Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
8 August 2018
Two Men Plead Guilty in Methamphetamine-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JEFFREY CLINES, age 53, of New Orleans, and JACOB HIGGINBOTHAM, age 24, of Houma, pled guilty today to one count of conspiring to traffic 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Louisiana. Each defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, a maximum life sentence, a fine of up to $10,000,000 and at least five years of supervised release.
CLINES and HIGGINBOTHAM are two of 11 defendants charged in a 23-count federal indictment. Specifically, the indictment alleges that CLINES and HIGGINBOTHAM conspired to sell large quantities of methamphetamine with codefendants Stefen Daigle, Peter Giandalone, Paul Melancon, James Hatch, Angel Renee Vidaure, Eulalio Torres-Cadenas, Delio Alfredo Lopez-Lopez, Lindsey Lopez, and Julien Polk. The indictment also alleges a number of individual acts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, as well as firearm offenses for codefendants Hatch, Vidaure, and Lopez-Lopez. Law enforcement developed evidence against this group of defendants using controlled purchases of methamphetamine, traffic stops and seizures, consensually recorded text messages and phone calls, search warrants, cooperator information, and self-incriminating statements.
U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan set sentencing for CLINES and HIGGINBOTHAM on November 8, 2018, at 10:00 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Louisiana State Police, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Highway Patrol, Montgomery County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, AMTRAK Police, and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon S. Long is in charge of the prosecution.
Two MS-13 Gang Members Charged with Murder in Aid of Racketeering and Other ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury sitting in Nashville, Tennessee today, returned a five-count indictment, charging two members of the MS-13 gang with murder in aid of racketeering, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Don Cochran of the Middle District of Tennessee.
Oscar Degaldo Flores, aka Flaco, 24, of El Salvador, and Luis Colindres, aka Listo and Joe, 21, of Honduras, were also charged with conspiracy; witness tampering; using, carrying and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and causing death through the use of a firearm.
The indictment alleges that on Sept. 24, 2017, Flores and Colindres shot and killed an individual identified as “H.Z.” and also shot and killed another individual identified as “Y.H.,” in order to prevent that individual from communicating with law enforcement about the commission of their crimes, including the murder of “H.Z.”
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Trial Attorney Matthew Hoff of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ahmed Safeeullah and Sunny A.M. Koshy of the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Area Men Plead Guilty to Charges Related to Murder of Singer Outside Southeast Washington BarRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Jones, 22, of Bladensburg, Md., pled guilty today to a charge of second-degree murder while armed stemming from the slaying of singer Omar Rogers last fall outside a bar and grill in Southeast Washington. A second man, Khalil Davis, 23, of Washington D.C., pled guilty today to a related charge of accessory after the fact.
The guilty pleas were announced by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Both men pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and are to be sentenced on Oct. 12, 2018, by the Honorable Judith Bartnoff.
According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, the shooting took place at approximately 3:50 a.m. on Oct. 8, 2017. Mr. Rogers, 25, had been at Uniontown Bar and Grill earlier that night, where he had performed with his band, the “AJA Band.” Jones and Davis also were in the club that night. Once Mr. Rogers’s band had finished playing and as the club closed, Mr. Rogers went into a rear parking area behind the club to where his vehicle was parked. While in the parking lot, Mr. Rogers got into a brief verbal altercation with the two defendants.
After the verbal altercation had ended, Mr. Rogers attempted to pull his vehicle out of its parking spot. While doing so, he accidentally backed his car into the vehicle that Davis was driving that night, a 2001 red Oldsmobile Intrigue. The occupants of the Intrigue were the same group of individuals that had just gotten into a verbal altercation with Mr. Rogers, including Jones and Davis. Once that situation seemed to have de-escalated, Mr. Rogers pulled off and parked his vehicle behind Uniontown Bar and Grill, near the 1200 block of W Street SE.
As Mr. Rogers sat parked in his vehicle, the other individuals involved in the altercation and accident began approaching his vehicle. Jones walked up to where Mr. Rogers was parked, and pretended to mingle with a group of females while on the phone. As he did this, he watched Mr. Rogers have a conversation with another individual, who was standing at the driver’s side door of Mr. Rogers’s vehicle. During that time, Davis pulled up his vehicle immediately behind Mr. Rogers’s vehicle, where he parked, sat, and waited.
As soon as the individual who had been talking with Mr. Rogers walked away from the driver’s side door, Jones approached the vehicle. Jones then fired seven shots within close range into the driver’s side window of the vehicle. In total, Mr. Rogers was shot five times at close range by Jones and died from the injuries.
Jones then ran to where Davis was waiting and got into the rear passenger seat after Davis unlocked the car for him. Jones and Davis then fled the scene. Jones was arrested on Oct. 20, 2017, and Davis was arrested five days later. Both have been in custody since their arrests.
In announcing the pleas, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Bach, Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin, Paralegal Specialist Kelly Blakeney, and Victim/Witness Advocate James Brennan.
Taylor County Convicted Felon Sentenced for Narcotics and Gun Charges Under Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS: Charles E. Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announces that on August 7, 2018, Andre Hendricks, aged 39, of Woodland, Georgia, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment for Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon before Chief United States District Judge Clay D. Land in Columbus.
At his plea hearing, Mr. Hendricks admitted that he sold narcotics from his residence to a confidential informant on two occasions in December 2016. A subsequent search of his residence revealed nine (9) firearms, ammunition, crack cocaine, a quantity of pills containing methamphetamine, hydrocodone pills, powder cocaine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Mr. Hendricks is prohibited from possessing a firearm after having been convicted of Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute in Superior Court in Talbot County in 2003; Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute Cocaine in Superior Court in Meriwether County in 2005; Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Possession of Ecstasy and Possession of Cocaine in Muscogee County Superior Court in 2006; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon in Talbot County Superior Court in 2009.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
The case was investigated by the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Crawford Seals prosecuted the case for the United States.
Questions concerning this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.
St. Joseph Home Health Care Aide Pleads Guilty to $207,000 Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Mo., in-home health care nursing assistant pleaded guilty in federal court today to stealing bank account information from one of her clients in order to illegally transfer more than $207,000 out of her account.
Ashley N. Garr, 33, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to one count of filing a false tax return and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Garr worked as a home health aide for the victim in St. Joseph for approximately one year beginning in 2014. In late October 2016, Garr stopped at the victim’s residence to introduce her children. Garr excused herself to use the bathroom during the visit, and found the victim’s checkbook and purse (with her identification) in a home office located near the bathroom.
In the spring of 2017, the victim’s bookkeeper was reviewing the bank statement from Nodaway Valley Bank and noticed charges to RENT-A-CENTER and the Lexington law firm, which both seemed odd to her. She pointed them out to the victim and the victim stated that she did not make these charges. The bookkeeper contacted Nodaway Valley Bank to report the fraud.
A review of the bank account showed that Garr wrote three $700 checks to herself on the victim’s bank account on Oct. 27, 2016. There were also numerous transfers from the bank account to pay Garr’s personal expenses, for a total theft in 2016 of $187,152.
Garr also admitted that she filed fraudulent tax returns for 2014 and 2015. Garr inflated her income and tax withholdings to generate a larger refund than she was entitled to receive. Additionally, Garr did not report the money she stole as income on her 2016 tax return.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Garr must pay $207,638 in restitution to the victim of her fraud scheme and $151,589 in restitution to the IRS. Garr must forfeit to the government $207,638, which represents the proceeds of her criminal conduct.
Under federal statutes, Garr is subject to a sentence of up to three years in federal prison without parole for filing a false tax return, as well as a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in federal prison for aggravated identity theft. 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 Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
South Carolina Teen Convicted for Attempting to Join ISISRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Zakaryia Abdin, 19, of Ladson, South Carolina, pleaded guilty today to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Sherri A. Lydon for the District of South Carolina and Special Agent in Charge Jody Norris of the FBI’s Columbia Division made the announcement. Abdin appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Richard M. Gergel.
“Abdin’s attempt to provide material support to ISIS by traveling overseas put American lives at risk,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “That is unacceptable, and I applaud the dedicated agents and prosecutors who stopped him and have achieved this successful outcome.”
“The most important job of government is protecting the people of the United States from harm, whether it comes from criminals or terrorists,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “This case is an example of law enforcement doing exactly that. The threat to our safety continues to be very real. The JTTF did a great job in preventing this defendant from joining ISIS. He wanted to fight as a soldier committing acts of terror for ISIS and he didn’t care where he fought.” U.S. Attorney Lydon commended the intense work of Charleston’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and noted that this is the first conviction for a person attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization in the District of South Carolina.
“Once again, the Joint Terrorism Task Force has uncovered, investigated and prevented terrorist activity with roots in South Carolina” said Special Agent in Charge Norris. “These results are made possible by the coordinated efforts of our federal, state and local partners, who are committed to sharing information and resources to protect our communities.”
The FBI arrested the defendant at the Charleston International Airport on March 30, 2017 when he attempted to board an airplane in order to travel overseas. The defendant’s intent was to travel overseas in order to provide material support or resources to ISIS.
Abdin began his efforts on Jan. 3, 2017, when he created a social media account to attempt to join ISIS. On Jan. 20, 2017, Abdin visited the FBI in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina to meet with a special agent from the Joint Terrorism Task Force. During this interview, the special agent advised Abdin about the FBI’s role in conducting counterterrorism investigations and outlined for him various statutory definitions. The special agent also provided the definitions for terrorism and specifically told Abdin that ISIS was a designated foreign terrorist organization and that it was illegal to give any foreign terrorist organization any form of material support, including personnel.
After that date, Abdin began to seek a handler to get him overseas to Syria or Egypt to make contact with ISIS. Unbeknownst to him, he ended up making contact with an undercover FBI employee. Abdin believed this person was affiliated with ISIS. These communications continued up until he was arrested.
Abdin had extensive communications with the FBI employee. During the course of these on line conversations, Abdin expressed continued loyalty to ISIS. He said he had given a pledge of loyalty to the Caliphate in 2014 and provided a video of a new pledge to Commander Abu Baker al Baghdadi, the self-proclaimed leader of ISIS or the Caliphate, in which he pledged to “wage jihad against the enemy of Allah.”
Abdin also indicated that he wished to join the Caliphate and requested to serve in combat. He stated that he was proficient with various weapons, including AK’s, SKS rifles, and pistols. He also asserted that he was well prepared, knew how to shoot, and had experience with and was reliable in close combat. He not only talked of joining jihad, he also purchased weapons, including an SKS rifle, modifying it to expand its capacity from a 10 round magazine to a 30 round magazine. Abdin practiced with an AK at a local gun store, and with an SKS and a 9mm at a local outdoor shooting range outside of Charleston.
Abdin took a picture of himself carrying the 9mm in his waistband and took a picture of himself practicing shooting at night at the local outdoor range, and sent these to the undercover FBI employee.
Abdin undertook concrete steps to join the Caliphate and travel overseas to fight jihad. He applied for a passport. On March 22, 2017, the FBI was notified Abdin’s passport was delivered to his residence in Ladson. Later on the same date, Abdin sent a message to the undercover FBI employee to tell him to “let the brothers know I am coming very soon.”
On March 23, 2017, Abdin made flight reservations aboard a commercial airline departing Charleston with a final destination of Amman, Jordan. The date for travel was set for March 30, 2017 at approximately 7:30 PM. Shortly thereafter on March 23, 2017, Abdin communicated to the undercover FBI employee that he was scheduled to arrive in Amman, Jordan on April 1, 2017, at approximately 2:05 AM.
On March 30, 2017, at approximately 4:17 PM Abdin arrived at the Charleston International Airport with one piece of luggage and a carry-on backpack. Abdin proceeded to a commercial airline ticket counter where he provided the attendant with travel documents and received a boarding pass for international travel to Amman. Abdin then proceeded from the ticketing counter toward the Transportation Security Administration’s security screening area where he was arrested.
Abdin, a U.S. citizen, faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. Any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by Special Agents of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jennifer Burke of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Kittrell of the District of South Carolina.
# # #
18-1027
DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE USE THE CONTACTS IN THE MESSAGE OR CALL THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT 202-514-2007.
South Carolina Teen Convicted for Attempting to Join ISISRead the Press Release
Zakaryia Abdin, 19, of Ladson, South Carolina, pleaded guilty today to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Sherri A. Lydon for the District of South Carolina and Special Agent in Charge Jody Norris of the FBI’s Columbia Division made the announcement. Abdin appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Richard M. Gergel.
“Abdin’s attempt to provide material support to ISIS by traveling overseas put American lives at risk,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “That is unacceptable, and I applaud the dedicated agents and prosecutors who stopped him and have achieved this successful outcome.”
“The most important job of government is protecting the people of the United States from harm, whether it comes from criminals or terrorists,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “This case is an example of law enforcement doing exactly that. The threat to our safety continues to be very real. The JTTF did a great job in preventing this defendant from joining ISIS. He wanted to fight as a soldier committing acts of terror for ISIS and he didn’t care where he fought.” U.S. Attorney Lydon commended the intense work of Charleston’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and noted that this is the first conviction for a person attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization in the District of South Carolina.
“Once again, the Joint Terrorism Task Force has uncovered, investigated and prevented terrorist activity with roots in South Carolina” said Special Agent in Charge Norris. “These results are made possible by the coordinated efforts of our federal, state and local partners, who are committed to sharing information and resources to protect our communities.”
The FBI arrested the defendant at the Charleston International Airport on March 30, 2017 when he attempted to board an airplane in order to travel overseas. The defendant’s intent was to travel overseas in order to provide material support or resources to ISIS.
Abdin began his efforts on Jan. 3, 2017, when he created a social media account to attempt to join ISIS. On Jan. 20, 2017, Abdin visited the FBI in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina to meet with a special agent from the Joint Terrorism Task Force. During this interview, the special agent advised Abdin about the FBI’s role in conducting counterterrorism investigations and outlined for him various statutory definitions. The special agent also provided the definitions for terrorism and specifically told Abdin that ISIS was a designated foreign terrorist organization and that it was illegal to give any foreign terrorist organization any form of material support, including personnel.
After that date, Abdin began to seek a handler to get him overseas to Syria or Egypt to make contact with ISIS. Unbeknownst to him, he ended up making contact with an undercover FBI employee. Abdin believed this person was affiliated with ISIS. These communications continued up until he was arrested.
Abdin had extensive communications with the FBI employee. During the course of these on line conversations, Abdin expressed continued loyalty to ISIS. He said he had given a pledge of loyalty to the Caliphate in 2014 and provided a video of a new pledge to Commander Abu Baker al Baghdadi, the self-proclaimed leader of ISIS or the Caliphate, in which he pledged to “wage jihad against the enemy of Allah.”
Abdin also indicated that he wished to join the Caliphate and requested to serve in combat. He stated that he was proficient with various weapons, including AK’s, SKS rifles, and pistols. He also asserted that he was well prepared, knew how to shoot, and had experience with and was reliable in close combat. He not only talked of joining jihad, he also purchased weapons, including an SKS rifle, modifying it to expand its capacity from a 10 round magazine to a 30 round magazine. Abdin practiced with an AK at a local gun store, and with an SKS and a 9mm at a local outdoor shooting range outside of Charleston.
Abdin took a picture of himself carrying the 9mm in his waistband and took a picture of himself practicing shooting at night at the local outdoor range, and sent these to the undercover FBI employee.
Abdin undertook concrete steps to join the Caliphate and travel overseas to fight jihad. He applied for a passport. On March 22, 2017, the FBI was notified Abdin’s passport was delivered to his residence in Ladson. Later on the same date, Abdin sent a message to the undercover FBI employee to tell him to “let the brothers know I am coming very soon”
On March 23, 2017, Abdin made flight reservations aboard a commercial airline departing Charleston with a final destination of Amman, Jordan. The date for travel was set for March 30, 2017 at approximately 7:30 PM. Shortly thereafter on March 23, 2017, Abdin communicated to the undercover FBI employee that he was scheduled to arrive in Amman, Jordan on April 1, 2017, at approximately 2:05 AM.
On March 30, 2017, at approximately 4:17 PM Abdin arrived at the Charleston International Airport with one piece of luggage and a carry-on backpack. Abdin proceeded to a commercial airline ticket counter where he provided the attendant with travel documents and received a boarding pass for international travel to Amman. Abdin then proceeded from the ticketing counter toward the Transportation Security Administration’s security screening area where he was arrested.
Abdin, a U.S. citizen, faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. Any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by Special Agents of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jennifer Burke of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Kittrell of the District of South Carolina.
Six Aliens Indicted on Illegal Reentry ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned indictments charging HECTOR MOLINA-PENA, age 34, of Mexico, ELMER PEREZ-MARROQUIN, age 43, of Guatemala, ANTONIO PLATA-PONCE, age 35, of Mexico, GERARDO RODRIGUEZ-ARIAS, age 31, of Mexico, CARLOS HERNANDEZ-ROMERO, age 33, of Mexico, and JULIO NOYOLA-CAMPOS, age 38, of Mexico, with illegal reentry of a deported alien.
If convicted of illegal reentry of an alien, MOLINA-PENA, previously deported four times and found in Wake County, PEREZ-MARROQUIN, previously deported three times and found in Wilson County, PLATA-PONCE, previously deported three times and found in Harnett County, and RODRIGUEZ-ARIAS, found in Wake County, would face a maximum imprisonment term of two years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
If convicted of illegal reentry subsequent to a felony conviction (possession of cocaine), HERNANDEZ-ROMERO, found in Nash County, would face a maximum imprisonment term of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
If convicted of illegal reentry subsequent to an aggravated felony (illegal and unlawful alien in possession of a firearm and illegal reentry), NOYOLA-CAMPOS, previously deported twice and found in Wake County, would face maximum penalties of 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The cases are being investigated by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Saratoga County Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Update His Sex Offender RegistrationRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jonathon Rule, age 28, of Moreau, New York, pled guilty today to failing to update his sex offender registration, announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith.
Rule was charged with violating the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), which requires a convicted sex offender to register, and keep that registration current, wherever he or she resides. Rule admitted that he was previously convicted of criminal sexual conduct in the first degree in Michigan, which required him to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Rule further admitted that he moved from Michigan to Moreau, New York, in January 2016, and lived there for approximately 2 years prior to being arrested by the New York State Police, without ever registering in New York or updating his registration in Michigan.
Rule faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service Sex Offender Investigation Branch and the New York State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Salinas Resident Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Robbing and Conspiring to Rob BankRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Nathan James Garcia, aka “Bones,” was sentenced to 84 months in prison today for robbing and conspiring to rob a bank in Salinas, Calif., announced United States Attorney Alex G. Tse and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Lucy H. Koh, United States District Judge.
Garcia pleaded guilty to the charges on January 24, 2018. According to the plea agreement, Garcia, 27, of Salinas, admitted that in May of 2012, he conspired with others to rob a bank in Salinas. In the days leading up to the robbery, Garcia and his coconspirators prepared by casing the bank and rehearsing the robbery. On May 19, 2012, the robbers entered the bank wearing masks and at least one of the co-conspirators carried and brandished a firearm. Garcia admitted that he knew at least one of the robbers would be carrying the firearm to threaten, frighten, and intimidate the bank employees. The robbers absconded with over $13,000.
A federal grand jury indicted Garcia on May 11, 2017, and charged him with one count each of robbery affecting interstate commerce, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a); armed bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2113(a) and (d), and 2; conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2113(a) and (d), and 371; and robbery affecting interstate commerce, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1951(a) and (2). Garcia pleaded guilty to armed bank robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce, and the other two charges were dismissed.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Koh ordered Garcia to pay restitution in the amount of $13,256 and to serve five years of supervised release to begin after his prison term. Garcia has been in federal custody since his arrest in May of 2017 and will begin serving his sentence immediately.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Claudia A. Quiroz with the assistance of Jessica Meegan. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Fourth Failure to Register as a Sex Offender ConvictionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on August 7, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Patrick Black Spotted Horse, age 29, was sentenced to 24 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.
Black Spotted Horse was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 15, 2018. He pled guilty on June 12, 2018.
Black Spotted Horse was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in March 2010. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. Between 2013 and 2017, Black Spotted Horse was convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender on three separate occasions. In January 2018, Black Spotted Horse was released from custody and began a period of supervised release. He initially registered and resided at a residence in Rapid City. In March 2018, he moved from his registered address, but did not update his registration. An arrest warrant was subsequently issued and on May 4, 2018, Black Spotted Horse was located at a residence in Norris, South Dakota, and was arrested.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Black Spotted Horse was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Raleigh Man and Durham Woman Charged with Fentanyl Conspiracy; Man Also Charged with Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today, a federal grand jury has issued an indictment charging THORNTON LEWIS WATSON, IV, 24, of Raleigh and SHANTEVIA FAITH EVANS, 26, of Durham, with federal crimes. This operation was conducted as part of the Eastern District’s Take Back North Carolina Initiative, which is designed to target firearms- and opioid-related crimes through partnerships with the Wake County District Attorney’s Office and federal, state, and local law enforcement.
WATSON and EVANS were both charged with Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 4-Fluoroisobutyryl Fentanyl and Marijuana (Count One).
Additionally, WATSON was charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute 4-Fluoroisobutyryl Fentanyl (Count Two); Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana (Count Four); and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime (Counts Three and Five).
The charges and allegations contained in the Indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Wake County Board of Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) conducted the criminal investigation of this case.
Raleigh Man Sentenced to 240 Months' Imprisonment in Federal Prison for Hobbys Act Robbery While Armed with a FirearmRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today, DAVID KAREEM TURPIN, 45, of Raleigh, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever III to 240 months imprisonment, followed by five years’ supervised release after the term of imprisonment.
TURPIN was charged in a five-count indictment on May 17, 2017 with three counts of Hobbs Act robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a federal crime of violence. TURPIN pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a federal crime of violence.
The investigation arose following the robberies of businesses in Raleigh. On July 27, 2016, TURPIN entered a Wal-Mart store in Raleigh, abducted a manager at gunpoint, forced the manager to the safe room and stole $30,899.56 from the safe. On July 28, 2016, TURPIN entered a Food Lion in Raleigh, brandished a firearm and held the gun to an employee’s chest and stole $ 4,343.72. During the robbery, TURPIN threatened the clerk. During a July 25, 2016, robbery, TURPIN entered a Family Dollar store in Raleigh, brandished a firearm, and stole $204.00.
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 investigation of this case was conducted by the Raleigh Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorneys Peggah B. Wilson and Jane J. Jackson represented the government in this case.
Racine Woman Indicted for Defrauding Beneficiaries of Estates Being Administered by her Father's Law FirmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger has announced that a federal grand jury has indicted Kathleen A. Fetek (age 55) for executing a scheme to defraud beneficiaries of estates being handled by Fetek Law Offices, S.C., a firm that had been operated by Fetek’s father in Racine, Wisconsin.
The indictment alleges that beginning by 2014, and continuing through at least January 2017, while employed at the firm, Fetek: (1) wrote checks to herself from the firm’s account; (2) cashed the checks at banks, liquor stores, and other locations; and (3) prepared and mailed materially false distribution summaries and account documentation to beneficiaries. The indictment alleges that as a result of the scheme, Fetek wrongfully obtained in excess of $775,000.
If convicted of the offense charged in the indictment (mail fraud), Fetek would face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Fetek also would face up to three years of supervised release following any prison term and would be ordered to pay restitution to the victims of her offense.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and has been assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Richard G. Frohling for prosecution.
The public is cautioned that an indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
# # # # #
For additional information contact:
Public Information Officer Dean Puschnig, 414-297-1700
Previously Convicted Felon Indicted on Heroin Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Virginia Beach man with conspiracy, maintaining a drug-involved premises, and possession with intent to distribute heroin.
According to allegations in the indictment, criminal complaint, and related court-documents, Demetress Bratton, 37, was arrested in March 2018 attempting to access his storage unit in Virginia Beach. Earlier that day, a Virginia Beach drug dog gave a positive alert for drugs at the storage unit, and a search warrant was obtained. During the search, detectives recovered two bags of an off-white substance that were sitting on a hydraulic press. One of the bags contained roughly 37 grams of heroin, and the other contained roughly 55 grams of a cutting agent used to increase the amount of heroin. Detectives also recovered a money counter, a Gucci bag containing $20,000 cash, two handguns, two rifles, and several cell phones. Later, when Bratton arrived at his storage unit and was arrested, law enforcement recovered $1663 cash and bags of heroin and a cutting agent from his vehicle.
If convicted, Bratton faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison. 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, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, and James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin M. Comstock and William B. Jackson 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. 2:18-cr-123.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Physician and Wife Pay $428,000 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations for Billing Government Programs for Unapproved DrugsRead the Press Release
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey announced today that Dr. Donald Chamberlain and Karen Chamberlain have paid $428,700, to resolve state and federal False Claims Act allegations. It is alleged that from January 7, 2009 through May 2, 2012, their medical practice billed Medicare, Tennessee Medicaid (TennCare), and the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program (FEHBP) for foreign-sourced anticancer drugs not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for marketing in the United States. Dr. Chamberlain owned and operated Chattanooga Gyn-Oncology, P.C., located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Mrs. Chamberlain managed Dr. Chamberlain’s medical practice since the time of its inception.
The United States alleged that the unapproved drugs the Chamberlains provided to patients and billed to Medicare, TennCare, and FEHBP were not reimbursable under those programs. The United States further alleged that the Chamberlains purchased unapproved drugs because they were less expensive than the drugs approved by FDA for marketing in the United States. Thus, the Chamberlains allegedly profited by administering the cheaper unapproved drugs.
“Administering oncology drugs manufactured in other countries and not approved by the FDA, risks the safety of our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey. “We will continue to pursue aggressively, medical providers who improperly put their own financial interests ahead of the safety of their patients and who ignore rules instituted to protect the taxpayer funded healthcare system.”
This investigation was a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the Knoxville Division of the FBI, and the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Dykes.
The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
###
Owner of Springfield Osaka Restaurant Indicted on Charges of Tax Evasion, StructuringRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment that charges the owner of Springfield’s Osaka Japanese Restaurant, 1665 Wabash Ave., with filing false income tax returns and with structuring cash withdrawals to avoid detection by the Internal Revenue Service. The indictment charges Chu Chuk Cheung, 40, with two counts of filing false income tax returns and 10 counts of structuring.
The indictment alleges that for tax years 2012 and 2013, Cheung, the president and sole member of the board of directors, failed to report personal income he received from Osaka. The indictment alleges that Cheung failed to report personal income of approximately $376,976 for tax year 2012 and $145,958 for tax year 2013.
Cheung is also charged with structuring cash withdrawals from bank accounts under his control from Aug. 9, 2013 to Sept. 22, 2014, to evade Currency Transaction Reporting (CTR) requirements. Financial institutions are required to complete and file CTRs with the IRS for any currency transactions in excess of $10,000. To evade the CTR reporting requirement, Cheung allegedly obtained cash in amounts of less than $10,000, even when it meant withdrawing $9,000 one day and returning to the financial institution the next day to again withdraw $9,000 in cash.
The U.S. District Clerk of the Court will issue a summons for Cheung to make his initial appearance and arraignment on Aug. 29, 2018, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tom Schanzle-Haskins.
If convicted, each count of filing a false income tax return carries a penalty of up to three years in prison, a $100,000 fine plus the costs of prosecution, and full restitution. For each count of unlawful money structuring, the penalty is up to 10 years in prison.
The charge is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hilary W. Frooman.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Owner of Bay Area Roofing Company Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Tony Pham pleaded guilty in federal court in San Francisco today to filing a false federal income tax return, announced United States Attorney Alex G. Tse and Acting Special Agent in Charge Internal Revenue Service (IRS-CI) Tara Sullivan. The plea was accepted by the Honorable Edward M. Chen, U.S. District Judge.
In pleading guilty, Pham, 51, of San Francisco, admitted he operated High Quality Roofing, a contracting business that provided roofing services throughout the San Francisco Bay area. Pham admitted he received gross receipts of $1,916,128 from High Quality Roofing during 2010 through 2013 that he did not report on his tax returns for those years. Pham also admitted he did not tell his tax return preparer about this income so that the gross receipts would not be reported on his federal income tax returns filed with the IRS. Pham signed his 2010 through 2013 income tax returns under penalty of perjury even though he knew they were false. The total tax loss to the United States for tax years 2010 through 2013 was $369,532.
Pham, was charged by information on June 26, 2018, with three counts of filing false federal income tax returns, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7206(1). He pleaded guilty to one count. The remaining two charges will be dismissed at the time of sentencing if Pham complies with the terms of the plea agreement.
Pham is currently released on bond. Judge Chen scheduled Pham’s sentencing hearing for November 14, 2018, at 2:30 p.m. The maximum statutory penalty for a violation of filing a false federal income tax return in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7206(1) is three years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution if appropriate. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Stier is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the IRS-CI.
Oklahoma City Man Indicted for Producing and Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Oklahoma City – RICHARD SPILLANE, 30, of Oklahoma City, was indicted yesterday on charges of producing and receiving child pornography, announced Robert J. Troester, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.
According to a complaint filed on July 16, 2018, law enforcement officers determined that an internet user with an email address linked to Mr. Spillane was engaging in conversations and sharing photographs depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct on a network often used to receive and distribute child pornography. Mr. Spillane was arrested on July 17, 2018, and has remained in federal custody since his arrest.
On August 7, 2018, a federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment charging Mr. Spillane with two counts of producing child pornography and four counts of knowingly receiving child pornography. According to the indictment, between approximately October 15, 2017, and July 17, 2018, Mr. Spillane used two minors, "John Doe #1" and "John Doe #2," to produce photographs of the children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. It is also alleged that he received images of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct, via the internet, on four specific days in June and July of this year.
If convicted, Mr. Spillane faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison on each of the two production counts, as well as a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison on each of the counts alleging receipt of child pornography. All charges also carry a maximum $250,000 fine, along with a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life.
Reference is made to court records for further information. The public is reminded that the charges in the indictment are only allegations and that Mr. Spillane is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry.
Norwich Cocaine Distributor Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSEPH BARROS, 37, of Norwich, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2017, law enforcement received information that BARROS was distributing cocaine and other drugs in southeastern Connecticut. Investigators made three controlled purchases of cocaine from BARROS, and a wiretap investigation revealed that BARROS was supplying cocaine to local distributors. BARROS was arrested on December 21, 2017.
BARROS is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford on October 31, 2018, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. BARROS is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the New London FBI Task Force with the assistance of the Norwich Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Nelson.
North Carolina Tax Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to File False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Winston-Salem, North Carolina resident pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the United States by filing false tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew G. T. Martin of the Middle District of North Carolina.
According to court documents, Claudia Lynette Shivers conspired with others to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by preparing false tax returns. Shivers co-owned and operated two tax return preparation businesses: Fast Tax of Winston-Salem, Inc. in Winston-Salem and Quick Taxes LLC in Greensboro. Shivers and her co-conspirators falsified items on clients’ tax returns, such as dependents and Schedule A deductions, in order to fraudulently maximize their refunds. Shivers also directed clients to hand-write false information on tax forms and other documents used in the preparation of their returns. Shivers further admitted that she held training sessions for her employees, during which she would instruct them on how to manipulate the information on tax returns in order to obtain refunds to which the clients were not entitled. Between January 2014 and April 2017, Shivers and her co-conspirators prepared approximately 519 false tax returns, which claimed approximately $1.3 million in bogus refunds.
Shivers’ sentencing is scheduled for December 20, 2018. Shivers faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Shiver’s co-conspirators, Shannon DeWayne Patterson, Kristyn Dion Daney, and Rakeem Lenell Scales, have all pleaded guilty to charges of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns and are awaiting sentencing.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Martin commended special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Robert J. Boudreau and Lauren Castaldi of the Tax Division and Criminal Division Chief Clifton T. Barrett of the Middle District of North Carolina, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
North Carolina Tax Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to File False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Winston-Salem, North Carolina resident pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the United States by filing false tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew G. T. Martin of the Middle District of North Carolina.
According to court documents, Claudia Lynette Shivers conspired with others to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by preparing false tax returns. Shivers co-owned and operated two tax return preparation businesses: Fast Tax of Winston-Salem, Inc. in Winston-Salem and Quick Taxes LLC in Greensboro. Shivers and her co-conspirators falsified items on clients’ tax returns, such as dependents and Schedule A deductions, in order to fraudulently maximize their refunds. Shivers also directed clients to hand-write false information on tax forms and other documents used in the preparation of their returns. Shivers further admitted that she held training sessions for her employees, during which she would instruct them on how to manipulate the information on tax returns in order to obtain refunds to which the clients were not entitled. Between January 2014 and April 2017, Shivers and her co-conspirators prepared approximately 519 false tax returns, which claimed approximately $1.3 million in bogus refunds.
Shivers’ sentencing is scheduled for December 20, 2018. Shivers faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Shiver’s co-conspirators, Shannon DeWayne Patterson, Kristyn Dion Daney, and Rakeem Lenell Scales, have all pleaded guilty to charges of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns and are awaiting sentencing.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Martin commended special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Robert J. Boudreau and Lauren Castaldi of the Tax Division and Criminal Division Chief Clifton T. Barrett of the Middle District of North Carolina, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
# # #
North Carolina Man Sentenced for Immigration Fraud and Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
Raleigh – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that today, in federal court, HOUCINE GHOUL, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge James C Dever III, to serve 24 months imprisonment, followed by deportation, for attempted unlawful procurement of naturalization and making a false statements on his tax return. GHOUL pleaded guilty to these charges on November 13, 2017.
GHOUL, a citizen of Tunisia, entered the U.S. in 2001 on a tourist visa. After overstaying his visa, GHOUL married a U.S. citizen, whom he later divorced, and obtained status as a legal permanent resident.
The investigation into GHOUL’s conduct began in April 2014 when GHOUL posted a photo online that explicitly displayed support for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. This photo displayed an individual holding a sign with the Arabic phrase, “The victory of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria,” and then below this in English was written, “ISIS,” and “N. Carolina, USA.” The investigation later discovered that the individual holding the sign was merely an unwitting participant asked to hold the sign while GHOUL posed him in order to take the photo. The photo later appeared in an online propaganda video posted by others in an attempt to display the worldwide support for ISIS. Though he did not use his actual name or identity for the online accounts he used in regard to such conduct, GHOUL provided a self-description within the account: “Extremist, terrorist, tough, brain-washed, radical, I love explosions, booby trapping, beheading the enemy, and am among the supporters of establishing the religion with the sword.”
In December of 2014, GHOUL submitted an application for U.S. citizenship, and, in February 2017, GHOUL was interviewed in relation to his application. During this interview, GHOUL made a number of false statements. He falsely claimed that he had in no way associated with or been a member of any terrorist organization. He falsely claimed that he had never advocated for the overthrow of a government. He falsely claimed that he had never committed any offenses for which he had not been arrested. He falsely claimed that he had not married someone for the purpose of obtaining an immigration benefit. He falsely claimed that he had made other misrepresentations in order to obtain public benefits. All of these statements were false because GHOUL had sworn allegiance to ISIS and had been an active supporter of ISIS both online and in person, had explicitly advocated for the overthrow of the United States through violence, had unlawfully assisted in the sale of narcotics, had entered into a sham marriage for the sole purpose of obtaining U.S. citizenship, and had assisted in providing lies to the State of North Carolina in order to obtain childcare benefits.
Also, in 2015 and 2016, GHOUL filed tax returns in which he underreported his income by at least $90,000, thereby avoiding the payment of income tax.
Mr. Higdon complimented law enforcement’s tireless efforts: “Without the constant vigilance of our law enforcement partners, insidious threats such as this would never come to light until too late. Our country, our state, and every tax-paying citizen has been a victim of this defendant’s conduct. Thankfully, further victimization has come to an end and his violent rhetoric will no longer be a threat hiding within the Eastern District of North Carolina.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Jason Kellhofer represented the government in this case.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that EDDIE JAMES, age 40, of New Orleans, was sentenced today for a one-count Bill of Information charging bank robbery.
According to the Bill of Information, JAMES robbed the Fidelity Homestead Bank at 1201 S. Carrollton Avenue in New Orleans on November 2, 2017.
JAMES was sentenced to 39 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release and restitution in the amount of $1,114 to the Fidelity Homestead Bank at 1201 S. Carrollton Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Haller is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that EDDIE JAMES, age 40, of New Orleans, was sentenced today for a one-count Bill of Information charging bank robbery.
According to the Bill of Information, JAMES robbed the Fidelity Homestead Bank at 1201 S. Carrollton Avenue in New Orleans on November 2, 2017.
JAMES was sentenced to 39 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release and restitution in the amount of $1,114 to the Fidelity Homestead Bank at 1201 S. Carrollton Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Haller is in charge of the prosecution.
Navajo Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Involuntary Manslaughter ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Shannon Allen, 33, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Mariano Lake, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 34 months in prison for her conviction on an involuntary manslaughter charge. Allen will be on supervised release for three years after completing her prison sentence.
Allen was arrested in Oct. 2017, on a criminal complaint charging her with killing a man on Sept. 23, 2017, on the Navajo Indian Reservation in McKinley County, N.M. According to the complaint, Allen killed the victim when she lost controlled of her vehicle and caused her vehicle to rollover. At the time, Allen was driving under the influence of alcohol.
Allen subsequently was indicted on Oct. 24, 2017, and was charged with involuntary manslaughter. On May 10, 2018, Allen pled guilty to the indictment and admitted killing the victim while driving recklessly and under the influence of alcohol. Allen acknowledged that the alcohol rendered her incapable of exercising clear judgment and a steady hand in operating the vehicle.
This case was investigated by the Crownpoint office of the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety and Assistant U.S. Attorney Raquel Ruiz-Velez prosecuted the case.
Myrtle Beach Man Goes to Trial on Federal Drug and Weapons Charges - Pleads Guilty at Close of Government's CaseRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Frederick Julien Augustine, a/k/a “Cowboy,” age 42, of Mullins, South Carolina, entered a mid-trial guilty plea to possession with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, more than 28 grams of crack cocaine, and quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana. In addition, he pled guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Augustine had previously been convicted of Assault and Battery with Intent to Kill, Distribution of Crack Cocaine, Burglary (2nd Degree), and Possession of a Weapon during a Crime of Violence. Augustine’s plea subjects him to a statutory mandatory sentence of 180 months of incarceration.
The Government’s evidence showed that on October 26, 2017, officers of the Myrtle Beach Police Department Street Crimes Unit, assisted by a Task Force Officer of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), executed a search warrant on a Myrtle Beach apartment after observing Augustine leave alone. Inside the apartment, officers located approximately 641 grams of cocaine, 49 grams of crack cocaine, 59 grams of heroin, and 27 grams of methamphetamine, all hidden with arm’s reach of a loaded .357 Magnum revolver and additional ammunition. Officers additionally seized more than $11,000 in suspected drug proceeds hidden in a safe with more than ½ kilogram of cocaine, and downloaded several surveillance cameras that had been set up at the apartment. ATF’s analysis of the cameras confirmed that Augustine was at the apartment for weeks leading up to the execution of the warrant, and that he was the last person the leave before the search was conducted. Augustine was arrested on a traffic stop while the search warrant was being executed. He was in possession of $3,000 in additional suspected drug proceeds. Augustine pled guilty after the Government presented its evidence to the jury.
Assistant United States Attorney Everett McMillan of the Florence office handled the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Myrtle Beach Police Department and prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Operation “Real Time,” which seeks to fast track armed recidivists for federal prosecution. Operation “Real Time” is a part of the Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is South Carolina’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
Augustine has been in continuous custody since his arrest on October 26, 2017, and he will remain in custody until he serves out his federal sentence.
#####
Mexican Citizen Admits Transportation of Illegal AlienRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Feliciano Felipe Diaz-Estrada, also known as Feliciano Villas-Estrada, age 56, a Mexican citizen living in Long Island City, New York, pled guilty today to transporting an illegal alien within the United States.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Robert N. Garcia, Acting Chief Patrol Agent, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector.
As part of his plea, Diaz-Estrada admitted that on May 21, 2018, he drove to Montreal where he met with David Lopez-Garcia. Diaz-Estrada then drove to the Champlain Port of Entry and entered the United States alone. Simultaneously, Lopez-Garcia was walking across the border one-half mile east of the Champlain Port of Entry and avoided United States immigration inspection.
Lopez-Garcia walked to a spot south of the border where he waited for Diaz-Estrada. After entering the United States during the early morning of May 22, 2018, Diaz-Estrada drove to a cemetery in Champlain, New York, where he stopped and picked up the waiting Lopez-Garcia. Border Patrol Agents observed the pick-up and followed Diaz-Estrada as he entered I-87 southbound. Shortly after he entered I-87 southbound, Diaz-Estrada was stopped and arrested by Border Patrol Agents.
Lopez-Garcia, age 46, a citizen of Mexico residing in Charlotte, North Carolina, was convicted of the misdemeanor offense of entry without inspection on June 5, 2018 and sentenced to 15 days in jail.
As a result of his conviction, Diaz-Estrada faces up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 when he is sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn on December 6, 2018. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by Border Patrol and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward P. Grogan.
Martin County Resident Sentenced to Thirty Years in Prison for Production and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Joshua Laine Rogers, 35, of Stuart, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Senior Judge Donald L. Graham to 30 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for producing and distributing pornography of a teenage victim. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Robert F. Lasky, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, Ken Mascara, Sheriff, St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office (SLCSO), and William D. Snyder, Sheriff, Martin County Sheriff's Office (MCSO), made the announcement.
According to the court record, on September 3, 2017, SLCSO deputies responded to a “Missing Person Juvenile/ Runaway” call for a missing 16-year-old minor. On September 27, 2017, MCSO Detectives located Rogers with the minor victim. The investigation revealed that Rogers met the victim on-line and had the victim stay at his residence. A forensic analysis of Roger’s cellular smart phone revealed he had recorded sexually explicit activity with the minor victim on numerous occasions, using his cellular smartphone. Rogers distributed many of the captured images and videos to other individuals, via MMS text communications, on a social media networking program, and in the personal section of a Treasure Coast website.
Rogers and Lockley, together at Rogers’ residence, also produced videos depicting sexually explicit conduct and activity with the minor victim. A forensic analysis of Lockley’s cellular smart phone revealed he had used it to record sexually explicit activity with the minor victim.
On January 17, 2018, Co-Defendant Richard William Lockley, 34, of Stuart, pled guilty to one count of production of visual depictions of sexual exploitation of minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2251(a) and (e). On April 20, 2018, Lockley was sentenced to 15 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for producing pornography of that teenage victim.
On March 22, 2018, Rogers pled guilty to two counts of production of visual depictions of sexual exploitation of minors and one count of distribution production of visual depictions of sexual exploitation of minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1).
Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, SLCSO and the MCSO for their work on this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen Lineberger.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 8 years in prison and 20 years of supervised release for receipt, transportation, and possession of images of child sexual abuse.
According to court documents, Robert Michael Fall, 42, possessed thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse at the time of his arrest, and had been collecting the images for at least a decade. A search warrant and forensic investigation revealed that Fall possessed at least two laptops, numerous DVDs, and a Dropbox account containing illicit images and videos. Despite the fact that Fall used fake email accounts to try to hide his digital tracks, the evidence at trial indicated that his Dropbox account alone contained over 320 images and over 2,900 videos of child sexual abuse. Virginia Beach police first became aware of Fall’s illegal conduct when a relative reported finding a laptop with images of apparent child sexual abuse in Fall’s bedroom.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, and James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth M. Yusi and Daniel T. Young prosecuted 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. 2:17-cr-12.
Lowell Physicians Settle Drug Diversion AllegationsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Lowell-based physicians have agreed to settle with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to resolve allegations of improper dispensing of controlled substances and improper billing.
Dr. Hung K. Do and his addiction treatment clinic, H.K.D. Treatment Options, have agreed to pay $23,000 to settle claims of improper billing of medical services under the Controlled Substances Act and the False Claims Act. Dr. Vasumathi Brown, a physician employed by H.K.D., has agreed to pay a $12,500 civil penalty for issuing invalid prescriptions for controlled substances under the Controlled Substances Act.
It is alleged that, at Dr. Do’s direction, Dr. Brown signed hundreds of blank prescriptions for use by unsupervised non-physician staff while Dr. Brown was on vacation abroad in December 2016. Ultimately, unsupervised non-physician staff issued over 600 prescriptions for controlled substances using the pre-signed blank prescriptions. It is further alleged that Dr. Do subsequently billed Medicare improperly for services related to the prescriptions that non-physician staff provided in Dr. Brown’s absence, and that Dr. Do falsely reported to Medicare that Dr. Brown supervised those services.
“Ensuring the proper handling of prescriptions is a critical part of our ongoing efforts to maintain patient safety and prevent drug diversion,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “Our success in fighting the opioid crisis depends on the diligence of prescribers in ensuring that those seeking addiction treatment receive proper medical supervision.”
“In response to the ongoing opioid epidemic DEA’s obligation is to improve public safety and public health,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to ensure that rules and regulations that protect against drug diversion and promote responsible dispensing of controlled substances are followed.”
“We entrust physicians and their medical practices to medically care for their patients, honestly bill for services, and ensure that taxpayers’ healthcare dollars are properly spent, ” said Phillip Coyne Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “HHS-OIG will continue to pursue penalties against medical providers who inappropriately bill Medicare and potentially jeopardize patient safety by failing to properly manage their prescribing of controlled substances.”
“This settlement highlights the FBI’s commitment to combating the illegal distribution of opioids by medical professionals,” said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division. “We’re committed to working with our law enforcement partners to make sure dishonest health care professionals who exploit Medicare through fraudulent billing and other schemes will be held accountable.”
U.S. Attorney Lelling, DEA SAC Boyle, HHS-OIG SAC Coyne, and FBI SAC Shaw, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kriss Basil and Doreen Rachal of Lelling’s Office handled the matter.
Los Angeles Strike Force Targets Drug Trafficking Organizations that Allegedly Smuggled Sinaloa Cartel Narcotics into U.S.Read the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Capping a three-year investigation by the Los Angeles Strike Force, authorities this morning arrested 20 defendants named in a series of indictments that allege the smuggling of large quantities of narcotics from Mexico on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Those arrested this morning are among 57 defendants named in three indictments that were unsealed this morning. Two of the defendants were already in state custody and are being turned over today to federal authorities. The remaining 35 defendants are currently fugitives, with most of those believed to be in Mexico at this time.
The investigation – dubbed Operation Narconetas – targeted three drug trafficking organizations that allegedly transported bulk quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin from Mexico to the Los Angeles metropolitan area and other locations across the United States. The investigation revealed that Sinaloa Cartel operatives moved narcotics to the northern reaches of Mexico, and the defendants charged in the indictments transported the drugs into the United States, often using vehicles with hidden compartments. One of the indictments alleges that money generated from illegal drug sales in the United States transported in bulk quantities from the United States into Mexico.
As a result of Operation Narconetas, authorities seized approximately 850 pounds of methamphetamine, nearly one ton of cocaine, 93 pounds of heroin, almost 50 pounds of marijuana, and $1.42 million in United States currency.
The Los Angeles Strike Force investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Agencies participating in Operation Narconetas include the Los Angeles Police Department; IRS Criminal Investigation; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the United States Marshals Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the California Highway Patrol; the Torrance Police Department; the Glendale Police Department; the Pomona Police Department; the Fullerton Police Department; and the Azusa Police Department.
These Strike Force members uncovered several sophisticated international drug trafficking organizations that regularly transported narcotics across the U.S.-Mexico border and at times stored drugs in “stash houses” in cities across the Southland. The narcotics then were distributed throughout the United States.
The Los Angeles Strike Force was formed in 2014 to target Mexican drug cartels that utilize the Los Angeles metropolitan region as a primary hub for the distribution of narcotics across the United States. The goals of the Strike Force are to target high-level narcotics traffickers, disrupt and dismantle the cartels’ narcotics trafficking and related money laundering activities, and arrest and prosecute the cartels’ leaders and operatives.
“More than simply seizing large quantities of drugs and money, this investigation was able to identify the top-level, Mexican-based traffickers who directed the transactions, and who thought they were using secure communication devices to commit their crimes,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison. “Our ability to obtain those communications continues to be an important part of our ability to solve these crimes. The Los Angeles Strike Force has become a leader in using innovative investigative techniques to target Mexico-based drug trafficking organizations.”
“This investigation was responsible for removing over 1,300 kilograms of narcotics from the streets of Los Angeles and other cities, and no doubt prevented violence in our communities, said Paul Delacourt, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI in Los Angeles. “We expect this case will have a significant impact on the transportation abilities of these organizations.”
“The Greater Los Angeles Area is utilized by criminal organizations as a hub for the transportation and distribution of illicit drugs throughout the United States,” said DEA Associate Special Agent in Charge Bill Bodner. “Today’s joint operation sends a clear message that law enforcement is committed to stemming the flow of narcotics into our country and protecting Americans from the violence that accompanies drug trafficking.”
The three drug trafficking indictments each allege conspiracies to distribute controlled substances. The indictments also contain asset forfeiture allegations in which the government is seeking to forfeit any property used to commit or facilitate the drug trafficking offenses. One of the indictments alleges a conspiracy to launder money and bulk cash smuggling.
“Today’s arrest of multiple defendants for their alleged role in smuggling funds from illegal drug transactions in and out of the United States is a victory for the American public and a defeat to drug traffickers everywhere. The special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation continue in their mission to disrupt the flow of ill-gotten gains that is the life-blood for these criminals,” said Special Agent in Charge R. Damon Rowe, Los Angeles Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “We will continue to be relentless in our mission to dismantle these drug trafficking organizations and bring the criminals who run them to justice.”
The defendants arrested today in the Central District of California are being arraigned, starting this morning, in United States District Court in Los Angeles.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If they are convicted in this case, most of the defendants would be subject to mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years in federal prison and potential sentences of life without parole.
Leawood Attorney Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Leawood attorney admitted today that he concealed his assets and income in an effort to keep the Internal Revenue Service from collecting more than $132,000 in taxes he owed, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
David B. Mandelbaum, Leawood, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. In his plea, he admitted he owed more than $132,000 from the 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010 tax years. He concealed his assets and income from the IRS by setting up bank accounts under other identities and making false statements. He also kept personal money in a trust account that was supposed to include only funds belonging to clients, in order to hide that money from the IRS.
Sentencing is set for October 29. He faces a penalty of up to three years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. He agreed to pay restitution of slightly more than $202,000, which includes penalties and interest. The Internal Revenue Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon Patton is prosecuting.
Leader and Other Members of Multi-State Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Joshua Peace, age 30, mother of Joshua Peace, Susan Peace, age 63, Brian Harper, age 34, and Regina Kinard, age 42, were sentenced in federal court. Joshua Peace, Kinard, and Harper pled guilty to participating in a drug conspiracy involving more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, and received sentences of 15 years imprisonment, 12 years imprisonment, and 11 years imprisonment respectively. Susan Peace pled guilty to using a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking crime, and she received a sentence of 5 years’ probation with electronic monitoring and a curfew.
Assistant United States Attorney Andy Moorman told the Court during the sentencing hearings that Joshua Peace, with the help of his mother, Susan Peace, Kinard, Harper, and others facilitated the distribution of approximately $1.2 million in methamphetamine in the Upstate of South Carolina and elsewhere. Peace would send couriers to meet with sources of supply for methamphetamine in Northern Georgia. These couriers would purchase kilogram quantities of methamphetamine and return to the Upstate of South Carolina, typically Anderson, South Carolina. Once there, the methamphetamine would be dispersed among local distributors, who would sell the methamphetamine and return the proceeds to Josh Peace. During the course of the investigation and prosecution, federal agents and local law enforcement seized in excess of $600,000 in U.S. Currency, seven automobiles, and other property that conspirators bought with drug proceeds.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, the Anderson Police Department, and the Franklin County (GA) Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
#####
Las Vegas Woman Sentenced to Jail for Wire Fraud and Money Laundering OffensesRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Donna Alms, 55, a resident of Las Vegas, Nevada, and formerly of the Big Island of Hawaii, was sentenced today to 33 months in federal prison for defrauding Waste Management of Hawaii, Inc. of $862,722 over the course of 4 years.
According to information presented in court, Alms pled guilty in January 2018 to wire fraud and money laundering offenses that occurred while she was an operations specialist for Waste Management on the Island of Hawaii. Alms’s duties included obtaining temporary laborers to pick litter from Waste Management’s landfill site, and to arrange for their payment through an outside vendor. The vendor would then submit invoices to Alms for payment by Waste Management. During court proceedings, Alms admitted that she inflated approximately 247 invoices submitted to Waste Management by the vendor by cutting and pasting numbers onto a template that she maintained. Alms’s activities caused Waste Management to pay the vendor $862,722 in costs above what was actually billed. Alms then directed the vendor to return $692,549 of the excess payments to her, calling them “wages” to disguise the nature, source, and ownership of the funds.
U.S. District Judge Derrick K. Watson imposed a 33 month sentence, noting that Alms’s conduct was elaborate and repetitive. Alms was also ordered to pay restitution of $862,722, and to serve a 3 year term of supervision following her release.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Tong.
Kayenta Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Involuntary Manslaughter Related to Drunk DrivingRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – On Aug. 8, 2018, Ethan Barlow, 27, of Kayenta, Ariz., and a member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to 46 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Barlow had previously pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter.
The case involved Barlow driving his vehicle with a BAC level of over .134 (three hours post-crash). Barlow admitted that he had been drinking rum and smoking marijuana. As a result, Barlow caused his vehicle to roll over and crash, killing his sole passenger. The crash occurred within the Navajo Reservation.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Navajo Nation Department of Law Enforcement, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The prosecution was handled by Sharon K. Sexton, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-8318-PCT-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-103_ Barlow
# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Jefferson County, Ohio man sentenced to 30 years for drug distribution and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Emory Chiles, of Steubenville, Ohio, was sentenced this week to 360 months incarceration for drug and firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
“When illegal drug distribution is combined with firearms it represents a clear and present danger to the citizens of this district and won’t be tolerated. This sentence sends a strong message to those engaging in this type of conduct that they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, “ said Powell.
A jury found Chiles, age 43, guilty of one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin,” one count of “Use of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Offense,” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm” in April 2018. Chiles distributed heroin and possessed a 9mm pistol in Monongalia County in November 2017. Chiles was previously convicted of a felony in the Northern District of West Virginia.
“Drug dealers with guns are violent criminals who pose an increased threat to the safety of our communities,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Stuart Lowrey of the Louisville Field Division. “ATF and our local partners will aggressively investigate, arrest and pursue prosecution of these offenders.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.Jamaican National Sentenced for Aggravated Identify TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Jamaican national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for misuse of a Social Security number and aggravated identity theft.
Basil Ledgister, 41, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to 26 months in prison. In May 2018, Ledgister pleaded guilty to one count of misuse of a Social Security number and one count of aggravated identity theft.
In January 2015, Ledgister falsely represented that a Social Security number belonging to another person was his in an application for a license at the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Ledgister committed aggravated identity theft by using the Social Security number of another person in committing the crime of false representation of a Social Security number.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Boston Field Office; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General; and Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Richardson of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Inmate Sentenced for Contraband Smuggling at Jackson County Detention CenterRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An inmate at the Jackson County Detention Center was sentenced in federal court today for leading a conspiracy to smuggle contraband cell phones and other items into the jail.
Carlos Laron Hughley, 33, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to six years and six months in federal prison without parole.
The court ordered today’s federal sentence be served consecutively to any sentence that may be imposed in an unrelated state case in which Hughley is charged with domestic assault, armed criminal action, careless and imprudent driving, possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest.
On Feb. 14, 2018, Hughley pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of using a telephone in furtherance of unlawful activity. While he was an inmate in the Jackson County Detention Center, Hughley was the ringleader of a scheme to smuggle contraband (including a cell phone and charging cable) into the jail. Aided and abetted by minions outside the jail acting at his direction, Hughley bribed a former corrections officer, Jalee Caprice Fuller, 30, of Independence, Mo., to smuggle contraband to inmates at the detention center between May 2 and June 26, 2017.
Hughley is the father of an infant child he conceived with Fuller. According to court documents, Hughley used the affections Fuller had for him to convince her to violate the trust placed in her as a corrections officer and participate in the contraband smuggling scheme.
Fuller, as well as co-defendant Marion Lorenzo Byers, also known as “Cuddy,” 36, of Kansas City, Mo., also have pleaded guilty and been sentenced. Co-defendant Janikkia Lashay Carter, 36, of Kansas City, Mo., also has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
Each defendant participated in multiple recorded telephone calls where various aspects of the contraband smuggling scheme were discussed. Byers, an associate of Hughley’s, delivered the contraband to Carter, one of Hughley’s former love interests. Knowing that Carter still had feelings for him, and despite the fact that Hughley was professing to Fuller that he only wanted to be with her, Hughley used the affections Carter had for him to convince her to commit the crime of smuggling contraband into the jail. Carter in turn delivered contraband to Fuller. Fuller used her position as a corrections officer to smuggle the contraband to Hughley inside the detention center.
In a separate case arising from the federal investigation, another former corrections officer, Andre Lamonte Dickerson, 26, of Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty to two counts of using a telephone in furtherance of the unlawful activity of acceding to corruption, related to a public servant taking a bribe in return for violating his legal duty. Dickerson admitted that he told a confidential informant that he would smuggle two packs of cigarettes, a cell phone and a cell phone charger to an inmate in the detention center for $500. Dickerson is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 31, 2018.
These cases are being prosecuted by Deputy U.S. Attorney Gene Porter and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. They were investigated by the FBI and the Jackson County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department with assistance from the Missouri Department of Corrections, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Jackson County Detention Center.
Indictment: Woman Serving Fraud Sentence Walked Away from Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Texas woman was charged today with escaping from custody at a halfway house where she was serving a sentence for fraud, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Chrystal Rippey, 38, formerly of Marshall, Texas, is charged with one count of escaping federal custody. In May 2015, she was sentenced to five years in federal prison for wire fraud. She pleaded guilty to defrauding a Texas couple who gave her more than $22,000 as part of a plan to adopt her unborn twins. In fact, Rippey lied to the couple and she was not pregnant.
On July 17, 2018, Rippey turned up missing from the Grossman Residential Reentry Center in Leavenworth, Kan. She was arrested later in Monroe, La.
If convicted, she faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Marshals Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Scott Joseph Skibo, 54, Chetopa, Kan., is charged in a superseding indictment with two new counts, including one count of growing marijuana and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. Charges remaining from an earlier indictment include one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Sept. 18, 2017, in Labette County, Kan.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Manufacturing marijuana: Up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Possession with intent to distribute marijuana: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking: Not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000.
Unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Labette County Sheriff’s Department and the Chetopa Police Department investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Rodebaugh is prosecuting
Carlos Jaquez-Terrazas, 33, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with one count of possessing a firearm while in the United States unlawfully. The crime is alleged to have occurred July 18, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. A deportation officer with Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.
Jose Vincente Lira-Ramirez, 44, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found July 1, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. A deportation officer with Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.
Ignacio Hernandez-Mendez, 48, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found June 27, 2018, in Wyandotte County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask is prosecuting.Pedro Carrera-Ramos, 27, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found July 12, 2018, in Johnson County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask is prosecuting.
Carlos Ramirez-Reyes, 41, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found May 7, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. A deportation officer with Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.
Marco Antonio Cardenas-Rodriguez, 40, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found July 27, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. A deportation officer with Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
##
Heroin Dealer Sentenced to 22 Years for Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Fredericksburg man was sentenced today to 22 years in prison for his role in a heroin distribution conspiracy and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Dustin Washington, 35, joined a conspiracy in late 2014 with several other individuals to sell heroin in the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County areas. Over the course of the conspiracy Washington sold fentanyl, a more potent, synthetic form of heroin, at least three times, including twice to an undercover officer. Subsequently, law enforcement used a confidential source to make controlled purchases of heroin from Washington in 2016. Audio recordings made during the controlled purchases revealed that Washington used other members of the conspiracy to provide him heroin to sell. On April 17, 2017, law enforcement executed search warrants on the homes of two other co-conspirators, finding more than 75 grams of heroin, and large quantities of cocaine and Molly. While executing a search warrant on Washington’s vehicle, law enforcement found an AR-15 rifle in the trunk. From 2014 through 2017, Washington and his co-conspirators distributed and possessed with the intent to distribute more than 1 kilogram of heroin.
On January 25, 2018, a federal jury convicted Washington of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 1 kilogram or more of heroin, and of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. At trial Washington testified that he was not a part of the conspiracy and had never seen the AR-15 found in his vehicle. At the sentencing hearing, the court found that Washington had committed perjury during his trial testimony, resulting in a sentencing guidelines range of 235-292 months.
Co-defendants Earnest Wright, Tyrell Brown, Michael Fox, and Sheronda Fox, all pleaded guilty and received sentences of 20, 18, 17, and 9 years, respectively.
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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, and Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case.
The case was investigated by the Fredericksburg FBI Narcotics Task Force, which includes the DEA, FBI, Virginia State Police, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, and Fredericksburg Police Department.
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. 3:17-cr-104.
Henderson Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Felon in Possession ChargeRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today, ODELL LAMECHE OVERBY, 46, of Henderson, North Carolina, was sentenced by United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan to 120 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
OVERBY was named in an Indictment on March 15, 2018 charging him with Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. On May 16, 2018, OVERBY pled guilty to the charge.
On December 18, 2017, members of the Granville County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home invasion in Oxford. Upon arriving at the residence, deputies observed a vehicle backed up to the residence with the engine running, the trunk open, and several items in the trunk of the vehicle. Deputies saw and secured OVERBY inside the house. Deputies observed an AR-15 assault rifle on the floor a short distance away from OVERBY. OVERBY was placed under arrest. Deputies determined that the firearm was loaded and that OVERBY had been taking items out of the home after breaking into it.
There was one person in the home that was able to call for help from a bedroom when OVERBY made entry into the house. OVERBY pointed the rifle at the person and tied them up.
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.
In support of PSN, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina has implemented the Take Back North Carolina Initiative. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Granville County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette handled the prosecution of this case for the government.
Hartford Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTON MITCHELL, also known as “Blaze,” 29, of Hartford, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in May 2018, law enforcement received information that MITCHELL was attempting to sell a firearm. On May 9, 2018, investigators attempted a controlled purchase of a firearm from MITCHELL in exchange for $450. During the transaction on Farmington Avenue in Hartford, MITCHELL fled from law enforcement in a car at a high rate of speed. The pursuit ended in Wethersfield where MITCHELL was apprehended. At the time of his arrest, MITCHELL possessed a loaded .40 caliber Hi-Point, Smith and Wesson handgun.
MITCHELL was convicted in state court in 2014 for criminal possession of a weapon, in 2011 for conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, in 2009 for second-degree burglary and second-degree sexual assault, in 2008 for third-degree larceny, and in 2007 for third-degree robbery and carrying a dangerous weapon.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
MITCHELL is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson on October 31, 2018, at which time MITCHELL faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. MITCHELL has been detained since his arrest.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson.
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 neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Green Bay Man Sentenced to Prison for Drug Dealing and Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger announced that Damien D. Gambrell (age: 37) of Green Bay, Wisconsin, was sentenced on August 3, 2018 in federal court in Green Bay for conspiracy to distribute heroin and enticement of another to travel in interstate commerce to engage in a prostitution act. Chief United States District Judge William C. Griesbach sentenced Gambrell to a ten year term of imprisonment on the drug conspiracy charge and a ten year term of imprisonment to run concurrently on the enticement charge. Judge Griesbach also gave Gambrell credit on the ten year prison term for time Gambrell spent in state and federal custody leading up to the sentencing. Judge Griesbach placed Gambrell on supervised release for ten years following his term of imprisonment. Because of the enticement conviction, Gambrell is also required to register as a sex offender.
Gambrell was sentenced following his earlier guilty plea to the drug conspiracy charge that included distribution of over 100 grams of heroin and also involved the distribution of heroin leading to an overdose death. While investigating the heroin overdose case, Green Bay Police recovered text messages and telephone calls consistent with Gambrell enticing and soliciting adult women to engage in prostitution acts in the greater Green Bay area as well as Chicago, Illinois. Police also found several adult women who confirmed that Gambrell enticed and persuaded them to engage in sexual acts for money. Gambrell supplied some of these women with heroin and had them assist with heroin sales.
In imposing sentence, Chief Judge Griesbach stressed the tragic nature of the case including the accidental overdose deatjh, and the impact it had on his family and community in general. Further, Chief Judge Griesbach stated Gambrell’s exploitation of drug addicts and adult women for his financial gain warranted a lengthy sentence and should deter others from committing a similar offense.
This case was investigated by the Green Bay Police Department, Brown County District Attorney’s Office, and Brown County Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Roach.
# # # # #
For additional information contact:
Public Information Officer Dean Puschnig, 414-297-1700
Gainesville brothers sentenced for distributing crack cocaineRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, Ga. – Twin brothers, Kecole Dukes and Kemeca Dukes, have been sentenced for conspiracy to distribute and distribution of crack cocaine.
“Crack cocaine continues to be a scourge in our communities – particularly in North Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “These defendants have multiple state convictions for distributing crack cocaine in the past. Their sentences today demonstrate the serious consequences that career drug dealers face when they are convicted in federal court.”
“The distribution of narcotics, like crack cocaine, fuels violent crime in our community,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Arthur Peralta. “The Dukes brothers could have chosen a different life path, but unfortunately they did not. ATF will continue to focus on the reduction of violent crime in our communities and this sentence should serve as a warning to anyone who chooses to support or engage in violent crime. ATF, along with our federal and state partners, will find you and we will arrest you.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: From August 2015 to October 2016, Kemeca Dukes and Kecole Dukes, who are twin brothers, conspired to sell crack cocaine on multiple occasions to informants working for ATF and the Hall County Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad (MANS) Unit. Kemeca Dukes was the primary contact for the informants and sold varying quantities of crack cocaine to them on 10 occasions. Kecole Dukes sold or provided crack cocaine to the informants on three occasions and acted as a lookout for his brother on other occasions when Kemeca Dukes met with the informants to sell them crack cocaine.
At the time, both Kemeca Dukes and Kecole Dukes were on parole with the State of Georgia. Both were convicted in Hall County Superior Court in 2011, for selling crack cocaine and both were released in 2014. Both brothers were back selling crack cocaine less than a year later.
Kecole Dukes, 41, of Gainesville, Georgia was sentenced to eight years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release on August 7, 2018. He was found guilty on March 29, 2018, by a federal court jury of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute at least 28 grams of crack cocaine and three counts of distributing crack cocaine.
Kemeca Dukes, 41, of Gainesville, Georgia was sentenced to seven years, six months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release on August 7, 2018. He pleaded guilty to one count of distributing crack cocaine on March 23, 2018.
This case was investigated jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Hall County Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad Unit.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William L. McKinnon, Jr., Senior Litigation Counsel for the Gainesville, Georgia Division; Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin E. Sanders; and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and Hall County Assistant District Attorney Juliet Aldridge, prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former cardiology practice office manager sentenced for embezzling over $1.1 millionRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Monica Rigsby, a former office manager for a cardiology practice, has been sentenced to federal prison for embezzling over $1.1 million from her employer.
“This defendant’s greed drove her to steal over one million dollars from her employer,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Criminals who embezzle money from businesses will face prosecution, but employers should also take steps to safeguard against fraud committed by their employees.”
“Rigsby took advantage of her position to profit illegally, violating the trust that Georgia Pediatric Cardiology put in her,” said J.C. “Chris” Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Her conviction should serve as a reminder that the FBI is committed to making cases like this a strong deterrent to those tempted by greed.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Rigsby was the office manager at the Georgia Pediatric Cardiology practice located in Stockbridge, Georgia. While working as the office manager, the defendant altered the accounting system to make it appear that she was being reimbursed for legitimate expenses when, in fact, she was stealing a portion of the funds and diverting the money for her own personal use. Rigsby’s fraud scheme cost the medical practice over $1.1 million. The defendant used the embezzled funds to purchase clothing, jewelry, an automobile, and to pay for her daughter’s college tuition.
Monica Rigsby, 55, of Saint Petersburg, Florida, was sentenced to two years, six months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on August 7, 2018. Rigsby was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,178,314.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Krepp and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan P. Kitchens, Deputy Chief of the Cyber & Intellectual Property Crime Section prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former Wichita Police Officer Pleads Guilty, Admits He Knew About Illegal GamblingRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A former Wichita police officer pleaded guilty today and admitted he knew about illegal poker games, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Bruce Mackey, 46, Goddard, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of misprision of a felony. Mackey admitted that while he was a police officer he knew and did not report individuals who were conducting a gambling business. During an illegal poker game in February 2014, Mackey told the organizers of the game that one of the gamblers was a Wichita police officer working undercover.
Sentencing is set for Oct. 26. He faces a penalty of up to three years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Wichita Police Department and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst are prosecuting.
Former City of Atlanta deputy chief of staff charged with accepting bribesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Evelyn Katrina Taylor-Parks has been charged with conspiring to accept bribe payments while serving as the City of Atlanta’s Deputy Chief of Staff to the Mayor.
“As the Deputy Chief of Staff, the City of Atlanta and its citizens placed immeasurable trust in Parks to act in the best interests of the city,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Public officials have a responsibility to lead with integrity. Regrettably, Parks allegedly exchanged the power and trust given to her for bribe money paid by a city contractor.”
“Great trust was placed in Parks as Deputy Chief of Staff and she is charged with abusing that position to serve her own financial interests,” said J. C. “Chris” Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Because actions like this erode the public’s trust in government, the FBI will continue to vigorously pursue any public official who chooses to violate that trust.”
“Parks’ alleged engagement in personal benefit over the public’s trust cannot be tolerated as a high ranking city official,” said Thomas J. Holloman, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation Atlanta. “Pay to play politics will continue to drive IRS-CI and its partners to follow the money in this saga of city hall malfeasance.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges, and other information presented in court: From approximately January 2010 to May 2018, Parks served as the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Mayor of the City of Atlanta, working with the Chief of Staff, Chief Operating Officer, and Department Commissioners to advance the administration’s legislative agenda with the Atlanta City Council. She also served as a representative on several community outreach committees. From 2011 to February 2014, Parks conspired to accept bribes from a vendor with the City of Atlanta. The vendor paid Parks thousands of dollars, and in return the vendor received tens of thousands of dollars for City of Atlanta contract work. Parks filed financial disclosure statements with the City of Atlanta in which she falsely attested that she was not self-employed or employed by any business or entity other than the City of Atlanta.
Evelyn Katrina Taylor-Parks, 49, of Douglas County, Georgia, has been charged in a criminal information with one count of conspiratorial bribery. Parks is expected to plead guilty to the charge at 3:00 p.m. on August 13, 2018, before U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey W. Davis, Chief of the Public Integrity and Special Matters Sections, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former CEO of Defense Contractor, Wellco Enterprises, Inc., Sentenced to 41 Months in Federal Prison for “Made in the USA” Marketing and Contract FraudRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On August 6, 2018, the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Wellco Enterprises, Inc. (Wellco), and Tactical Holdings Operations, Inc. (Tactical Holdings), Vincent Lee Ferguson, 66, of Knoxville, Tennessee, was sentenced by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, U.S. District Judge, to serve 41 months in federal prison for his role in a wire fraud conspiracy.
Wellco’s former Senior Vice President of Sales, Matthew Lee Ferguson, 41, of Geneva, Illinois, and former Director of Marketing and Communications, Kerry Joseph Ferguson, 36, of Houston, Texas, were previously sentenced in June 2018 to each serve six months in federal prison for the same crime. There is no parole in the federal system.
Wellco was a leading manufacturer and supplier of military footwear to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and to civilian customers for over 70 years. From 2006 through 2012, DoD alone paid in excess of $138 million to Wellco for the supply of combat boots. From December 2008 through August 2012, CEO Vincent Lee Ferguson conspired with his executive team to import military-style boots that were made in China into the U.S. and then deceptively market and sell those boots to DoD, government contractors, and the general public as “Made in the USA” and as compliant with the Berry Amendment and the Trade Agreements Act (TAA). The company sold over $8.1 million in fraudulent boots.
To conceal the fraud, the conspirators required the Chinese manufacturing facility to include “USA” on labels of boot uppers. After two shipments of these deceptively marked boots were seized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection, the conspirators ordered the Chinese facility to stitch tear-away “Made in China” labels in Wellco boot uppers. After importation, the conspirators instructed Wellco factory workers in Morristown, Tennessee, to tear out the “Made in China” tags prior to shipping the boots to government and commercial purchasers.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will prosecute aggressively, dishonest companies and individuals who take advantage of the United States, and potentially put our military men and women in danger, by fraudulently selling them counterfeit equipment which does not meet the standards set by the Berry Amendment and the TAA,” said U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey.
John F. Khin, Special Agent in Charge, Southeast Field Office, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) said, “While the United States continues to combat enemies foreign and domestic, corrupt individuals attempt to take advantage of our service members and exploit our Defense Department’s supply chain. DCIS investigations relentlessly pursue allegations of fraud, waste and abuse. This sentencing is one of countless examples of the impact DCIS and its law enforcement partners have to aggressively investigate these crimes and prosecute those responsible to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Ensuring the authenticity of the products within the military’s supply chain is of paramount importance to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI),” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI’s operations in Tennessee. “Falsely selling our military millions of dollars of combat boots by saying they were ‘Made in the USA’ when they are actually Chinese-knockoffs not only defrauds the government, but it also defrauds the American soldier. Our soldiers rely on their equipment from their guns to their boots to protect this country and counterfeit products could fail at a moment when they need them the most.”
“The General Services Administration (GSA) Office of Inspector General will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate contractors who fraudulently circumvent the federal procurement process,” said Special Agent in Charge, Floyd Martinez.
This case was investigated by HSI, DCIS, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, GSA Office of Inspector General, and Defense Contract Audit Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David L. Gunn and Timothy Harker represented the United States in court proceedings.
###
Florence Resident Sentenced in Federal Court for Manufacturing and Passing Counterfeit MoneyRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Gary Jerome Smart, age 26, of Florence, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Florence for conspiracy to manufacture and pass counterfeit money, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. United States District Judge Bryan Harwell, of Florence, sentenced Smart to 20 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
The evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that Smart was involved in a conspiracy to manufacture and pass counterfeit $100 and $50 bills in multiple states including South Carolina and North Carolina. This conspiracy, which began in 2015, included at least nine codefendants who were responsible for producing and passing over $100,000 in counterfeit money.
Smart was directly involved in making counterfeit at various locations, including residences in Florence. In January 2017, he also passed counterfeit $100 bills at businesses in Greenville and Spartanburg, South Carolina.
The case was investigated by agents of United States Secret Service with the assistance of the Florence County Sheriff’s Office and the Florence Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office prosecuted the case.
#####