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7 August 2018
North Dakota Man Charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Gwinner, North Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Bruce G. Maxwell, age 61, was indicted on June 13, 2018. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on August 2, 2018, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on or about May 23, 2018, Maxwell, who is an unlawful user of, and addicted to a controlled substance, knowingly received and possessed several firearms.
The charge is merely an accusation and Maxwell is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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 is being conducted by the Mobridge Police Department, the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, and the Bureau of Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Maxwell was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
North Carolina Fugitive Charged with Being A Felon in Possession of A GunRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that David Clyde Morgan, aka Uber Legend, 49, of Wilmington, North Carolina, was charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Marangola, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on July 18, 2018, Geneseo Police Officer Dylan DiPasquale was on routine patrol when he observed a white SUV on State Highway 63 commit various violations of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law.
The officer initiated a traffic stop and approached the vehicle, but could not see inside because of its dark tinted windows. As Officer DiPasquale approached, the defendant exited the vehicle through the driver's side door. The officer observed a black, sub-compact pistol in Morgan’s right hand and gave commands to the defendant who raised the handgun and pointed it at Officer DiPasquale. According to Officer DiPasquale, the defendant then went around the front of the vehicle, while a woman, who was outside the passenger side of the SUV, pointed what appeared to be a handgun at him. At this point, the officer fired one round from his service pistol. Moments later, a SUNY Geneseo Police Officer arrived and they observed the woman exiting a nearby cornfield, saying "I don't have a gun." The woman, identified as Sandra Nadine Brown, was then taken into custody.
On July 18 and 19, 2018, Sandra Nadine Brown was interviewed by investigators with the Livingston County Sheriff's Office. Brown told investigators that she had known David Clyde Morgan for about two years, and had been in a relationship with him for about six months. Brown also indicated that she was aware the defendant was on federal parole but did not know why. According to Brown, on July 11, 2018, the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office executed "a raid" on Morgan’s house in Wilmington, North Carolina and recovered three pounds of marijuana from the residence. According to Brown, she and Morgan decided to run from North Carolina adding that Morgan obtained a .22 black pistol in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
When they were pulled over by law enforcement in Geneseo, Brown told investigators that she and Morgan decided that Brown would point her cell phone at the officer and Morgan would point his handgun at the officer. Brown said their plan was to have law enforcement shoot at them and then run into the cornfield next to where they got pulled over. They would run through the field, meet up on the side of the road, and then go through the woods. While Brown was taken into custody, Morgan escaped.
In 2002, Morgan was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and sentenced to serve 211 months in prison. As a result of that federal felony conviction, the defendant is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict, New York Field Division; the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina; the Geneseo Police Department, under the direction of Chief Eric Osganian; and the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Thomas J. Dougherty.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
New Jersey Man Charged with Heroin PossessionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A New Jersey man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating the federal drug laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count indictment named Marvin Anthony, aka Kareem Anthony, aka Jamal Atwaters, aka Robert Jackson, aka Rasha Miller, aka Marvin Armstrong, aka Rasha Tyrner, age 41, of East Orange, New Jersey, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment, on March 5, 2018, Anthony possessed with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.
The defendant faces a maximum possible penalty of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of not more than $8,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Special Agents and Task Force Officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Washington County Drug Task Force, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Washington County District Attorney’s Office, and numerous local police departments including the Canonsburg Police Department, the Donora Police Department, the Monessen Police Department, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Charleroi Police Department, conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. United States Attorney Scott W. Brady praised the work of this cooperative law enforcement effort and has made opioid traffickers a specific target within the entire Western District of Pennsylvania.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Monroe County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison on Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Deshaun Lipscomb, age 26, of Monroe County, to 120 months’ imprisonment for drug and firearms crimes.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Lipscomb pled guilty in December 2017 to distribution and possession with intent to distribute over 100 grams of heroin (which is equivalent to approximately 4,000 individual doses), along with quantities of cocaine and marijuana, between January 2016 and February 2017. Lipscomb also plead guilty to possession of a 9mm handgun in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Lipscomb is a member of the Brick City Brims, a set of the Bloods criminal street gang. In May, Judge Mannion sentenced Lipscomb’s codefendant and fellow gang member, Pablo Martinez, to 150 months’ imprisonment for the robbery and shooting of a drug dealer in Stroudsburg. Martinez admitted to shooting the victim twice and pushing him from a pickup truck, all at high speed. A third co-defendant, Orrett Campbell, fired several rounds from a .40 caliber handgun at the pickup truck while giving chase. Judge Mannion sentenced Campbell to 96 months’ imprisonment in July.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police and was being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Federal Prison on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A 23-year-old Peabody, MA, man previously convicted in Rhode Island state court on multiple drug trafficking charges today was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Samuel Wango was arrested by Central Falls Police and members of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force during a Project Safe Neighborhoods drug trafficking investigation in February 2018. The investigation also resulted in the arrest of a Central Falls man on federal drug trafficking and firearm charges.
U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. also ordered Wango to serve 3 years supervised release upon completion of his term of incarceration. The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines range of imprisonment in this matter is 46-57 months. The government recommended the court impose a sentence of 41 months of incarceration.
Wango’s sentence is announced by United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch, Central Falls Police Chief Colonel James J. Mendonca, and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Harold H. Shaw.
In January 2018, the Central Falls Police Special Investigations Unit initiated an investigation into the alleged drug trafficking activities of Elton Andrade aka “MT Flex,”19, at his residence. The investigation allegedly included four controlled purchases of crack cocaine from Andrade.
On February 26, 2018, Central Falls Police and members of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force executed a court-authorized search of Andrade’s residence. At that time, law enforcement encountered Wango, who was found to be carrying a loaded revolver and 133 grams of Inositol commonly used as a cutting agent for narcotics.
From Andrade’s bedroom, law enforcement allegedly seized two plastic baggies containing a total of 33.24 grams of crack cocaine, two stolen firearms, a .380 caliber and a .357 caliber handgun, and $1,503 in cash. Andrade is awaiting trial in federal court on charges of possession with the intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and two counts of possession of a stolen firearm.
Project Safe Neighborhoods is a federal, state and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
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Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Six Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Russell Harrison, 40, of Temple Hills, Md., pled guilty today to possessing six firearms in furtherance of his participation in a drug trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Harrison pled guilty before the Honorable Richard J. Leon in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. The charge requires a mandatory minimum sentence of five years of incarceration and up to life imprisonment. Judge Leon scheduled sentencing for Nov. 16, 2018.
Harrison was arrested with seven other individuals in March 2018 in relation to a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 280 grams or more of crack. Numerous defendants were also charged with possessing and distributing various narcotics, including crack, cocaine, PCP and fentanyl, during the period of the investigation. The charges followed an investigation into narcotics trafficking in the Washington, D.C. area.
Harrison’s guilty plea is based on the discovery of six firearms, ammunition, and drug paraphernalia at his residence when it was searched by law enforcement on March 15, 2018. During the execution of a search warrant, FBI agents and members of the U.S. Marshals Service recovered six separate firearms, multiple rounds of ammunition, a 50-round capacity drum, a firearm silencer, and drug paraphernalia. During his plea hearing, Harrison acknowledged that he possessed the firearms in furtherance of his participation in a drug trafficking conspiracy.
This represents Harrison’s fourth felony conviction. He earlier was convicted twice of trafficking narcotics and once of committing an assault with a firearm.
This case is part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF specializes in the investigation and prosecution of drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu and Assistant Director in Charge McNamara commended the work of those who investigated the case. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service. Finally, they cited the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Paralegal Specialists Jeannette Litz and Teesha Tobias, Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Swanton, of the Asset Forfeiture & Money Laundering Section, who assisted with forfeiture related issues, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Macchiaroli and Kevin Rosenberg of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Section, who conducted the underlying investigation, indicted the case, and are prosecuting the remaining defendants.
Man Sentenced for Smuggling Liquid Methamphetamine to KansasRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A Mexican man was sentenced Monday to 12 years in federal prison for his role in smuggling more than 1,000 pounds of liquid methamphetamine into Kansas City, Kan., U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Fernando Chavez-Rodriguez, 43, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was arrested Jan. 13, 2017. Federal agents watched him and others at a business in Kansas City, Kan., unload liquid methamphetamine from a fuel tank on a semi-truck into five-gallon buckets. They loaded the buckets into a white Dodge Caravan.
McAllister commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kansas City DEA Special Response Team, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough for their work the case.
Louisiana Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Child Sex and Child Pornography CrimesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Iordan Bossev, age 22, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was sentenced yesterday to 6 years in prison for child sex and child pornography crimes.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Charles Margiotta, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
As part of his guilty plea, Bossev admitted that at the age of 19 he communicated with a 14-year-old over the internet. The communications became sexual in nature and Bossev sought and received via the internet numerous sexually explicit images of the victim from March 2015 through November 2015. In May 2015, after approximately 2 months of sending sexually explicit images back and forth, Bossev traveled from Louisiana to Watertown, New York, to meet the victim for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct. In anticipation of their meeting, Bossev rented a hotel room in Jefferson County. When the defendant arrived he and the victim spent parts of 2 days in the hotel room having sex.
In November 2015, Bossev traveled to Jefferson County with the intention of running away with the victim so the two could further engage in illicit sexual activity. Bossev bought a disguise for the victim at a local Walmart so the victim could dress up as a female and the two fled together via bus to New York City. From New York City, Bossev purchased tickets for the two to travel by Greyhound bus to San Francisco, California. From November 2015 to December 2016, Bossev and the victim lived together in San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon.
Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a lifetime term of supervised release, which will start after Bossev is released from prison, ordered the defendant to pay $10,000 in restitution to the victim, and ordered the defendant to pay a $5,400 special assessment. As a result of his conviction, Bossev will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
Bossev’s case was investigated by the New York State Police, the United States Marshals Service, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, the Washington County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Lockheed Martin Corporation/Mission Support Alliance Employee Enters Settlement of Alleged False Claims Act Violations in Connection with Contracts at Hanford SiteRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Richard A. Olsen agreed to pay $124,440 to resolve claims that he violated the False Claims Act by submitting inflated prices in connection with a subcontract between Mission Support Alliance, LLC (MSA), a prime contractor at the Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Nuclear Reservation, and Lockheed Martin Services, Inc. (LMSI), a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMC). LMSI provided services to MSA as well as other prime contractors assisting with environmental cleanup services at the Hanford site near Richland, Washington. Mr. Olsen was an employee of LMC working for MSA. LMC, through a subsidiary, was one of the owners of MSA.
“We are committed to maintaining the integrity of the federal government’s procurement process,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This investigation and its resolution demonstrate that the Justice Department will work with its agency partners to protect public funds and ensure they are used for their intended purposes.”
In August 2009, MSA began performance under a multi-billion dollar services contract with the DOE for the environmental cleanup of the Hanford Site. The United States alleged that under the terms of MSA’s contract with DOE, LMSI, as an affiliate of MSA, was not entitled to receive profit on the work it performed for MSA. The United States further alleged that Mr. Olsen, while he was an employee of LMC working for MSA, falsely represented to DOE that the LMSI subcontract did not include any profit. Mr. Olsen allegedly received a payment of at least $41,480 from LMC for obtaining DOE’s consent to the inflated LMSI subcontract.
“This settlement requires Mr. Olsen to pay back three times the amount he received from the alleged fraud and holds Mr. Olsen accountable for his actions,” said Joseph H. Harrington, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. “It also sends a strong message to those individuals who may engage in similar conduct. I commend the outstanding investigative work performed by the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General, which made this resolution possible.”
“The Department of Energy Office of Inspector General is committed to ensuring the integrity of our contractors and subcontractors by detecting and holding accountable those who choose to engage in false claim and kickback schemes,” said DOE’s Acting Inspector General April G. Stephenson. “This settlement is a result of our staff’s dedicated work to ensure the government is not charged with false and inflated claims. We appreciate the efforts of the DOJ in pursuing this matter and will continue to work collaboratively with them to aggressively investigate those who seek to defraud Department programs.”
The investigation of Mr. Olsen was handled by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, and the DOE Office of the Inspector General.
The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Lexington Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Byron Lee White, 36, of Lexington, has pleaded guilty, to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and heroin.
During his guilty plea, on August 2, 2018, White admitted that he conspired with others to distribute heroin and fentanyl. White admitted that he and others sold heroin, on November 16, 2017, and fentanyl and heroin on both December 5, 2017 and 22, 2017. White also admitted that he and others sold 55 grams of Fentanyl on January 17, 2018. White acknowledged that he had previously been convicted of the felony drug offense of Trafficking in Cocaine in Fayette Circuit Court in 2005. White was indicted by a grand jury in June of 2018.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Amy Hess, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Richard Sanders, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police, jointly made the announcement.
Byron Lee White is currently scheduled to appear for sentencing before Chief United States District Judge Karen K. Caldwell, in Lexington, on November 8, 2018, at 4:00 p.m. He faces prison sentence of 10 years to Life imprisonment. However, any sentence following conviction will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of sentences.
The investigation was conducted by F.B.I. and Kentucky State Police. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant United States Attorney Roger W. West.
Kansas Man Sentenced to Life in Prison Without Parole for Racially Motivated Shooting at Olathe BarRead the Press Release
Adam W. Purinton, of Olathe, Kansas, was sentenced today to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the February 2017 killing of Indian national Srinivas Kuchibhotla, and shooting of two other men – Indian national Alok Madasani and Kansas resident Ian Grillot – at Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, announced Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Stephen R. McAllister of the District of Kansas, and FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Darrin Jones.
Earlier this year, Purinton pleaded guilty in federal court to hate crime and firearm offenses arising out of the shooting. At his federal guilty-plea hearing, Purinton admitted in open court that he targeted and shot Kuchibhotla and Madasani because of their race, color, and national origin, and that he shot Grillot during an attempt to flee the scene of the crime. Purinton has also pleaded guilty in state court to charges of murder and attempted murder, and has been sentenced to a term of life imprisonment in state prison.
Sunayana Dumala, the widow of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, addressed Purinton in her victim-impact statement: “My husband was more than what you chose to address him as. Always kind, caring, and respectful to others. Srinu and I came to the United States of America full of dreams and aspirations. . . . Now, my American Dream – and that of Srinu’s – is broken. If you could have kept your anger inside and spoke to my husband softly, Srinu would have been more than happy to share his background and help you understand that not every brown skinned person is suspicious or evil, but kind, smart and contributing to America. Instead you chose to rage and bully in anger and when you were stopped, you decided to take their lives. . . . [U]se the time that is being given to you to educate yourself and inform others who are still out in the open and stop them from killing innocent people as you did - choosing violence over kindness.”
"The crimes at issue in this case are detestable," Attorney General Sessions said. "The defendant acted with clear premeditation in murdering one man, and attempting to murder a second man, simply because of their race, religion, and national origin. As a result, a promising young life has been tragically cut short, and other lives have been filled with suffering. Securing this sentence is important not only to the victims and their loved ones, but also to our justice system and our nation as a whole. I want to thank the FBI, our fabulous DOJ attorneys Tris Hunt, David Zabel, and Christopher Perras, as well as our partners at the Olathe Police Department for their hard work on this case. While we cannot undo the irreparable harm that this defendant has done, some measure of justice for the victims' families has been achieved. Such hateful crimes will remain a priority for the Department of Justice."
"No matter who you are, what you believe, or how you worship, you should be able to live without fear of becoming a victim of hate crimes. We hope today's sentencing brings some closure for the victims and their families," said U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister for the District of Kansas.
"Today's sentencing speaks to the gravity of this senseless crime and reaffirms the FBI's continued commitment to bring those responsible to justice," said FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Darrin Jones.
This case was investigated jointly by the Olathe (KS) Police Department and the Kansas City Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tris Hunt and David Zabel of the District of Kansas, and Trial Attorney Christopher J. Perras of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Kansas Man Sentenced to Life for Racially Motivated ShootingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Adam W. Purinton, of Olathe, Kansas, was sentenced today to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the February 2017 killing of Indian national Srinivas Kuchibhotla, and shooting of two other men – Indian national Alok Madasani and Kansas resident Ian Grillot – at Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, announced Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Stephen R. McAllister of the District of Kansas, and FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Darrin Jones.
Earlier this year, Purinton pleaded guilty in federal court to hate crime and firearm offenses arising out of the shooting. At his federal guilty-plea hearing, Purinton admitted in open court that he targeted and shot Kuchibhotla and Madasani because of their race, color, and national origin, and that he shot Grillot during an attempt to flee the scene of the crime. Purinton has also pleaded guilty in state court to charges of murder and attempted murder, and has been sentenced to a term of life imprisonment in state prison.
Sunayana Dumala, the widow of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, addressed Purinton in her victim-impact statement: “My husband was more than what you chose to address him as. Always kind, caring, and respectful to others. Srinu and I came to the United States of America full of dreams and aspirations. . . . Now, my American Dream – and that of Srinu’s – is broken. If you could have kept your anger inside and spoke to my husband softly, Srinu would have been more than happy to share his background and help you understand that not every brown skinned person is suspicious or evil, but kind, smart and contributing to America. Instead you chose to rage and bully in anger and when you were stopped, you decided to take their lives. . . . [U]se the time that is being given to you to educate yourself and inform others who are still out in the open and stop them from killing innocent people as you did - choosing violence over kindness.”
"The crimes at issue in this case are detestable," Attorney General Sessions said. "The defendant acted with clear premeditation in murdering one man, and attempting to murder a second man, simply because of their race, religion, and national origin. As a result, a promising young life has been tragically cut short, and other lives have been filled with suffering. Securing this sentence is important not only to the victims and their loved ones, but also to our justice system and our nation as a whole. I want to thank the FBI, our fabulous DOJ attorneys Tris Hunt, David Zabel, and Christopher Perras, as well as our partners at the Olathe Police Department for their hard work on this case. While we cannot undo the irreparable harm that this defendant has done, some measure of justice for the victims' families has been achieved. Such hateful crimes will remain a priority for the Department of Justice."
"No matter who you are, what you believe, or how you worship, you should be able to live without fear of becoming a victim of hate crimes. We hope today's sentencing brings some closure for the victims and their families," said U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister for the District of Kansas.
"Today's sentencing speaks to the gravity of this senseless crime and reaffirms the FBI's continued commitment to bring those responsible to justice," said FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Darrin Jones.
This case was investigated jointly by the Olathe (KS) Police Department and the Kansas City Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tris Hunt and David Zabel of the District of Kansas, and Trial Attorney Christopher J. Perras of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Kansas Man Indicted for Traveling for Illicit Sex with a MinorRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Buhler, Kan., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for traveling to Kansas City, Mo., to meet with an undercover law enforcement officer whom he believed was a teenage prostitute.
Bradley D. Voth, 55, was charged with one count of traveling across state lines with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. Today’s indictment replaces a July 20, 2018, criminal complaint that charged him with the same offense.
The investigation began in June 2018 when an undercover employee with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services was monitoring public message threads on a website known to be used to host discussion forums and private messaging services for the purpose of allowing men and women to communicate regarding prostitution.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, the undercover employee posted a review for a prostitute in Hutchinson, Kan., and received a private message from Voth in response. Voth, says the affidavit, is a senior member of the website with over 500 posts detailing his experience across south-central Kansas and at Asian Massage Parlors. The undercover employee provided Voth with the phone number for an FBI agent who was acting in an undercover capacity as a 16-year-old female.
Voth allegedly contacted the undercover agent, who told him that she was staying in Kansas City with her cousin’s boyfriend and her 13-year-old sister. Voth asked for the 13-year-old’s phone number and for photos of both juveniles. Voth agreed to meet with her and the 13-year-old on July 19, 2018, for sexual activity in exchange for $140. When Voth arrived at a coffee shop in Kansas City, Mo., he was arrested.
The charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore. It was investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services, Officer of Inspector General, the FBI and the Wichita, Kan., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Jamesville Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Cody Childress, age 29, of Jamesville, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 7 years in prison for possessing and receiving child pornography.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Charles Margiotta, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
As part of his guilty plea, Childress admitted that he received images of child pornography through a peer-to-peer, file-sharing program. A search of Childress’s laptop computer revealed that he possessed 51 videos depicting child pornography.
Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also imposed a 15-year term of supervised release, which will start after Childress is released from prison. As a result of his conviction, Childress will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
Childress’s case was investigated by the New York State Police and the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced for Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that, ERIC ELWIN LEVAN, 36, of Jacksonville, was sentenced by United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan for distribution and possession of child pornography. Judge Flanagan sentenced LEVAN to 140 months imprisonment followed by 20 years of supervised release.
LEVAN was charged in a two-count indictment on June 22, 2017 and pled guilty on March 14, 2018.
In November of 2016, the Department of Homeland Security conducted an undercover investigation on a Russian-based file-sharing website known to be frequented by people interested in child pornography. An agent, using an undercover website profile, advertised an interest in child pornography and published contact information on an instant-messaging service. An individual, later identified as LEVAN, contacted the undercover agent, and began discussing an interest in child pornography and a desire for sexual contact with minor children. On November 30, 2016, LEVAN sent the agent an internet link to a child pornography video. Agents identified LEVAN as the account holder and on December 13, 2016, executed a search warrant on LEVAN’s Jacksonville residence. Law enforcement seized LEVAN’s computer and other digital devices. Agents also obtained and executed a search warrant for an online digital storage account in LEVAN’S name. The forensic examination of the devices and online account uncovered over 100 images and 150 videos of child pornography.
Mr. Higdon commented: “We are gratified by the sentence the court imposed today. Protection of our children and the punishment of those who exploit children is a high priority for the Department of Justice. And, the facts of this case are a reminder to anyone who might engage in this type of criminal activity that you may just be dealing with an undercover officer and find yourself in a federal courtroom and deprived of your freedom and liberty too!”
This case was part of the Project Safe Childhood (PSC) initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level. For more information about this important national project, Project Safe Childhood, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The Department of Homeland Security conducted the criminal investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney Jake D. Pugh handled the prosecution of this case for the United States.
Jackson Man Sentenced to Almost 8 Years in Federal Prison under Project EJECTRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Willie Tyrone Lott, 28, of Jackson, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William Barbour to 94 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. He was also ordered to pay a $1,500 fine. Lott pled guilty before Judge Barbour on May 8, 2018.
The case arose when the Jackson Police Department initiated a traffic stop on Lott’s vehicle on July 6, 2017. During the stop, it was discovered that Lott had outstanding warrants and he was placed under arrest. Incident to arrest, the police discovered hydrocodone, MDMA, and an AM-15, Caliber .223 rifle. The rifle had been reported stolen to the Jackson Police Department.
As a convicted felon, Lott was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law. He was previously convicted of robbery, a state felony, in Madison County Circuit Court.
Project EJECT is an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime in Jackson through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Jackson Expel Crime Together." PSN is program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was investigated by the Jackson Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Illinois Sales Representative Indicted for Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Illinois man was indicted today in federal court in Boston in connection with submitting false insurance information for a high-priced cholesterol drug in 2014 and 2015.
Mark Moffett, 45, of Springfield, Ill., was indicted on one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Moffett was arrested on a criminal complaint in June and is currently on release on conditions. He is scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston on Aug. 28, 2018.
As alleged in the indictment, Moffett, who was a sales representative in central Illinois, conspired with others at his former employer to defraud insurance companies by providing false information concerning patients for whom doctors had prescribed his employer’s cholesterol drug. Moffett also falsified medical records purportedly signed by a doctor and then submitted them to insurance companies in order to convince patients’ health plans to cover the drug, which cost over $27,000 per month.
The conspiracy and fraud charges provide for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or the amount of the financial loss to the victims of the fraud. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year sentence that must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Phillip Coyne Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General; and Carol S. Hamilton, Acting Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of Lelling’s Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Illegal alien from Honduras arrested in Lafayette Parish sentenced to 3 years in prison for illegally re-entering U.S. 3rd timeRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that an illegal alien from Honduras was sentenced to a total of 36 months in prison for re-entering the United States after being deported on two previous occasions and for violating an earlier term of supervised release.
Henry Ariel Canacas-Cortez, 26, also known as Henry Ariel Gonzales-Canacas, of Francisco Morazan, Talanga, Honduras, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to 24 months in prison on one count of illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien. He was also sentenced to 12 months to run consecutively to the 24-month term for the revocation of his supervised release entered by the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. According to the May 4, 2018 guilty plea, Lafayette Sheriff’s deputies arrested Canacas-Cortez on March 1, 2018. He admitted to providing a false name to officers when arrested and later admitted to illegally re-entering the United States on two prior occasions. He was arrested in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2015 for attempted distribution of controlled substances and was deported on August 12, 2015. He was found to be in the United States a second time, and he was removed on July 14, 2017. He illegally entered the United States a third time on December 16, 2017 prior to his arrest.
Homeland Security Investigations and Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo prosecuted the case.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Prison for Document FraudRead the Press Release
A Guatemalan man who used false identification documents to obtain a job was sentenced today to six months in federal prison.
Jose Corio-Raymundo, age 40, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States, received the prison term after a June 5, 2018, jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of unlawful use of an identification document and one count of misuse of a social security number.
The evidence at trial showed that Corio-Raymundo used a fraudulent Social Security card bearing the social security number assigned to a United States citizen, and a fraudulent State of Iowa identification card when he completed an employment form on October 2, 2013, at a business in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Corio-Raymundo also used the social security number of the United States citizen on state and federal tax forms. On the employment form, Corio-Raymundo falsely claimed to be a United States citizen. The investigation began when the Iowa Department of Transportation noticed that Corio-Raymundo was trying to register vehicles under a second social security number. Their investigation disclosed that Corio-Raymundo used the social security number to title vehicles, when he was arrested by police on traffic violations, and when he obtained employment at four businesses in Cedar Rapids.
Corio-Raymundo was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Corio-Raymundo was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Corio-Raymundo is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Iowa Department of Transportation, Bureau of Investigation and Identity Protection.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-08-LRR.
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Hawaii Man Pleads Guilty to Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Jonathan Cadet, 30, pled guilty yesterday in federal court to one count of witness tampering in violation of 18 United States Code § 1512(d)(1). Cadet faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three years when he is sentenced on November 26, 2018, by Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway.
U.S. Attorney Kenji M. Price said that, according to court documents and information presented in court, in May 2018, Cadet directly contacted a witness in the pending criminal sex trafficking prosecution, United States v. Isaiah McCoy et al. Cadet told the woman that he knew she was a witness in the pending case, and proceeded to harass her, calling her a “rat” and other names. He admitted in Court that he made these statements to her because he was angry, and intended to dissuade her from testifying.
The investigation in this case was led by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas J. Brady and Morgan Early handled the prosecution.
Hartford Man Sentenced to More Than 9 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Drug RingRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANTHONY SHELTON, also known as “Pretty,” 39, of Hartford, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello in Hartford to 110 months of imprisonment, followed by five years supervised release, for his role in a cocaine and crack cocaine distribution ring.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation headed by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and the Hartford Police Department that targeted a drug trafficking organization operating in Hartford’s North End. The investigation revealed that David Gil-Grande, of Manchester, received shipments of cocaine, secreted in sealed coffee cans, from Puerto Rico. He then supplied the cocaine to SHELTON, Gerard “Goldie” Brown, who is SHELTON’s brother, and Trevon “B.J.” Terry. SHELTON, Brown and Terry then converted much of the cocaine into crack and distributed both forms of the drug in the area of Barbour Street in Hartford.
Twenty individuals were charged and convicted as a result of the investigation.
On January 21, 2016, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of SHELTON’s residence and seized a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol, ammunition, body armor, and items used to process and package narcotics. SHELTON was arrested the next day at a hotel in Branford. At the time of his arrest, he possessed $32,673 in cash and expensive jewelry.
SHELTON has forfeited the seized firearm, body armor, cash and jewelry, and a 2006 Audi A6.
SHELTON has been detained since his arrest on January 22, 2016. On May 22, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
SHELTON’s criminal history includes six drug-related convictions. In 2003, he was sentenced in state court to 12 years of incarceration for a drug offense.
Gil-Grande, Brown and Terry have pleaded guilty to related charges. On January 31, 2017, Gil-Grande was sentenced to 70 months of imprisonment and, on December 18, 2017, Terry was sentenced to 57 months of imprisonment. Brown awaits sentencing.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. The Hartford Police Department’s Vice and Narcotics Division and the Drug Enforcement Administration have provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Time Served for Illegal Entry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Edwin Antonio Paiz-Morales, 27, of Guatemala, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to illegally entering the United States and was sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge John C. Nivison to time served (ten days).
Court records reveal that on July 29, 2018, the defendant entered the United States from Canada in Sandy Bay Township, Maine at a location not designated for entry. U.S. Border Patrol agents located the defendant shortly after he entered. He is a Guatemalan citizen and did not have immigration documents allowing him to enter. He has been placed in removal proceedings.
He faced up to 180 days in prison and a $5,000 fine.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol.
Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
A Guatemalan man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced today to more than two months in federal prison.
Abner Velasquez-Garcia, age 28, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Cedar Falls, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Velasquez-Garcia admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government.
The facts show that when Velasquez-Garcia applied for admission into the United States at the Arizona border on June 4, 2015, he provided a fraudulent Arizona driver’s license with a false name and date of birth. After questioning, Velasquez-Garcia gave immigration officials a different name and date of birth. Eventually, on June 6, 2015, Velasquez-Garcia admitted his true name and date of birth. Velasquez-Garcia was deported to Guatemala on January 18, 2016. On May 14, 2018, Velasquez-Garcia was found by immigration officers along with five other illegal aliens after their car was stopped in Cedar Falls for traffic violations.
Velasquez-Garcia was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Velasquez-Garcia was sentenced to 75 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Velasquez-Garcia is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-2029-LRR.
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Granite City Man Sentenced to More than 15 Years in Prison on Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
On August 7, 2018, a 31-year old man was sentenced to federal prison for possessing methamphetamine ("ice") with the intent to distribute, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Steven D. Weinhoeft, announced today. Shawn M. Judd, of Granite City, Illinois, was sentenced to 188 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to a two-count indictment in April. During the prosecution, Judd admitted that he had possessed with intent to distribute "ice" in December 2016 and again in January 2017, in Madison County, Illinois. At sentencing, the district court found that Judd had intended to distribute over 500 grams of "ice" in Southern Illinois.
Court records show that Judd had multiple prior convictions for drug-related offenses.
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Ranley R. Killian.
Fresno Man Sentenced to 70 Months for Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. - Yesterday, Mitchell Ray Finley, 50, of Fresno, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Raner C. Collins to 70 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Finley had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act Robbery.
On May 28, 2016, Finley and three other persons entered a Tiffany & Co. jewelry store in Tucson, Ariz., and stole a diamond solitaire ring and assaulted a security guard before getting away. Later that day, Finley and the three men entered the Nordstrom department store in Scottsdale, Ariz., and stole several designer handbags after verbally threatening a store manager. On the same day, Finley and the three men entered a Helzberg Diamond Outlet store in Glendale, Ariz., and stole several high-end watches after pepper-spraying the store employees. The watches were pawned by Finley’s co-defendant, Dwight Bivens, who previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment. The victims’ financial losses totaled more than $130,000.
The investigation in this case was conducted by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, the Scottsdale Police Department, the Glendale Police Department, and the Fresno Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Lauren G. LaBuff, Fred A. Cocio, and Rui Wang, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR 17-01145-TUC-RCC (DTF)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-101_ Finley
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Former TSA Officer Sentenced to 25 Years on Drug & Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – United States Attorney Andrew Murray announced today that a former Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Officer was sentenced to 25 years in prison on drug trafficking conspiracy and gun charges. U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad, Jr. also sentenced Jamie Blunder, 50, of Charlotte, to five years of supervised release.
According to filed court documents, exhibits entered at Blunder’s trial, witness testimony, and today’s sentencing hearing, from 2002 to 2016, Blunder was part of a drug conspiracy responsible for trafficking large quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine. Blunder and his network of co-conspirators transported and distributed the narcotics in Charlotte, Greensboro, N.C., Greenville, N.C., and elsewhere. According to court records, Blunder did not utilize the Charlotte Douglas Airport to traffic narcotics, though, at times, he relied on his TSA position to avoid law enforcement detection while travelling between and within, the Jamestown, N.C., High Point, N.C. and Greensboro areas. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized at least eight firearms, more than two kilograms of cocaine and more than $150,000 in cash.
On July 7, 2017, a federal jury convicted Blunder of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Four of Blunder’s co-conspirators have already been sentenced. Aaron Dixon, 41, of Greenville, N.C., was sentenced to 75 months in prison and three years of supervised release; David Pate, 45, of High Point, was sentenced to 67 months in prison and three years of supervised release; Samuel Little, 60, of Greensboro, was sentenced to 60 months in prison and two years of supervised release; and Irvin Lampley, 58, of Greensboro, was sentenced to 21 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the FBI for leading the investigation, the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, and TSA for their invaluable assistance with this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lambert Guinn and Dana Washington of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Convergex Global Markets CEO Pleads Guilty in New Jersey for Role in Securities and Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The former Chief Executive Officer of ConvergEx Global Markets Limited (CGM Limited) pleaded guilty this afternoon in federal court in Newark, New Jersey for his role in a scheme to commit securities and wire fraud from 2006 through 2011.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito of the District of New Jersey, Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Inspector in Charge Peter R. Rendina of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) made the announcement.
Anthony Blumberg, 53, of Short Hills, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares of the District of New Jersey, in Newark, to one count of conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud. Sentencing has been scheduled for Dec. 5 before Chief Judge Linares.
According to court documents, CGM Limited was a wholly owned subsidiary of ConvergEx Group LLC (“ConvergEx Group”). As part of his plea today, Blumberg admitted that clients placed orders to buy or sell securities with G-Trade Services LLC and ConvergEx Limited, subsidiaries of ConvergEx Group that offered global trading services to clients, which in turn routed orders to CGM Limited. Blumberg also admitted that traders at CGM Limited executed the orders and sometimes added a “spread,” (a mark-down on the sale of a security or a mark-up on the purchase of a security) to the prices they had obtained for non-fiduciary clients. To hide the fact that spread had been taken, on several occasions from 2007 to 2011, Blumberg and traders acting under his direction, acting in response to requests by clients for information that could reveal the existence of spread, sent false reports (known as time and sales reports) to these clients. The false time and sales reports contained fabricated details regarding the individual transactions, or “fills,” executed during the course of a day to complete a client’s orders, including false information concerning the number of shares involved in a fill, the time at which the fill was executed, and the price at which shares were either purchased or sold.
Blumberg also admitted that he and his co-conspirators agreed to violate a client’s instructions to provide real-time transactional data through an immediate data feed with details of trades that CGM Limited executed for the client by providing “batch fills” that hid the actual information the client sought.
Blumberg is the fourth individual to plead guilty as a result of the investigation into ConvergEx Group and CGM Limited’s practices. On Dec. 18, 2013, CGM Limited pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud before Judge Linares. On the same day, ConvergEx Group entered into a deferred prosecution agreement. Collectively, the two ConvergEx entities paid $43.8 million in criminal penalties and restitution.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Washington, D.C. and New York offices of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Gary A. Winters and Assistant Chief Justin D. Weitz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Murphy, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey Economic Crimes Unit in Newark. The Department appreciates the substantial assistance of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Former Convergex Global Markets CEO Pleads Guilty for Role in Securities and Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. - The former Chief Executive Officer of ConvergEx Global Markets Limited (CGM Limited) pleaded guilty this afternoon in Newark federal court for his role in a scheme to commit securities and wire fraud from 2006 through 2011.
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito of the District of New Jersey, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Inspector in Charge Peter R. Rendina of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) made the announcement.
Anthony Blumberg, 53, of Short Hills, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares to Count One of a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 5, 2018
According to court documents, CGM Limited was a wholly owned subsidiary of ConvergEx Group LLC (ConvergEx Group). As part of his plea today, Blumberg admitted that clients placed orders to buy or sell securities with G-Trade Services LLC and ConvergEx Limited, subsidiaries of ConvergEx Group that offered global trading services to clients, which in turn routed orders to CGM Limited. Blumberg also admitted that Traders at CGM Limited executed the orders and sometimes added a “spread,” (a mark-down on the sale of a security or a mark-up on the purchase of a security) to the prices they had obtained for non-fiduciary clients.
To hide the fact that spread had been taken, on several occasions from 2007 to 2011, Blumberg and traders acting under his direction, acting in response to requests by clients for information that could reveal the existence of spread, sent false reports (known as “time and sales reports”) to these clients. The false time and sales reports contained fabricated details regarding the individual transactions, or “fills,” executed during the course of a day to complete a client’s orders, including false information concerning the number of shares involved in a fill, the time at which the fill was executed, and the price at which shares were either purchased or sold.
Blumberg also admitted that he and his conspirators agreed to violate a client’s instructions to provide real-time transactional data through an immediate data feed with details of trades that CGM Limited executed for the client by providing “batch fills” that hid the actual information the client sought.
Blumberg is the fourth individual to plead guilty as a result of the investigation into ConvergEx Group and CGM Limited’s practices. On Dec. 18, 2013, CGM Limited pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud before Judge Linares. On the same day, ConvergEx Group entered into a deferred prosecution agreement. Collectively, the two ConvergEx entities paid $43.8 million in criminal penalties and restitution.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Washington, D.C. and New York offices of the USPIS. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Gary A. Winters and Assistant Chief Justin D. Weitz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Murphy, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit in Newark. The Department appreciates the substantial assistance of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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Defense counsel: Seth L. Levine Esq., New York
Felon Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Possessing Firearm on Hopi ReservationRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – This week, Eric Lorenzo Sanchez, 25, of Second Mesa, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 18 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Sanchez, an enrolled member of the Hopi Tribe, had previously pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered weapon made from a shotgun.
On June 11, 2016, Sanchez was involved in a car accident on the Hopi Reservation. When law enforcement responded to the scene, they found a firearm near Sanchez’s car. Sanchez, a previously convicted felon, admitted that the firearm was his. The firearm was a 12-gauge shotgun, which had been modified to shorten the barrel and was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as is required for so-called “short-barreled” shotguns. The firearm’s serial number had also been obliterated in violation of the law.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services (Hopi Agency). The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-08114-PCT-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-100_Sanchez
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Federal Jury Convicts Sampson County Man Who Was a Member of a Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that, GREG BRIGHT, 32, of Turkey, NC, was convicted in federal court following a three day jury trial before Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever III. The jury found BRIGHT guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (crack).
The investigation giving rise to the charges faced at trial began in 2013. Multiple and extensive investigative techniques were utilized throughout this case. The evidence presented at trial detailed a significant drug trafficking organization (“DTO”) that was built and lead by Antonio McKoy who was convicted by a jury on May 30, 2018. The DTO was responsible for supplying large quantities of cocaine and cocaine base (crack) in Eastern North Carolina. The investigation resulted in the conviction of twenty-five members of the McKoy drug trafficking organization that destroyed the quality of life in the small community of Garland in Sampson County.
The case is a federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) criminal matter being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, U.S. Probation Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the North Carolina Departments of Revenue and Emergency Management. Assistant United States Attorneys Brad Knott and Toby Lathan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years for Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today in federal court, United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced JOSEPH LUTHER LEWIS, 29, of Fayetteville, North Carolina to 151 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
LEWIS was named in an Indictment filed on December 20, 2017. On May 15, 2018, LEWIS pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Felon and Possession of a Stolen Firearm.
On June 25, 2017, the Fayetteville Police Department (FPD) responded to a domestic violence call placed by LEWIS’ girlfriend at the time. She stated LEWIS lost $1,000 gambling, and for some inexplicable reason, LEWIS blamed her for his loss. As a result, LEWIS, armed with a handgun, traveled from Fayetteville to Robeson Count and forcibly abducted her, and took her to a vacant house in Fayetteville, where LEWIS planned to prostitute her to recoup his money.
During his girlfriends’ abduction, and while driving through Robeson County, she jumped from LEWIS’ moving vehicle in an effort to flee from LEWIS. Nevertheless, LEWIS turned his vehicle around, pointed his gun at her, and forced her back inside his vehicle. Once they arrived in Fayetteville, LEWIS kicked and punched her in the face several times.
When the FPD arrived at the vacant residence, her face was visibly swollen. She had a chipped tooth and scrapes on her nose and mouth, as well as abrasions to her feet, legs, and arms. She stated that prior to the FPD’s arrival, LEWIS threatened to hit her with his handgun. As law enforcement approached the vacant residence, LEWIS threw his gun in a wooded area. LEWIS was taken into custody without incident. A search of LEWIS’ vehicle revealed multiple gunshot holes in the rear and front of his vehicle. His girlfriend stated LEWIS was involved in a gunfight with another drug dealer early that day in Fayetteville. LEWIS’ firearm, a stolen 9mm handgun, was subsequently located in the woods where she observed him discard it.
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 Fayetteville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the criminal investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney James J. Kurosad handled the prosecution of this case for the government.
Edenton Man Sentenced for Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that, MICHAEL RANKINS, 55, of Edenton, was sentenced by United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan for armed bank robbery and aiding and abetting. Judge Flanagan sentenced RANKINS to 135 months imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release.
RANKINS was charged in a one-count indictment on March 18, 2014, along with his co-defendant William Chadwick Twine. Twine pled guilty on July 9, 2014, and was sentenced on July 10, 2015, to 90 months imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release. RANKINS pled guilty on February 8, 2018.[1]
On January 9, 2014, RANKINS and Twine entered a Wells Fargo Bank in Windsor, North Carolina. As he entered the bank, RANKINS pulled a toboggan over his face with eye holes cut out. He pointed a BB gun at the teller, and he and Twine threatened the teller and demanded money. The teller provided them with $10,465, and the two men ran from the bank to their nearby get-away car. Witnesses relayed to law enforcement the direction the suspects had driven, and officers were soon able to catch up to the suspect’s vehicle and attempt a traffic stop. RANKINS and Twine, however, continued to flee at a high speed, eventually losing control of the car and running off the road and into a field. Both men ran from the stopped car and were quickly apprehended. Officers recovered the stolen money, mask, and BB gun from the car.
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 Windsor Police Department, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Jake D. Pugh represented the government in this case.
[1] The matter was unusually delayed because of matters presented to and resolved by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Eagle Butte Woman Charged with Larceny and Failure to AppearRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Larceny and Failure to Appear.
Angel Taylor, age 32, was indicted on August 16, 2017, for the Larceny charge, and June 12, 2018, for the Failure to appear charge. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica Duffy on August 2, 2018, and pled not guilty to the Indictments.
The maximum penalty upon conviction for each offense is up to 5 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment for the larceny charge alleges that Taylor unlawfully took, with the intent to steal and purloin, the personal property of an individual that is valued at more than $1,000.
The Indictment for the Failure to Appear charge alleges that Taylor, who was required to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Moreno for the larceny charge, did knowingly fail to do so.
The charges are merely accusations and Taylor is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.
Taylor was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Possession and Distribution of a Controlled Substance and Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on August 6, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Shaun Chayne Condon, age 33, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, forfeiture of a 9mm Smith and Wesson pistol, $2,306 in United States currency, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.
Condon was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 14, 2018. He pled guilty on May 22, 2018.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on May 25, 2017, when Condon knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute marijuana, a Schedule I controlled substance, in South Dakota. Found in Condon’s possession during the execution of a search warrant, was $2,306 in U.S. currency and a pistol. Condon being an unlawful user of, and addicted to a controlled substance, makes it illegal for him to possess firearms.
Drug trafficking is an inherently violent activity. Firearms are tools of the trade for drug dealers. It is common to find drug traffickers armed with guns in order to protect their illegal drug product and cash, and enforce their illegal operations.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Condon was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Defendant Released from Local Custody Despite Outstanding ICE Detainer Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry following Philadelphia Conviction for Rape of ChildRead the Press Release
Philadelphia, PA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Juan Ramon Vasquez, a citizen of Honduras, pleaded guilty today to illegal reentry after deportation. In May 2009, the defendant was deported from the United States. Thereafter, in March 2014, the defendant was found back in the United States by U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) officers. At that time, Vasquez was in the custody of the Philadelphia Department of Prisons.
The City of Philadelphia thereafter chose not to comply with a detainer lodged by ICE for the defendant, who was instead released from custody by the Philadelphia Department of Prisons. After his release, the defendant was rearrested and convicted for rape of a child and unlawful sexual contact with a minor. The defendant is currently serving a sentence of 8 to 20 years in state prison.
The defendant, having now pleaded guilty to the federal charge of illegal reentry after deportation, faces a maximum possible sentence of two years in federal prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 20, 2018, by the Honorable Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro.
“The facts of this case highlight the danger posed by the City of Philadelphia’s decision to disregard ICE detainers and release previously deported aliens from local custody,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Those of us in the law enforcement business should be doing everything in our power to protect vulnerable children from predators like Vasquez. Instead, this defendant received a free pass from the City of Philadelphia and its Department of Prisons, headed straight back into our community, and committed a heinous crime he never would have had the chance to commit had the City of Philadelphia complied with the ICE detainer.”
The case was investigated by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vineet Gauri.
Danville Man Pleads Guilty to Seven Federal Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Danville, VIRGINIA – United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced today the guilty plea of Keemo Jonathan Lee to a series of federal drug and gun charges related to the sale of cocaine, heroin and illegal firearms. The prosecution comes as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative to reduce violent crime throughout the Western District of Virginia.
Today in U.S. District Court in Danville, Lee, 23, pleaded guilty without the benefit of a plea agreement to all seven charges returned in a February 28, 2018 federal indictment. Those charges include three counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, two counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute heroin and two counts of sale of a firearm to a prohibited person that is an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
“As today’s guilty plea indicates, our office is committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to make Danville a safer community,” U.S. Attorney Cullen stated. “Project Safe Neighborhoods is taking root in Danville, and I am confident that this vital law-enforcement initiative will succeed.”
According to a statement of facts read into the record at today’s hearing, should the matter have gone to trial the United States would have proven beyond a reasonable doubt that on multiple occasions officers with the Danville Police Department, utilizing a confidential source, made controlled purchases of cocaine, heroin, and illegal firearms from Lee.
One such controlled purchase, on June 29, 2017, was conducted at a gas station 326 feet from Danville Community College and 908 feet from Grove Park Preschool’s playground. During the June 29, 2017 controlled buy, Lee sold a confidential source 3.2 grams of cocaine and a Smith & Wesson M&P .40 Shield handgun, with ammunition, for $500.
On July 25, 2017, during another controlled purchase, Lee sold a confidential source .5003 grams of cocaine and a SCCY CPX-1 handgun for $400. After Lee changed locations for the transaction multiple times, the exchange ultimately took place 726 feet from Danville Community College.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Danville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Swartz and Assistant United States Attorney Heather L. Carlton are prosecuting the case for the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal program designed to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting each community’s most violent criminals. Attorney General Sessions directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as the local civilian community, to develop effective, targeted strategies to reduce violent crime. This case is a product of that collaborative effort.
Dade City Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Heroin and Dogfighting ChargesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Josue Antonio Ortega (36, Dade City) today pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute heroin and to violating the animal fighting provisions of the federal Animal Welfare Act. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison on the heroin charge, and up to 5 years in federal prison on the Animal Welfare Act charge.
According to the plea agreement, Ortega participated with others in a dogfighting conspiracy. In 2016, he and his co-conspirators, operating as Boricuba Kennels, sponsored pit bull dogfighting in Pasco County. On October 19, 2016, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Ortega’s property and seized 14 pit bulls—12 of which had wounds and scarring consistent with having recently fought—along with equipment used to condition the dogs for fighting. They also seized over 70 grams of heroin.
The federal Animal Welfare Act makes it a felony to knowingly sell, buy, possess, train, transport, deliver, or receive any animal, including dogs, for purposes of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture. Under federal law, an animal fighting venture means “any event, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, that involves a fight conducted or to be conducted between at least two animals for purposes of sport, wagering, or entertainment.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.
Creative Educational and Psychological Services, Inc., A Tutoring Services Corporation, and Four Individuals Indicted and Arrested for Defrauding the Department of EducationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – On August 1, 2018, a Federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment charging Creative Educational and Psychological Services, Inc., the president of the corporation Coral Rivera-Arroyo, and three other employees with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit theft and conversion of government money and property, and theft of government money and property, announced Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The Department of Education- Office of Inspector General, and the FBI are in charge of the investigation with the assistance of the Puerto Rico Comptroller’s Office.
The indictment alleges that from in or about 2011 through in or around 2014, defendants Rivera-Arroyo, Frankil González-Pagán, Dennys Alfredo Soto, and Myrnaliz Navarro-Rodríguez engaged in a conspiracy and scheme to defraud by invoicing and charging the Puerto Rico Department of Education (PR DOE) for services that were not rendered or were not payable under Creative’s contract with PR DOE. The scheme included falsely reporting to PR DOE that Creative had provided Supplemental Educational Services (SES) tutoring for specific hours to specific students when, in fact, not all of the invoiced services for SES tutoring had been provided to all of the students.
The conspiracy and scheme to defraud included, but was not limited to the fabrication of false biometric attendance records; false records supporting manual attendance entries; false records supporting the notification of the post-test; and forging the signatures of students, parents, and teachers in the records.
During the duration of the conspiracy, Creative Educational and Psychological Services, Inc., through its employees and/or contractors, knowingly caused the PR DOE to issue approximately 32 checks payable to Creative totaling $24,927,125.56 in Title I funds in payment of invoices containing and supported by materially false information and forged signatures.
“Supplemental Education Services program funds provide critical resources for deserving students who seek to improve their academic performance. Individuals and businesses who choose to illegally enrich themselves at the expense of our students and the U.S. taxpayer, instead of providing the educational services invoiced, will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted by the Department of Justice,” said Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “These arrests demonstrate the combined federal commitment to combating fraud, waste and abuse”.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth A. Erbe. If found guilty, defendants are facing a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Court of Appeals Upholds Former Puerto Rico Superior Court Judge Manuel Acevedo-Hernández ConvictionRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit issued a 48-page opinion affirming the conviction of former Puerto Rico Superior Court Judge Manuel Acevedo-Hernández, announced Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
Manuel Acevedo-Hernández appealed his conviction of having participated in a conspiracy to bribe an agent of an organization receiving federal funds, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, and of receiving a bribe, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 666(a)(1)(B). Acevedo-Hernández challenged his conviction and sentence citing a number of alleged trial and sentencing errors.
In upholding the jury’s verdict and sentence, a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals concluded the following: “The record reflects that Acevedo’s conviction was not tainted by prejudicial error either from the admission of Rodríguez’s testimony or in the government’s opening statement or closing argument, and the evidence of his guilt was more than sufficient to support the jury's verdict. It further shows that the court did not abuse its discretion in upholding Lutgardo’s invocation of his Fifth Amendment privilege. Finally, the record reflects that any sentencing error would be harmless. Accordingly, Acevedo’s conviction and sentence are affirmed.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico congratulates all the prosecutors and agents who worked tirelessly in the investigation and prosecution of Acevedo-Hernández, with great success,” said Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
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Continued Increase in Federal Regional Violent Crime ProsecutionsRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – The United States Attorney’s Office will prosecute aggressively violent criminals and drug dealers. Federal prosecution is a powerful tool in the fight to reduce violent crime. At least 85% of federal sentences must be served; there is no parole in the federal system. None. Sentences are served in prisons far from St. Louis. Below is a list of defendants prosecuted federally in July as a result of the hard work of police and agents:
Lavelle Bolden, 23, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Melvin T. Cunigan, 62, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of possession with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.
Leroy Shipp, 50, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on two felony counts of possession with intent to distribute; possession of a firearm during a crime of violence; and felon in possession of a firearm.
Leontaye Combs, 23, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition.
Norris Douglas, Jr., 26, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Tiara Johnson, 23, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
Addrian McKissic, 31, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of one or more firearms; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Michael Moore, 29, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Eddie Morrow, 32, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Cristian Perez, 25, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Michael Upchurch, 34, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm and felon in possession of one or more firearms.
Alexander Williams, 25, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Kevin Carter, 60, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Mark Hayes, 45, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Josh Hudson, 28, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Jeffrey Kelly, 35, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Andre King, 20, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of carjacking and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Hayward Travis McKinney, 39, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of possess with intent to distribute Fentanyl; possessing one or more firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and felon in possession of a firearm.
Reginald Saddler, 27, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm; possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Tra’mayne Street, 20, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of carjacking and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Gregory Thompson, 38, East St. Louis, IL, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Keivin Cole, 33, Spanish Lake, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Cameron M. Bryant, 24, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm; possess a controlled substance drug; carry a firearm during a drug trafficking crime; and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Kirk K. Darden, 24, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of possess a controlled substance drug; carry a firearm during a drug trafficking crime; and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Jalen Sherrell, 22, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of carry a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Deandre Smith, 22, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of possess a controlled substance drug and carry a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
Jerrinon Tate, 27, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of brandishing a firearm during the commission of a federal crime of violence and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
Drew Conley, 31, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Eric Davis, 36, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Robert Steed, 32, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base; and felon in possession of a firearm.
Larry Weeden, Jr., 38, St. Louis, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of felon in possession of a firearm; possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Joshua J. Pollard, 20, St. Louis, pled guilty to three felony counts of possessing stolen firearms.
Jamacian Brown, 28, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Willie Curtis, 53, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Corvon Dixson, 21, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Booker Young, Jr., 50, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Arthur Garrett, 42, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Cameron Sutton, 26, St. Ann, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm and possession with the intent to distribute marijuana.
Raymond Willis, 35, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Brian O’Neal, 31, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Cecil Cooper, 30, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm and possession with the intent to distribute marijuana.
Shelton Bailey, 45, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Charles J. Jones, 45, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Demetris A. Bradley, 41, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Deron Smith, 31, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Carl Terry, 38, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Carl G. Nettles, 56, Park Hills, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Carl W. Willis, 64, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
David E. Teague, 50, Jennings, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Corey Felton, 46, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
Travis, Garner, 31, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Clinton Murphy, 40, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Larry Belcarist, 32, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Robert Garnett, 27, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Kevin Setlzer, 34, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Tommie Lee, 67, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute methadone.
Deandreck Johnson, 29, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Kyle Miller, 29, St. Louis, pled guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Christopher Walter, 44, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Kevin Chattman, 41, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Marqus Shores, 35, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Justin Cordes, 42, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Dormond Hampton, 35, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Devon M. Harris, 23, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Jamare Ash, 32, Jennings, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Antoine Bonnett, 42, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Craig Allen, 20, St. Louis, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Lemario Q. Johnson, 39, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Robert E. Jones, 53, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Willie J. Mitchell, 38, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Kenneth White, Jr., 23, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Keith West, 60, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Jermayne Welch, 37, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Derrill Watt, 32, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Leo Adams, 29, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Tyrone L. Williams, 38, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
Nathanial L. Archie, 43, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
William L. Owens, 27, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
James Bradley, 31, St. Louis, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
John H. Harvey, 34, St. Louis, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.
Deante Works, 39, St. Louis, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.
William Bowen, 39, St. Louis, was sentenced to 180 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance.
Melvin Pryor, 28, St. Louis, was sentenced to 180 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.
Jerry B. Jones, 30, Belleville, IL, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
Xaviaire D. Moton, 30, St. Louis, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.
Odell A. Pickett, Jr., 20, St. Louis, was sentenced to 204 months in prison for carjacking; possessing a firearm during a crime of violence; and possession with intent to distribute.
Nicholas O. Johnson, 28, St. Louis, was sentenced to 108 months in prison for possession of a controlled substance drug and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence.
Tawana Cunningham, 28, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for Hobbs Act Robberies.
Donald Haynes, 33, St. Louis, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.
Clarence Bradford, 29, St. Louis, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for use of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
Derick Bowers, 30, St. Louis, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.
Demarye Briggs, 20, St. Charles, was sentenced to 27 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.
Tyrell Reed, 32, was sentenced to 77 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.
Kerry Caldwell, 55, Florissant, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for carjacking and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Michael Lewis, 27, St. Louis, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.
Jermaine Lewis, 37, St. Louis, was sentenced to 114 months in prison for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
Luther Hall, 26, St. Louis, was sentenced to 25 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.
Trevon McClelland, 26, St. Louis, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.
Marquis Gray, 28, St. Louis, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.
Simon Gebregziabher, 29, St. Louis, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.
Darrell R. Gordon, 26, St. Louis, was sentenced to 27 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.
Teran Willis, 36, St. Louis, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.
Earl McNeal, 24, St. Louis, was sentenced to 27 months in prison for felon in possession of a firearm.
These cases are 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.
Connecticut Bank Robber Sentenced to Nearly 9 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRYCE ALEXANDER LAISTER, 26, formerly of Bridgeport and Stratford, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello in Hartford to 107 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for robbing five Connecticut banks between November 2016 and June 2017.
According to court documents and statements made in court, LAISTER robbed the Webster Bank at 314 Merwin Avenue in Milford on November 30, 2016; the Key Bank at 133 East Main Street in Plainville on April 7, 2017; the Key Bank at 1328 Boston Post Road in Westbrook on May 5, 2017; the People’s United Bank located inside the Stop and Shop at 898 Bridgeport Avenue in Shelton on May 30, 2017, and the People’s United Bank located inside the Stop and Shop at 112 Amity Road in New Haven on June 10, 2017.
During the Shelton robbery, LAISTER brandished a pistol, and during the Plainville and Westbrook robberies, LAISTER threatened to kill or shoot bank employees if they did not comply with his demands.
LAISTER was located and arrested in Stratford on June 15, 2017, after he engaged in a two-hour standoff with local and federal law enforcement officers. At the time of his arrest, LAISTER possessed a .380 caliber pistol and a magazine loaded with two bullets. A subsequent search one of LAISTER’s vehicles revealed clothing he wore during the robbery on June 10, a makeup kit he used to disguise his features, and a Stop and Shop circular.
Judge Covello ordered LAISTER to make restitution of $25,279 to the victim banks.
LAISTER has been detained since his arrest. On February 22, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery.
LAISTER’s criminal history includes felony convictions for narcotics, larceny and burglary offenses.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Marshals Service, Connecticut State Police and the Milford, Plainville, Shelton, New Haven and Stratford Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony E. Kaplan.
Co-Conspirator of Reputed “Godfather of Payday Lending” Sentenced to Prison and Ordered to Forfeit $9,621,800Read the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA, PA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that Adrian Rubin, 61, of Jenkintown, was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release, ordered to pay a $100,000 fine and $400 special assessment, and ordered to forfeit $9,621,800 in proceeds from his crimes. Rubin previously admitted to collecting unlawful debt from payday loans and helping his sons, Blake and Chase Rubin, orchestrate a multi-million-dollar telemarketing scam.
Adrian Rubin previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”), one count of conspiracy, and two counts of mail fraud. The RICO conspiracy charge arose from Rubin’s participation in a conspiracy to collect debt from so-called “payday loans” – short-term consumer loans that typically come due on the borrower’s next payday – that had annual interest rates exceeding 780 percent. Such loans are illegal in Pennsylvania and many other states. Rubin admitted that in 2012, he collected $2,069,327 in payday loan debt.
Rubin’s RICO co-conspirators included Charles M. Hallinan, the reputed “godfather of payday lending,” and Wheeler K. Neff, who served as Hallinan and Rubin’s lawyer. Rubin admitted that he conspired with Hallinan and Neff to hide his payday lending behind a California-based Indian tribe for the purpose of circumventing state usury laws. Hallinan and Neff were both convicted by a federal jury last November of RICO and other charges. In July 2018, Judge Robreno sentenced Hallinan to 14 years’ imprisonment. In May 2018, Judge Robreno sentenced Neff to eight years’ imprisonment.
Rubin also obtained $7,552,473 in proceeds from an illegal telemarketing scheme to defraud more than 70,000 people into purchasing worthless credit cards. The credit cards were marketed as the Platinum Trust Card and the Express Platinum Card and were based on false and misleading representations that the products worked like regular credit cards and could help customers establish or improve their credit. Chase Rubin also was sentenced today to 32 months’ imprisonment, filed $100,000, and ordered to pay forfeiture and restitution. Blake Rubin is scheduled to be sentenced on August 8, 2018, and another co-conspirator, Justin Diaczuk, is scheduled to be sentenced on August 14, 2018.
In addition to the prison sentence imposed today, Judge Robreno ordered Rubin to forfeit $2,069,327 in payday loan proceeds and all $7,552,473 in proceeds from the telemarketing scam.
“The attorneys and staff in our Office work diligently to secure the criminal forfeiture of assets obtained through ill-gotten gains,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “The sentences and sizable forfeiture judgment we obtained in this case proves that we will do everything within our power to ensure that crime does not pay.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Dubnoff and Joel Sweet, and the forfeiture filings were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carrillo.
Citizen of Mexico Pleads Guilty to Third Illegal Reentry OffenseRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE DEL CARMEN HERNANDEZ HERNANDEZ, 41, a citizen of Mexico last residing in Hartford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to one count of illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported. HERNANDEZ also admitted that he violated the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction for illegally reentering the U.S.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between 1999 and 2009, HERNANDEZ, who has never held legal status in the U.S., sustained multiple state convictions, including convictions for assault, threatening and operating under the influence. In April 2009, he was removed to Mexico. HERNANDEZ unlawfully reentered the U.S., returned to Connecticut and was subsequently convicted in state court on charges of evasion with injury, and criminal mischief. After he was arrested in Hartford, in March 2013, on breach of peace and criminal mischief offenses, HERNANDEZ was identified by federal immigration authorities and was charged and convicted in federal court of reentry of a removed alien. On September 10, 2013, he was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 12 months of imprisonment. In April 2014, he was again deported to Mexico.
HERNANDEZ illegally reentered the U.S. a second time and returned to Connecticut. In November 2015, HERNANDEZ was arrested by Hartford Police for driving under the influence. He subsequently was charged and convicted in federal court of reentry of a removed alien and, on July 15, 2016, was sentenced to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. On July 26, 2016, he was convicted in state court of operating under the influence and was sentenced to three years of incarceration, suspended after one year. After he served his federal and state sentences, he was removed to Mexico in May 2017.
HERNANDEZ illegally reentered the U.S. a third time and, on January 11, 2018, was arrested by the Hartford Police Department for multiple motor vehicle violations, including operating under the influence. He has been detained since his arrest.
HERNANDEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years for illegal reentry, and a maximum term of imprisonment of two years for violating his supervised release. Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for October 30, 2018.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah R. Slater.
Chinese national living in Massachusetts pleaded guilty to distributing opioids and other drugs that were shipped from China to the U.S. and ultimately to OhioRead the Press Release
A Chinese national who had been living in Massachusetts pleaded guilty to distributing opioids and other drugs that were shipped from China to the United States and ultimately to Ohio.
Bin Wang, 43, pleaded guilty to 10 counts, including drug conspiracy, conspiracy to import a controlled substance and drug distribution. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 13.
Wang operated Cambridge Chemicals, Wonda Science, and other companies from a warehouse in Woburn, Massachusetts.
Law enforcement began investigating shipments of carfentanil, fentanyl and other opioids in August 2016, after a series of fatal overdoses in Northeast Ohio, according to court documents.
That investigation led them to several Chinese web sites, which they learned were selling kilogram amounts of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, which were shipped via private carriers such as FedEx. One of the web sites was used to purchase acetylfentanyl that caused the overdose deaths of two Summit County residents in 2015, according to court documents.
Beginning in November 2016, undercover agents began ordering opioids and other drugs from a Chinese drug trafficking organization. The agents wired money to China using Western Union or MoneyGram. Investigators learned the Chinese drug trafficking organization sent the drugs Wang in Massachusetts, who in turn mailed the drugs domestically, including to locations in Northeast Ohio, according to court documents.
Court documents detail numerous sales and shipments of drugs from China to Massachusetts to Ohio from November 2016 through July 2017.
“Wang was responsible for receiving shipments of deadly opioids and other drugs from China and then sending them to Ohio and throughout the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “We will continue to work with law enforcement to stop the steady stream of drugs from overseas that is killing our friends and neighbors.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. Plancon said: “The importation of opioids and other synthetic drugs from China has played a significant role in America’s current drug use epidemic. Over 60,000 people a year die from drug overdoses in this country, and halting all methods of drug trafficking, including by way of the Internet is a top priority of the DEA. This investigation makes clear that geographic and technological hurdles will not stop DEA and our partners from bringing to justice those responsible for the illegal distribution of drugs in the U.S.”
“As opioids and other dangerous drugs continue to plague our communities in Ohio, a unified law enforcement community is the only way to stem the tide of this dangerous and deadly epidemic,” said Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Steve Francis. “In order to have a significant impact, these organizations must be attacked from the street-level dealer to the wholesale distributor.”
“This investigation is a great example of a collaborative effort of federal agencies and a local drug task force working together to identify and track down people and organizations that are responsible for the ever-increasing shipments of very powerful synthetic opiates into Ohio,” said Don Hall, director of the MEDWAY Drug Enforcement Agency.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Cronin following an investigation by the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations and the Medway Drug Enforcement Agency, a drug task force serving Wayne County.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The OCDETF Program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking, money laundering and violent criminal organizations operating domestically and internationally. The principle mission of the OCDETF Program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, money laundering and violent criminal organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
Cedar Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Distribution and Illegally Possessing a HandgunRead the Press Release
A methamphetamine dealer who fired his gun at a Cedar Rapids gas station pled guilty on August 1, 2018, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Jerry Dean Love, age 39, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of distribution of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a felon.
In a plea agreement, Love admitted that on October 26, 2016, he sold an ounce of ice methamphetamine at his house in Cedar Rapids to an undercover police informant. On February 6, 2017, Love drove to the Guppy’s on the Go on Edgewood Road NW in Cedar Rapids while carrying a .45 caliber pistol. Love got out of his truck, approached the store, and fired his pistol into the street. Love was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing guns.
Love then drove to Casey’s General Store on 33rd Avenue SW. Approximately one hour after Love fired his pistol, police officers spotted him in his truck at Casey’s and repeatedly ordered him to get out of the truck. Love stayed in his truck for over ten minutes. Officers then broke Love’s truck windows and sent a dog into the truck to get Love to leave the truck.
During Love’s arrest, officers found 19.2 grams of pure methamphetamine and $360 in cash on him. In his plea agreement, Love admitted he intended to distribute part of the methamphetamine. Officers also searched Love’s truck and found the .45 caliber pistol, a loaded .45 caliber magazine, a methamphetamine pipe, and 11 additional .45 caliber cartridges.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Love remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, an $8,250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin A. Lightfoot and Patrick J. Reinert and Special Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Marion Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-12-LRR.
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California Man Indicted for Bank Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a North Hollywood, California, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Bank Fraud.
Jude Cooper, age 30, was indicted on January 17, 2018. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 6, 2018, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 30 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on August 24, 2015, August 25, 2015, and August 27, 2015, Cooper submitted forged wired transfer requests to BankWest Inc., and requested that the funds be wired from a BankWest Inc. account to a Wells Fargo account.
The charges are merely accusations and Cooper is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Cooper was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
California Man Arraigned on Federal Indictment Alleging Illegal Exporting of Defense Articles, False Statements and International Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Steven J. Anichowski, 26, of San Diego, Calif., was arraigned yesterday morning in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., on an indictment charging him with conspiring to violate the Illegal Export and Attempted Export of Defense Articles Act by scheming to illegally export defense articles to Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong, and other charges.
U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson, Special Agent in Charge Jack P. Staton of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in El Paso and Inspector in Charge Melisa Llosa of the Phoenix Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced the filing of charges against Anichowski, and his co-defendants, Jonathan J. McGechie, 31, of Socorro, N.M., and Takumi Nishimori, a Japanese national.
The indictment alleges that from Sept. 2010 through April 2016, Anichowski procured, sold and shipped firearm components, defense articles and military items, which were on the U.S. Munitions List and subject to export control by the U.S. Department of State, directly and through intermediaries, to individuals in Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The indictment further alleges that Anichowski did not apply for a license or authorization from the U.S. Department of State, to ship these items overseas, and did not register with the U.S. Department of State as required under the Arms Export Control Act.
According to the indictment, in Jan. 2014, Nishimori was involved in illegally procuring firearm components from Anichowski and others in the United States and elsewhere as part of an international network that allegedly trafficked in firearm components, defense articles, and military items. The indictment alleges that Anichowski exported firearm components, defense articles, and military items to individuals, including Nishimori, using the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). It also alleges that on numerous occasions between Jan. 2014 and Aug. 2016, Anichowski directed others, including McGechie, to falsify USPS international shipment forms by falsely describing items to be shipped, undervaluing the items, and mischaracterizing the end-user information.
The seven-count indictment, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico on Feb. 14, 2018, contains the following charges:
- Count 1 charges Anichowski and Nishimori with conspiracy to violate the Illegal Export and Attempted Export of Defense Articles Act. The statutory penalty on conviction is maximum of five years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
- Count 2 charges Anichowski and Nishimori with violating the Illegal Export and Attempted Export of Defense Article Act by exporting and attempting to export defense articles to Japan without the required license or authorization from the U.S. Department of State in March 2016. The statutory penalty on conviction is maximum of five years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
- Count 3 charges Anichowski and Nishimori with violating the Illegal Export and Attempted Export of Defense Article Act by exporting and attempting to export defense articles to Taiwan without the required license or authorization from the U.S. Department of State in June 2016. The statutory penalty on conviction is maximum of five years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
- Count 4 charges that Anichowski and Nishimori with smuggling military articles from the United States from Jan. 2014 through Aug. 2016. The statutory penalty on conviction is maximum of ten years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
- Counts 5 and 6 charge Anichowski and McGechie, respectively, with making false statements on Customs Forms in which each falsely described firearms parts as toy parts on in 2016. The statutory penalty on conviction is maximum of five years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
- Count 7 charges Anichowski and Nishimori with committing money laundering by transmitting funds derived from illegally exporting defense articles from Japan to the United States through an online payment account to promote the carrying out of unlawful activity in April 2015. The statutory penalty on conviction is a maximum of 20 years in federal prison and a $500,000 fine.
During yesterday’s arraignment hearing, Anichowski entered a plea of not guilty to the charges against him in the indictment. Anichowski remains on conditions of pretrial release pending trial, which has yet to be scheduled. Nishimori and McGechie have yet to be arrested.
Charges in indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.
The Albuquerque office of HSI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service led the investigation of this case with assistance from the FBI, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney George C. Kraehe is prosecuting the case.
Butler Woman Charged with Defrauding Social SecurityRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Butler, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges relating to Social Security fraud, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The three-count indictment names Amy Lynn Snow, age 50, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment, Snow received and converted Supplemental Security Income benefits to which she knew she was not entitled. Snow is also charged with knowingly and willfully making two false statements material to her entitlement to receive Supplemental Security Income.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of no more than 20 years in prison, a fine of no more than $750,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General, conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Burbank Man Who Allegedly Led Prescription Drug Ring Arrested on New Charges of Fraudulently Procuring U.S. CitizenshipRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Burbank man who operated a string of allegedly sham medical clinics – and who already faces federal charges of using the clinics to orchestrate a massive narcotics scheme – was arrested today on new charges that he unlawfully procured United States citizenship.
Armen Simonyan, 44, who was free on bond in the narcotics-trafficking case, was arrested after being named in a two-count indictment returned today by a federal grand jury. The new indictment charges Simonyan with unlawful procurement of United States citizenship and making a false statement on a passport application.
Today’s indictment outlines Simonyan’s 15-year history of securing United States immigration benefits via fraud and identity theft. Simonyan allegedly entered the United States from Armenia under a stolen identity and a fraudulent passport. Simonyan then sought asylum in the United States, allegedly concocting a false narrative that he was born in Azerbaijan to parents of supposed mixed Armenian-Azerbaijani nationality; that his family suffered ethnic violence, including the murder of both his parents; and that he fled to the United States via Russia. The indictment alleges that, in fact, Simonyan was born in Armenia to Armenian parents, that he entered the United States from Armenia, and that both of his parents were alive.
Simonyan will lose his United States citizenship if convicted of the immigration fraud charge.
The indictment also charges Simonyan with lying on his application for a United States passport after he gained citizenship. The alleged false statements related to his place of birth, his date of birth, and his claim that his mother was deceased.
Simonyan was previously indicted in August 2017 on charges that he and other conspirators disseminated more than 2 million pills of controlled prescription drugs to the black market, mostly oxycodone and hydrocodone. Simonyan is currently scheduled to go on trial in that case on February 12, 2019.
In the immigration fraud case, Simonyan is expected to be arraigned on the indictment this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
If convicted of the charges in the new indictment, Simonyan would face a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison, in addition to the statutory maximum of 60 years in federal prison that he faces in the narcotics case.
The immigration investigation was conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and was conducted under the aegis of HSI’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force. Substantial assistance was provided by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Fraud Detection and National Security unit, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin Barron and Jamie Lang of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.
Bradley Gene Romero Sentenced to Serve 19 Years in Federal Prison on Methamphetamine Conspiracy and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On August 7, 2018, Bradley Gene Romero, 32, of Newport, Tennessee, was sentenced by the Honorable R. Leon Jordan, U.S. District Judge, to serve 228 months in federal prison for his role in a significant methamphetamine (meth) conspiracy and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
According to the plea agreement on file with the U.S. District Court, Romero admitted that he was responsible for conspiring to distribute at least 500 grams, but less than 1.5 kilograms, of meth. He was arrested in September 2017 at a motel in White Pine, Tennessee, with co-defendant Amanda Cureton, 34, of Newport, Tennessee, after a search of the room uncovered a quantity of meth and a firearm. An additional quantity of meth was found hidden within the person of Romero after his arrival at the jail.
A search warrant was obtained and executed on the contents of Romero’s cell phone. Three clear photographs of Romero holding a firearm were found as well as a photo of Romero holding up a large amount of cash. Three other photographs show varying quantities of meth in Romero’s hands. One other photograph showed meth in various stages of the distribution process.
Others who were previously sentenced in this meth trafficking conspiracy include Randall James Stephens, 34, of Cosby, Tennessee, who was sentenced to 100 months; Christopher Justin Mixon, 33, of Parrottsville, Tennessee, who was sentenced to 110 months; Larry Michael Allison, 37, of Newport, Tennessee, who was sentenced to 98 months; and Taylor Denee Gudger, 24, of Newport, Tennessee, who was sentenced to 168 months. Cureton’s sentencing hearing is set in September 2018.
Law enforcement agencies participating in the investigation included the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Hamblen County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, White Pine Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Fourth District Judicial Drug Task Force, Cocke County Sheriff’s Office and the Newport Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Taylor represented the United States.
This case was a result of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
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