, of Milford, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to narcotics distribution and health care fraud offenses.
“The investigation revealed that this defendant profited by prescribing highly addictive painkillers to individuals who were either addicted to opioids, or who turned around and illegally distributed the pills they received,” said U.S. Attorney Durham. “As a result of his criminal conduct, tens of thousands of pills were dispensed to individuals who didn’t need them and shouldn’t have them. I thank the DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squad, the Norwalk Police Department and the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office for their efforts in this case, which has put a corrupt medical practice that helped fuel the opioid epidemic permanently out of business.”
“The DEA is committed to enforcing the Controlled Substance Act (CSA) by ensuring that all registrants are in compliance and abide by DEA’s distribution regulations,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Boyle. “The actions by Dr. Patel contributed to the widespread abuse of opiates, which is a gateway to heroin addiction and is devastating our communities. In response to the ongoing opioid epidemic DEA is committed to improve public safety and public health by working with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to ensure these rules and regulations are strictly followed. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement in Connecticut and our great partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately 2011 to July 2017, PATEL was a physician operating out of Family Health Urgent Care, formerly known as Immediate Health Care, located at 235 Main Street in Norwalk. During this time, PATEL saw numerous patients who had no legitimate medical purpose to see PATEL and only came to his medical practice in order to obtain prescriptions for controlled substances, primarily hydrocodone or oxycodone. Some of those patients were enrolled in Medicaid or Medicare and paid for PATEL’s services, and had the prescriptions paid for, by those programs.
PATEL knew, and also was advised by pharmacists and his staff, that the prescriptions he was providing to his patients were medically unnecessary. For example, PATEL had patients to whom he prescribed oxycodone or hydrocodone whose urine/blood tests showed no signs of opioid ingestion. He also had patients to whom he prescribed oxycodone or hydrocodone whose urine/blood tests showed that they had other narcotics in their systems and that a prescription for oxycodone or hydrocodone would be a contraindication. PATEL ignored the warnings and continued to prescribe controlled substances to these patients outside of the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.
On numerous occasions, PATEL wrote prescriptions to patients who paid him $100 in cash for each prescription. At times, PATEL provided patients medically unnecessary prescriptions for oxycodone or hydrocodone, which he left at a liquor store next door to his practice. Patients retrieved the prescriptions by exchanging an envelope with cash in it for the prescriptions.
In pleading guilty, PATEL admitted that he wrote hundreds of medically unnecessary prescriptions for oxycodone and hydrocodone, and received $158,523.95 as a result of this and related criminal conduct.
PATEL pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and hydrocodone, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count health care fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton on September 12, 2018.
PATEL has agreed to forfeit $158,523.95 to the government. He also agrees to forfeit and surrender his federal controlled substances registration to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
PATEL has been detained since his arrest on July 12, 2017.
This investigation is being conducted by the DEA’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the Norwalk Police Department, with the critical assistance of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General. The DEA Tactical Diversion Squad includes officers from the Bristol, Hamden, Milford, Monroe, New Haven, Shelton, Wallingford and Wilton Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale.
North Pole Man Convicted of Receiving and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Fairbanks, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that on June 20, 2018, a federal jury in Fairbanks convicted Eric Whitebread, 42, of two counts of distribution of child pornography, and one count of receipt of child pornography.
The jury found Whitebread guilty after a five-day trial before U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline of the District of Alaska. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 14, 2018, in Fairbanks. The maximum penalty for each of the counts of conviction is not less than five years and up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of five years to life.
According to evidence presented at trial, on two different days in June 2015, Whitebread distributed files of child pornography through an online file-sharing network. Upon execution of a search warrant at Whitebread’s North Pole residence, law enforcement located his computer. Located on the computer were 618 images of child pornography that had been downloaded through the file-sharing network between July 14, 2015, and Aug. 24, 2015. Contextual evidence discovered by law enforcement during a forensic examination of Whitebread’s computer – including data recovered from millions of lines of computer code – located numerous indicators that child pornography was being downloaded and viewed on the computer at times when Whitebread’s text messages showed him to be home and online. In addition, the computer did not show any activity at times the evidence showed Whitebread was away from the house.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anne Veldhuis and Kyle Reardon.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
New Hampshire woman sentenced for identity fraudRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Stephanie Lee Kenyon , of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sentenced today to 21 months incarceration for identity fraud, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Kenyon, age 30, pled guilty to one count of “Identity Fraud” in April 2018. Kenyon admitted to possessing 13 fraudulent driver’s licenses. The crime occurred in May 2017 in Ohio County, West Virginia.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Perri prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Wheeling Police Department investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr., presided.
Nebraska Man Sentenced to Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Nebraska man was sentenced to eight years in prison today for distribution of child pornography, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Joseph P. Kelly of the District of Nebraska.
Matthew J. Rouse, 38, of Lincoln, Nebraska, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography on March 5. Rouse was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Laurie Smith Camp of the District of Nebraska, who ordered him to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
According to the admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, Rouse was a sergeant with the Army National Guard in Lincoln, Nebraska, when he befriended a 16-year-old high school student from Omaha, Nebraska. Beginning in September 2016 and continuing to January 2017, Rouse traveled to Omaha on multiple occasions and engaged in sexual relations with the minor. Rouse used his phone to video-record their sexual encounter and sent the videos to the minor over the Internet. Nebraska State Patrol began an investigation into Rouse’s conduct and Rouse was arrested in Lincoln on Feb. 10, 2017 on state charges stemming from this investigation. He was indicted in federal court on Feb. 22, 2017.
The case was investigated by the Nebraska State Police. Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Norris of the District of Nebraska prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Moorestown, New Jersey, Man Admits Impersonating Federal Agent, Importing Counterfeit Coins and Bars into United StatesRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Moorestown, New Jersey, man today admitted impersonating a federal agent while selling counterfeit coins and unlawfully importing counterfeit coins and bars into the United States, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Jonathan A. Kirschner, a/k/a “Jonathan Kratcher,” 34, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of falsely impersonating an agent of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and one count of unlawfully bringing counterfeit coins and bars into the United States.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Kirschner admitted that on May 9, 2017, he sold fake gold bars to a coin collector (Victim 1) for $11,000 in cash. Kirschner wore an ATF badge on a chain around his neck and claimed to be an ATF agent in written correspondence with Victim 1 and when they met in person. Kirschner also admitted that he sold 49 counterfeit Morgan dollar coins to two people (Victims 2 and 3) in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, on June 4, 2017. Kirschner told Victims 2 and 3, “I have my badge on,” when providing descriptive information so that Victims 2 and 3 could recognize Kirschner. He admitted that he pretended to be an ATF agent to put his victims at ease in purchasing what Kirschner claimed were gold coins and bars when, in reality, the coins and bars were fake. Kirschner admitted unlawfully bringing counterfeit coins and bars into the United States by importing multiple, falsely manifested packages from other countries, including China.
The charge of impersonating a federal officer carries a maximum potential penalty of three years in prison and the charge of unlawful importation carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 1, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited ATF special agents, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John B. Devito, Newark Field Division; and special agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Cherry Hill Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian A. Michael, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson M. Oswald of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.
Defense counsel: Leonard D. Biddison Esq., Haddonfield, New Jersey
Monticello Man Arrested in Colorado After Allegedly Robbing Bank in IowaRead the Press Release
Joseph Jay Kripner, age 46, from Monticello, Iowa, has been charged with one count of bank robbery. The charges are contained in a complaint unsealed Wednesday in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
The complaint alleges that that, in early June 2018, Kripner robbed the Security State Bank in Springville, Iowa. Kripner displayed what appeared to be a gun at a teller. The teller provided Kripner with cash in a plastic shopping bag. Kripner then left the bank quickly. With the help of the “Crimestoppers” tip line, law enforcement officers later compared photographs of Kripner with surveillance camera footage from the bank heist.
Kripner appeared on June 19, 2018, in federal court in Colorado, and was held without bond. Kripner will appear in federal court in Cedar Rapids once the United States Marshal’s Service transports him to Iowa. If convicted, Kripner faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and was investigated by the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Rocky Mountain National Park Rangers. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-MJ-204 (N.D. Iowa) and 18-MJ-1111 (D. Colo.). Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Mission Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor was sentenced on June 25, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Matthew Peneaux, a/k/a Matthew Swalley, age 34, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Restitution may also be ordered.
Peneaux was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 24, 2017. He pled guilty on April 11, 2018.
The conviction stemmed from events that occurred in 2015 and 2016. Between March 28, 2015, and April 30, 2016, Peneaux repeatedly engaged in sexual intercourse with a girl who was between 12 and 13 years old. Peneaux was aware that the victim was under the age of 16 and therefore unable to consent to any sexual activity with him.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Peneaux was ordered to report to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service on June 26, 2018.
Minnesota Man Charged with Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ERIC EDWARD ARMSTRONG, age 31, of Anoka, Minnesota, was charged Friday by grand jury indictment with one count of failure to register as a sex offender under the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
If convicted, ARMSTRONG faces a maximum term of 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. He also would have to be sentenced to a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Marshals Service, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana State Police in this matter. He extended his thanks to the New Orleans Police Department and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Payne is in charge of prosecution.
Middlesex County, New Jersey, Man Found Guilty on Racketeering, Murder, and Weapon ChargesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Brunswick, New Jersey, man was convicted at trial today for his violent role in a racketeering conspiracy involving multiple brothels that employed illegal aliens throughout New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Wilmer Chavez Romero, a/k/a “Charmin,” 29, was convicted of all eight counts of an indictment charging him with one count each of racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to harbor aliens; two counts of using a firearm for a violent crime; and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering. He was convicted following a two and a half-week trial before U.S. District Judge William H. Walls in Newark federal court. The jury deliberated for five and a half hours before returning the guilty verdict.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Chavez Romero served as an enforcer for a prostitution enterprise that helped illegal aliens enter the country and employed them at brothels throughout Cumberland, Essex, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties. The enterprise used threats and acts of violence – including burglary, assaults, and murder – to expand its territory, thwart rival brothels, exact revenge, punish enterprise members and associates who had been disloyal, and silence people they believed were cooperating with law enforcement.
Chavez Romero acted at the direction of the leaders of the enterprise, Juan Fredy Hernandez-Zozaya, 40, and his girlfriend, Elizabeth Rojas, 36, both of New Brunswick, who oversaw brothels in New Brunswick, Trenton, Orange, Asbury Park, Lakewood, and Bridgeton.
Chavez Romero personally committed acts of violence to further the enterprise, including participating in the murders of two victims during separate robberies. On Sept. 4, 2012, Chavez Romero, armed with a firearm, entered a rival brothel house in Trenton with the intent to rob the house. During the robbery, one victim was shot in the leg and survived, while another was shot and killed.
On Jan. 23, 2013, Chavez Romero entered another rival brothel in Trenton armed with a .40 caliber firearm. Chavez Romero attempted to commit a robbery when a fight broke out and a victim was shot and killed.In addition, during recorded interviews with law enforcement in 2012 and 2014, Chavez Romero discussed his role in the murders, as well as beatings, shootings, and other acts of violence that he committed to further the enterprise’s goals and shut down its competition. As part of the enterprise, Chavez Romero also conspired to conceal and harbor aliens and aided in their interstate transport for use in the prostitution enterprise.
The racketeering and racketeering conspiracy charges carry a potential life sentence. The assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. Both murder in aid of racketeering counts carry a mandatory term of life imprisonment. Each use of a firearm during a violent crime count carries a mandatory consecutive term of 10 years in prison. The conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens count carries a maximum potential term of 10 years in prison. All counts in the indictment carry a potential $250,000 fine. Chavez Romero’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 25, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael in Newark, as well as the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, Trenton Police Department, Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, and the N.J. State Police Ballistics Lab, with the investigation leading to today’s conviction.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith Williams and Melissa Wangenheim of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: Kevin F. Carlucci Esq. and Carol Gillen Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defenders, Newark
Menominee Man Sentenced for Sexual Contact Offense on Menominee ReservationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger announced that on June 19, 2018, Mitchell R. Crowe (age: 37), was sentenced by the Honorable Chief Judge William C. Griesbach to 3 years in prison and 15 years supervised release following his guilty plea to sexual contact with an underage female in violation of Title18 United States Code Sections 2244(a) (2) and 1153. The three year prison term was the statutory maximum term. As part of his sentence, Crowe must also comply with sex offender registry requirements. Those requirements mandate Crowe to advise registry officials where he is living, working or attending school.
According to the information and other court documents, between June and August 2016, while on the Menominee Indian Reservation, Crowe had sexual contact with an underage female. Further, Crowe admitted to doing so after the minor consumed alcohol and marijuana thereby rendering her incapable of appraising the nature of the situation. In imposing his sentence, Judge Griesbach stressed the serious nature of the offense, including the efforts Crowe took to gain the trust of minor, only to later exploit that trust by having sexual contact with her.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Menominee Tribal Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Roach.
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For additional information contact:
Public Information Officer Dean Puschnig, 414-297-1700
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Sues Herbal Drug Manufacturer for Selling Misbranded and Unapproved Drugs in Violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic ActRead the Press Release
Geoffrey Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Melinda Plaisier, Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), announced today the filing of a Complaint against defendants RAHSAN A. HAKIM (“Hakim”) and ADONIIAH A. RAHSAN (“Rahsan”) for repeated violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. HAKIM and RAHSAN do business as Sundial Herbal Products.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said: “As alleged in the complaint, the defendants are the modern incarnation of snake oil salesmen, selling the unsuspecting public unapproved or misbranded drugs that they claim, without basis, will cure cancer, diabetes, and other serious illnesses. They have repeatedly been warned that their conduct violates the law, yet have continued to sell unapproved, adulterated, and misbranded drugs. Our lawsuit seeks an injunction preventing them from continuing this illegal conduct.”
FDA Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs Melinda Plaisier said: “Dietary supplements pose a public health risk when they claim to treat medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes or cancer, which puts them into the category of misbranded and unapproved drugs. The FDA will continue to take action to protect the public when companies violate the law.”
The Complaint, filed today in federal court in Manhattan, alleges that defendants manufacture and sell various unapproved drugs and dietary supplements that claim to cure, treat, and/or prevent numerous diseases and conditions, including but not limited to syphilis, diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, asthma, heart disease, and cancer. None of their products has been tested or approved by the FDA for safety or effectiveness. Their sale of such products poses a threat to public health because the products’ disease treatment claims may cause consumers to delay appropriate medical care for the serious medical issues described above. Further, defendants cannot guarantee the identity, purity, strength, and composition of their dietary supplements.
Defendants have been inspected by the FDA multiple times, and, despite repeated promises to do so, have failed to correct their violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
* * *
The Complaint seeks an order enjoining defendants from manufacturing and selling drugs and dietary supplements in violation of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
Mr. Berman thanked the FDA for its work leading to the Complaint.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Environmental Protection Unit in the Civil Division. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Bretz is in charge of the case.
Long Island Man Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Loot Dead Woman’s EstateRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, John Derounian pleaded guilty to mail fraud in connection with a scheme to steal more than $1.2 million from the estate of the elderly victim (“Jane Doe”) by transferring Jane Doe’s assets into accounts controlled by the defendant. Derounian also pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography. The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Gary R. Brown.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Phillip Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division, announced the guilty plea.
As detailed in prior court proceedings and the superseding indictment, on November 12, 2015, Derounian claimed to have found the body of Jane Doe, Derounian’s tenant, at her apartment in his Sea Cliff home. Subsequent to Jane Doe’s death, Derounian placed a series of telephone calls and sent emails to Morgan Stanley in an effort to drain Jane Doe’s financial accounts of over $200,000.
In an effort to perpetuate the fraud, Derounian created a forged will naming himself as the executor and sole beneficiary of Jane Doe’s estate, aside from a comparatively small charitable donation. Derounian then used the authority of the forged will to cremate Jane Doe’s body and sell her real property for over $1 million, which he transferred into bank accounts he controlled. As a result of the investigation to date, funds totaling over $1.2 million have been seized from Derounian, and the indictment seeks forfeiture of those funds.
Derounian was arrested on June 26, 2016, and law enforcement officers recovered various electronic devices from his home that contained approximately 50 images of child pornography.
When sentenced, Derounian faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment for mail fraud and 20 years’ imprisonment for possession of child pornography.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Mark E. Misorek is in charge of the prosecution. Assistant United States Attorney Robert W. Schumacher of the Office’s Civil Division is handling matters relating to forfeiture.
The Defendant:
JOHN DEROUNIAN
Age: 53
Sea Cliff, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-cr-412 (JMA)
Local Woman in Custody for Lasing Aircraft at McAllen AirportRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 46-year-old McAllen resident has been taken into custody for allegedly aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Law enforcement took Ruth Ann Hopp into custody Friday. She made her initial appearance this morning, at which time she was ordered temporarily into custody pending a detention hearing set for today at 4:00 p.m.
The criminal complaint alleges Hopp is responsible for lasing numerous aircrafts that had attempted to land at McAllen International Airport.
The investigation began after numerous pilots had complained about similar incidents involving lasers.
Lasers have a dangerous effect on pilots when the beams of light strike an aircraft. The light can temporarily blind them. A laser, when aimed at an aircraft, can create a visual distraction or cause discomfort or even damage to a pilot’s eyes.
The criminal complaint alleges the instances in which Hopp is charged occurred during the landing portion of different flights, when the pilots need to be most alert. This represents a danger to not only the pilots, but the passengers of the planes as well as the people on the ground.
If convicted, Hopp faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The FBI and Customs and Border Protection Air & Marine Branch conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney K. Alejandra Andrade is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Leader of Large-Scale Brooklyn Drug Trafficking Operation Sentenced to Nine Years’ ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Tyriek Hankins was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly for his role in a cocaine and crack distribution conspiracy operating in and around the Cypress Hills Houses (“Cypress”), a large New York City Housing Authority complex located in East New York. Hankins pleaded guilty on April 20, 2017 to conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. He was the last of the 10 defendants in this case to be sentenced.
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), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“By supplying large amounts of cocaine to distributors, Hankins and his co-conspirators contributed to the destructive impact that drug abuse has had on their own community in Brooklyn,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “This Office is committed to dismantling drug organizations that endanger our community and the residents of public housing.”
“Hankins and his co-conspirators had major influence over the deadly cycle of drugs, circulating cocaine and crack throughout the Cypress Hills Houses,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “As illustrated by both the current and previous investigations, the FBI NY Metro Safe Streets Task Force will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to rid our communities of the gang and drug-related threats.”
“In close collaboration with our federal partners at the FBI and the Eastern District, the NYPD will remain relentless in our precise targeting of gangs and crews and the illegal behavior they engage in, in all of our neighborhoods,” stated NYPD Police Commissioner O’Neill. “It remains our duty to dismantle criminal enterprises like this one as we keep striving to make the safest large city in the nation even safer.”
As alleged in public documents and presented at hearings, Cypress had long been plagued by gang and drug-related violence. In response to the criminal activity, the FBI, the NYPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office conducted an investigation that revealed Hankins was at the center of a large-scale drug trafficking operation, which sold cocaine and other drugs in Cypress, upstate New York and in Maine. Hankins and co-conspirators Anthony Brown and Isiah Sadler were suppliers of powder cocaine to mid-level distributors. Other co-conspirators cooked and sold that cocaine as crack. Brown, who pleaded guilty to charges in three separate federal cases for his role in heroin- and cocaine-trafficking, and Sadler, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, were previously sentenced to, respectively, 192 months and 168 months’ imprisonment.
Hankins’ co-defendants also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and were sentenced as follows: Anthony Keitt, to 36 months’ imprisonment; Michael Vailes, to 78 months’ imprisonment; Renee Belardo, to probation; Cherena Swain, to probation; Rafael Perez, to 41 months’ imprisonment; Ronald Jackson, to 70 months’ imprisonment; and Dimas Perez, to 60 months’ imprisonment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret Gandy, Andrey Spektor and David Gopstein are in charge of the prosecution.
Defendant Sentenced Today:
TYRIEK HANKINS
Age: 31
Brooklyn, New YorkDefendants Previously Sentenced:
RENEE BELARDO
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New YorkANTHONY BROWN
Age: 34
Brooklyn, New YorkRONALD JACKSON
Age: 39
Utica, New York
ANTHONY KEITT
Age: 38
Brooklyn, New YorkDIMAS PEREZ
Age: 40
Brooklyn, New YorkRAFAEL PEREZ
Age: 52
Brooklyn, New YorkISIAH SADLER
Age: 33
Brooklyn, New YorkCHERENA SWAIN
Age: 31
Brooklyn, New YorkMICHAEL VAILES
Age: 31
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-CR-297 (AMD)
Law Enforcement Focuses Violent Crime Remedy in BessemerRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – Federal, state and local law enforcement last week fanned out in and around Bessemer pursuing 35 people on federal and state charges in an ongoing effort to reduce violent crime in the Greater Birmingham area.
U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson, U.S. Marshal Marty Keely, Bessemer Division Jefferson County District Attorney Lynneice Washington, Jefferson County Sheriff Mike Hale and Bessemer Police Chief Michael Roper announced the operation.
The roundup targeted violent offenders and high-crime areas of Bessemer as part of Operation Focused Remedy, a joint operation led by ATF with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Marshal Service, varying state and local police agencies and district attorney’s offices. The Bessemer Police Department and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office took part in last week’s operation seeking arrests on nine federal and 26 state warrants. More than 20 guns were recovered in the operation.
“This operation is a perfect example of how federal, state and local law enforcement can combine resources and efforts to remove our worst offenders from our communities, especially those in high-crime areas,” Town said. “This ATF operation is yet another example of how law enforcement partnerships enable law-abiding residents to continue to reclaim safety and security for their families.”
“These arrests highlight ATF’s Operation Focused Remedy as a force multiplier from the partnerships of law enforcement and community,” Watson said. “ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence resources will continue to aid in reducing violent crime in focused areas.”
Operation Focused Remedy is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, 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 and local law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Kansas City, Kan., Man Sentenced for Meth, Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas City, Kan., man who was arrested with methamphetamine, heroin and $67,000 in cash was sentenced today to 164 months in federal prison for drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Juan Lopez, 23, Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In his plea, he admitted he drove away from a residence on the 3400 block of Georgia Avenue when the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department came to serve a search warrant there. He abandoned his car near West 42nd Avenue and Thompson Street and he ran into a wooded residential area carrying two bags.
Police recovered one of the bags with more than 3 pounds of methamphetamine and more than half a pound of heroin. When residents of the 4100 block of Lloyd Street reported a prowler in their garage, police found Lopez hiding there with the second backpack, which contained $67,000 in cash. When police searched the residence on Georgia Avenue, they found firearms, including three assault rifles, a pistol grip shotgun, a Mac-10 and two bulletproof vests.
McAllister commended the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon Patton for their work on the case.
Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claims Against J.C. PenneyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that it has reached a settlement agreement with J.C. Penney Corporation, Inc. (J.C. Penney). The agreement resolves two investigations, one into whether J.C. Penney unlawfully rejected a lawful permanent resident’s valid work authorization documentation, and the other into whether J.C. Penney violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by unlawfully reverifying the work authorization of certain non-U.S. citizens based on their citizenship status.
The Department’s first investigation was prompted by a lawful permanent resident’s charge alleging that J.C. Penney violated the INA’s anti-discrimination provision when J.C. Penney fired her in August 2016. The investigation found that J.C. Penney had improperly rejected the worker’s unexpired Permanent Resident Card as proof of her work authorization, based on her citizenship status. The second investigation found that J.C. Penney had unlawfully reverified the work authorization of certain non-U.S. citizens solely based on their citizenship status, even though those non-citizens had presented the same type of valid work authorization documents as U.S. citizens when first hired. The Department also found that J.C. Penney unlawfully requested specific immigration documents from certain workers during the process of reverifying their work authorization because of their immigration status. Among other things, the INA prohibits employers from (1) rejecting valid work authorization documents, (2) limiting a worker’s choice of documentation to present for employment verification or reverification purposes, and (3) subjecting employees to different or unnecessary documentary demands, based on the employee’s citizenship, immigration status, or national origin.
Under the terms of the settlement, J.C. Penney will pay a civil penalty of $14,430 to the United States, provide $11,177.60 in back pay to the worker who filed the charge, train its staff and corporate human resources personnel, post notices informing workers about their rights, and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements.
“Employers should not impose unlawful and discriminatory burdens on employees based on their citizenship or immigration status during the reverification process,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore. “It is critical for all employers to correctly train their employees on proper Form I-9 procedures at both initial hiring and reverification, and I am pleased that J.C. Penney has agreed to undertake such training.”
The Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER), formerly known as the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices, is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits citizenship status and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; and retaliation and intimidation.
For more information about protections against employment discrimination under immigration laws, call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a free webinar; email [email protected]; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites.
Applicants or employees who believe they were subjected to different documentary requirements based on their citizenship/immigration status or national origin, or discrimination based on their citizenship/immigration status, or national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee, should contact IER’s worker hotline for assistance.
Illegal Alien Sentenced in Brooklyn Federal Court to 25 Years’ Imprisonment for MurderRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Kensil Dexter Fender, also known as “English,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto to 25 years’ imprisonment for the murder of Rowan Clarke. Fender previously pleaded guilty on December 14, 2017.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James J. Hunt, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) and George P. Beach II, Superintendent, New York State Police (NYSP) announced the sentence.
“More than a decade ago, Fender murdered a man while trying to commit a home invasion drug robbery. With today’s sentence, he learns that justice does not forget and does not rest,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “I commend our federal, state and local partners for working together to take this dangerous criminal off the street.” Mr. Donoghue expressed his thanks to the United States Postal Inspection Service for their assistance during the investigation.
“This drug investigation demonstrates the inevitable link between drug trafficking and violent crime,” stated DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Hunt. “In most of our cases, greed is the underlying force behind drug trafficking, and it is ironic that a piece of jewelry and DNA were key factors in bringing Rowan Clarke’s killer to justice.”
“Today’s sentencing has been a long time in coming and is an appropriate, meaningful penalty for this career criminal,” stated NYPD Commissioner O’Neill. “In partnership with the DEA and the Eastern District, the NYPD has a long memory and an even longer reach. I commend everyone involved in this case for seeing it through to its successful conclusion.”
“Good police work and invaluable partnerships at the federal, state and local level were key in bringing this murderer to justice,” stated NYSP Superintendent Beach. “State Police and our partners will continue to work together to keep our communities safe from such criminals and the dangerous drug activity and violence that they perpetuate.”
According to court filings and statements made in court, on April 2, 2007, Fender and a co-conspirator attempted to rob Clarke, who they believed had illegal drugs and drug proceeds at his apartment in northern Manhattan. As Fender and his co-conspirator attempted to push their way into the apartment, they struggled with Clarke and fatally shot him. Law enforcement agents were able to identify Fender based on DNA on a piece of jewelry left behind at the murder scene. In addition to his role in the murder, Fender was a drug distributor, buying and selling large amounts of marijuana.Upon completion of his sentence, Fender, an illegal alien from Jamaica, faces deportation from the United States.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Craig R. Heeren and Nathan D. Reilly are in charge of the prosecution.
Defendant:
KENSIL DEXTER FENDER
Age: 36
Woodmere, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-124-(ENV)
Hampton Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man pleaded guilty today to conspiring with others to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin.
According to court documents, Michael Dewayne Boddie, 56, was part of the William Joe drug trafficking organization that operated on the Virginia Peninsula and on the Southside. Boddie worked with William Joe to arrange heroin deals and would conduct sales on Joe’s behalf. Many of these sales took place in Hampton near the residences occupied by Joe.
Boddie pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of more than 100 grams of heroin. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison when sentenced on October 17. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Operation Broken Finger. 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. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric M. Hurt is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:17-cr-65.
Guatemalan National Charged with Making False Statement on Passport Application and with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that RINA PAOLA CONDE GARCIA, age 37, a citizen of Guatemala, was charged Friday in a two-count indictment for false statements made on a passport application, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1542, and for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the indictment, on or about April 6, 2017, CONDE GARCIA, applied for a passport and falsely stated that she was born in Puerto Rico, when in fact she was not. Further, on or about July 24, 2017, CONDE GARCIA was found in the United States after having been officially deported and removed on or about January 4, 2006.
If convicted, CONDE GARCIA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of three years, and a mandatory $100 special assessment.
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans praised the work of the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Spiro G. Latsis is in charge of the prosecution.
Fresno Woman Sentenced to over 3 Years in Prison for Stealing More than $1.5 M from International Food Distribution CompanyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Leslie Michelle Hays, 50, of Fresno, was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison for embezzling funds from her employer, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd ordered Hays to self-surrender on September 26, 2018, and to pay $1,632,093 in restitution.
According to court documents, Hays was the director of human resources from 2005 through 2014 at Borges USA, a food distribution company based in Spain with regional headquarters in Fresno. To embezzle funds from Borges USA, Hays misreported her salary, expenses, and vacation time to the company’s payroll processor, which then remitted the stolen funds to Hays’s bank account. In total, Hays stole more than $1.5 million in inflated salary payments and false expenses reimbursements from Borges USA.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant B. Rabenn prosecuted the case.