Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Thursday 21 June 2018
Cross Hill Man Sentenced for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina-------United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Michael Jerome Davis, age 43, of Cross Hill, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Anderson, South Carolina, for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain sentenced Davis to a total term of 180 months in federal prison followed by supervised release.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on August 7, 2017, Clinton Public Safety officers established surveillance near a residence where Davis and another male were seen driving and acting suspiciously in Clinton. Officers determined that Davis’ license was listed as suspended and conducted a traffic stop when he attempted to drive away from the residence. As officers approached the car, one officer observed what he believed to be a firearm on the passenger side floorboard. Davis was removed from the vehicle and Davis stated he had a firearm under the driver's seat. A search of the vehicle was conducted and from under the driver’s seat officers located a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber pistol.
Davis is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms based upon his prior separate state convictions for Pointing and Presenting a firearm, Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Manufacturing Methamphetamine, and Assault and Battery 1st degree
The case was investigated by the Clinton Public Safety Department along with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville office prosecuted the case.
#####
Convicted Drug Dealer Receives 56 Months on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announces today that United States District Judge William H. Steele sentenced Jason Edward Barber, 31, a resident of Thomaston and Uniontown, Alabama, to 56 months imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The judge ordered that Barber undergo three years of supervised release after finishing his term of imprisonment and pay a $100 mandatory special assessment. The judge also recommended that Barber receive comprehensive substance abuse treatment while incarcerated.
Barber is a convicted felon with prior drug convictions. For example, on July 22, 2013 he was convicted of Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance in the Circuit Court of Perry County, Alabama. As a convicted felon, Barber is prohibited by federal law from knowingly possessing a firearm.
On March 24, 2017, a Uniontown Police Department lieutenant obtained a state warrant to search Barber’s residence in Uniontown. The lieutenant had used a confidential informant to purchase drugs from Barber at the home, providing probable cause for the warrant.On March 26, 2017, law enforcement officials executed the warrant at the premises. During the search, officials found approximately $778 in cash in Barber’s bedroom, two Smith & Wesson magazines loaded with ammunition, and one .38 caliber Rossi revolver. Officials found the firearm beside Barber’s bed. Moreover, agents found approximately 431.5 grams of marijuana and approximately 57.8 grams of cocaine in the trunk of a vehicle adjacent to the residence. The vehicle was previously driven by Barber, who was at the home at the time of the search.
In December 2017, Barber was arrested on a federal criminal complaint. On December 27, 2017, a federal grand jury for the Southern District of Alabama indicted Barber on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On February 21, 2018, a federal grand jury for the district returned a superseding indictment, adding two drug charges against Barber. On March 8, 2018, Barber pleaded guilty before Judge Steele to the gun charge.
Jason Barber is the brother of Gerald Barber, who was convicted on drug charges in January 2018 after a federal jury trial in Selma, Alabama and who later received a 120-month prison sentence.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Uniontown Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Sinan Kalayoglu prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama at http://www.justice.gov/usao/als/
Convicted Aggravated Felon Sentenced to Prison for Mailing Threatening Letter to a U.S. District Judge, Former U.S. Attorney and Assistant U.S. Attorney in North CarolinaRead the Press Release
A former Fayetteville, North Carolina man was sentenced to 41 months in prison to be served after the expiration of his state sentence, with the expected release date of 2040, for mailing a threatening communication and retaliating against a federal official in the Western District of North Carolina.
Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge John A. Strong of the FBI Charlotte, North Carolina Field Office and U.S. Marshal Greg Forest of the Western District of North Carolina, made the announcement.
George Victor Stokes, 42, was sentenced by Honorable Max O. Cogburn Jr., who sentenced him to three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. According to information included in the indictment and to which Stokes’ agreed to at his guilty plea, Stokes mailed a letter threatening to kill a U.S. District Court Judge, the former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, and an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Specifically, Stokes threatened to “blow” the head off of a U.S. District Court Judge and stated it was “his duty to do this.” Stokes admitted he sent the death threat in retaliation for the victims’ roles in the sentencing and prosecution of Stokes in a prior federal case for similar conduct, mailing a threatening communication.
Stokes is currently incarcerated in state prison for an unrelated crime. After finishing his state prison term, he will be transferred to federal prison to complete his federal sentence.
FBI Charlotte and the U.S. Marshals Service for the Western District of North Carolina investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Matthew K. Hoff and Rachel E. Timm of the Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecuted the case.
Connecticut U.S. Attorney's Office Celebrates Annual U.S. Attorney's AwardsRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut hosted its annual United States Attorney’s Office Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony yesterday in New Haven. The ceremony at the City of New Haven’s aldermanic chambers recognized more than 160 individuals for their investigative efforts and other contributions to 31 significant federal criminal prosecutions and civil cases in Connecticut. Approximately 60 of the award recipients are members of local police departments from across Connecticut.
“We in the U.S. Attorney’s Office are persistently mindful that our work and success are dependent on the dedicated efforts of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney John H. Durham. “On behalf of everyone in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, my sincere congratulations to all of our award recipients.”
In addition to the criminal and civil case awards, U.S. Attorney Durham presented several special awards during the ceremony.
The U.S. Attorney’s Award for Outstanding Investigator was presented to Special Agent Maria Papageorgiou of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, for her expertise in complex financial fraud and tax investigations during her 17-year career in Connecticut.
The U.S. Attorney’s Award for Outstanding Partnership was presented to Tammy Sneed, Director of Gender Responsive Adolescent Services for the Connecticut Department of Children and Families. Ms. Sneed has been essential in coordinating services for human trafficking victims and assisting with local, state and federal investigations involving the sex trafficking of children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Outstanding Citizen Award was presented to Jose Casanova, Marvin Dixon and Jacqueline Marciano, whose quick thinking and disregard for their own safety helped to save the life of Hartford Police Officer Jill Kidik, the victim of a stabbing attack, on May 17, 2018.
The National Security and Major Crimes Unit Award was presented to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent Allison Haimila for her dedicated investigative work in child exploitation cases.
The Financial Fraud and Public Corruption Unit Award was presented to a team of FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation special agents that investigated an extensive “pump-and-dump” securities fraud scheme that resulted in more than $20 million in losses to thousands of investors.
The Violent Crimes and Narcotics Unit Award was presented to The Justice Education Center, Inc., a West Hartford-based non-profit organization. For more than a decade, the Justice Education Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office have worked cooperatively on a number of initiatives, including Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal initiative to reduce violence in inner cities and develop prevention and early intervention programs to curb juvenile crime.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is charged with enforcing federal criminal laws in Connecticut and representing the federal government in civil litigation. The Office is composed of approximately 68 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 57 staff members at offices in New Haven, Bridgeport and Hartford.
Colombian National Sentenced to 10 Years for Trafficking 5 Kilos of HeroinRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – Alberto Mario Perez-Gutierrez a/k/a: Alexander Gomez and Luis Mercado, 46, of Brooklyn, NY, a Colombian national, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for trafficking more than 5 kilograms of heroin into Rhode Island from New York and for illegal reentry after removal from the United States, announced United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New England Field Division Brian D. Boyle, and Central Falls Police Chief Colonel James J. Mendonca.
Perez-Gutierrez and a co-defendant, Yesid Antonio Simanca-Pena, 44, a Colombian national, were arrested in Central Falls on February 13, 2017, during the delivery of 5 kilograms of heroin to an individual assisting DEA in the investigation.
On February 13, 2017, the person assisting DEA was in negotiations with Perez-Gutierrez and Simanca-Pena to be provided with 5 kilograms of heroin. These negotiations led to a late afternoon meeting that day at Simanca-Pena’s Central Falls residence. Shortly after the person assisting DEA arrived by vehicle at the residence, Simanca-Pena placed one kilogram of heroin on the floor of the vehicle. Simanca-Pena was immediately taken into custody and the heroin was seized by DEA agents. DEA and DEA Task Force agents, with the assistance of Central Falls Police, then executed a court authorized search of Simanca-Pena’s residence where they seized in excess of an additional 4 kilograms of heroin and arrested Perez-Gutierrez.
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith ordered Perez-Gutierrez to serve 10 years in prison followed by 5 years supervised release. The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines range of imprisonment in this matter is 120-121 months. The government recommended the court impose a sentence of 120 months in prison.
Yesid Antonio Simanca-Pena, who pleaded guilty on March 12, 2018, is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith on August 17, 2017.
Immigration detainers have been lodged against both defendants by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Perez-Gutierrez was previously deported January 17, 2006.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.
###
Colombian National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Colombian national pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
Alejandro Suarez, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for June 22, 2018.
On March 22, 2018, law enforcement officers discovered Suarez and determined him to be illegally present in the United States. Suarez was previously deported on July 26, 2000.
Suarez faces a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Rebecca J. Adducci, Interim Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Soivilien of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting this case.
Chinese National Arrested for Conspiring to Illegally Export U.S. Origin Goods Used in Anti-Submarine Warfare to ChinaRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chinese national was arrested today and charged in connection with violating export laws by conspiring with employees of an entity affiliated with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to illegally export U.S. origin goods to China, as well as making false statements to obtain a visa to enter the United States and to become a lawful permanent resident under the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Program.
Shuren Qin, 41, a Chinese national residing in Wellesley, Mass., was charged in a criminal complaint with one count of visa fraud and one count of conspiring to commit violations of U.S. export regulations. Qin was arrested today and will appear in federal court in Boston on June 22, 2018.
According to charging documents, Qin was born in the People’s Republic of China and became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in 2014. Qin operates several companies in China, which purport to import U.S. and European goods with applications in underwater or marine technologies into China. It is alleged that Qin was in communication with and/or receiving taskings from entities affiliated with the PLA, including the Northwestern Polytechnical University (NWPU), a Chinese military research institute, to obtain items used for anti-submarine warfare.
In 2001, the Department of Commerce designated NWPU on its Entity List because of the national security risks it poses to the U.S. NWPU has worked closely with the PLA on the advancement of its military capabilities. From at least July 2015 to December 2016, Qin allegedly exported approximately 78 hydrophones (devices used to detect and monitor sound underwater) from the United States to NWPU without obtaining the required export licenses from the Department of Commerce, in violation of U.S. export laws. Qin did so by concealing from the U.S. supplier that NWPU was the end-user and causing false information to be filed with the United States Government.
As alleged in court documents, in 2014, Qin made false statements on his visa application. Specifically, he falsely certified that he had never “engaged in export control violations or other unlawful activity.” However, it is alleged that Qin engaged in numerous violations of U.S. export laws since 2012. In his petition to become a legal permanent resident of the U.S., Qin again falsely certified that he had never committed any crime. Furthermore, during a November 2017, interview with Customs and Board Patrol Officers, Qin stated that he “only” exported instruments that attach to a buoy. However, Qin had allegedly exported remotely-operated side scan sonar systems, unmanned underwater vehicles, unmanned surface vehicles, robotic boats, and hydrophones. These items have military applications and can be used for weapon delivery systems, anti-submarine warfare, mine counter-measures as well as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance activities.
The charge of conspiring to violate U.S. export laws provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. The charge of visa fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew Lelling; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigation, Boston Field Office; Leigh Alistair-Barzey, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office; William Higgins, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement, Boston Field Office; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Leo Lamont, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney B. Stephanie Siegmann, Chief of Lelling’s National Security Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Charleston Man Indicted on Hate Crime ChargeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that John Perry Taylor IV, 34, from Charleston, West Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of West Virginia on a charge of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
The indictment alleges that on or about the evening of Oct. 7, 2017, and into Oct. 8, 2017, in the Southern District of West Virginia, Taylor willfully caused bodily injury to a woman, A.P. The indictment alleges that Taylor caused bodily injury to A.P. using a dangerous weapon because of A.P.’s actual and perceived sexual orientation. Specifically, Taylor made derogatory comments regarding A.P.’s actual and perceived sexual orientation and used a glass bottle to hit A.P. multiple times on her head, causing her to suffer a laceration, bruising, and pain.
If convicted, Taylor faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Christine M. Siscaretti and Assistant United States Attorney Gabe Wohl.
Caribou Man Sentenced to Five Years for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Ryan T. Card, 22, of Caribou, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to five years in prison and 20 years of supervised release for possessing child pornography. Card pleaded guilty on February 27, 2018.
According to court records, between about November 2016 and April 2017, Card possessed images of child pornography on his cell phone. At least one of the images, which he had sought out and downloaded from on-line storage accounts on the internet, depicted a child under the age of 12.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Caribou Police Department, and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit. 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. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
California Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a HandgunRead the Press Release
BILLINGS - The United States Attorney’s Office announced that Luis Javier Gaspar, a 20 year-old resident of San Jose, California, was sentenced on June 20, 2018 to 15 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Gaspar was convicted of felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1).
In March 2017, a Montana Highway Patrol Trooper pulled over a car occupied by Gaspar and his co-defendant, Francisco Calderon, for a traffic infraction. During the stop, the trooper developed probable cause to search the car and law enforcement found a loaded revolver in the middle console. Gaspar was prohibited from possessing the firearm based on a prior felony conviction in California.
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.
California Man Sentenced for Selling Oxycodone Pills in Great FallsRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that 46-year old Lafaven Adams of Corona, California, was sentenced to 54 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the hearing.
In February of 2017, law enforcement officers in Great Falls, Montana, became aware of large shipments of oxycodone arriving in Great Falls from California. That month, detectives examined a package that contained approximately 200 oxycodone pills, which possessed a street value of approximately $12,000. Through further investigation, officers learned that similar shipments had arrived in Great Falls and surrounding areas, and all of them came from Long Beach, California.
Officers later identified the source of these shipments as the defendant, Lafaven Adams. In March of 2017, detectives found Adams in Great Falls and watched him complete numerous drug deals in various parking lots. Pursuant to a search warrant, detectives found 544 oxycodone pills in Adams’ hotel room. The pills had a street value of approximately $32,000 and were of the same type and manufacture as the pills previously seized.
Through additional investigation, detectives learned that Adams frequently traveled to Great Falls from Long Beach, and distributed hundreds of pills from his hotel room and throughout town. When Adams was not in Great Falls, he sent numerous packages that contained pills to Great Falls for redistribution. Adams has an extensive criminal history that includes numerous prior drug trafficking convictions.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Betley and investigated by the Russell Country Drug Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations.
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.
Caddo County Man Charged with Shooting Woman in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – MARTIN ROCHA, 56, a resident of Caddo County, has been charged with assaulting a woman in Indian Country with a rifle with the intent to murder her, along with other charges, announced Robert J. Troester, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.
According to an affidavit in support of a criminal complaint filed in federal court on May 19, 2018, officers with the Binger Police Department and the Caddo County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs Law Enforcement after a 911 call reported Rocha’s shooting of a woman with a Winchester 30-30 rifle. According to the affidavit, Rocha was estranged from his wife and not allowed to live with her. The investigation determined that Rocha drove up to the residence, got out of his car, and fired a single shot that caused life-threatening injuries to the victim. Rocha has been in custody since the evening of the shooting.
On June 20, a federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against Rocha. He is charged with assault with intent to commit murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and using a firearm during a crime of violence. The assault charges are federal crimes because the indictment alleges the victim is an Indian and the shooting took place in Indian Country. More specifically, the affidavit identifies the victim as a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes and also states that Rocha is not an Indian.
If Rocha is convicted of assault with intent to commit murder, he could be imprisoned for up to twenty years, followed by up to three years of supervised release, and fined up to $250,000. Convictions on the other two assault counts and on the felon-in-possession count could lead to prison sentences of ten years, three years of supervised release, and fines of up to $250,000. If convicted of using a firearm during a crime of violence, he would face a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and a maximum of life. Imprisonment imposed based on this last count would be consecutive to sentences on the other counts. Rocha could also be ordered to pay restitution to his victim.
These charges are the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, with assistance from the Binger Police Department and the Caddo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arvo Mikkanen is prosecuting the case.
The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations and that Rocha is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Reference is made to public filings for further information.
Businessman Charged with Stealing Thousands of Dollars from San Antonio Cash Network ATMsRead the Press Release
In San Antonio this morning, FBI agents arrested 54-year-old Joseph Vasquez, a principal of San Antonio Cash Network, for allegedly stealing over $145,000 from his company’s ATMs, announced United States Attorney John F. Bash and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.
A federal grand jury indictment returned yesterday charges the defendant with four counts of embezzlement. The indictment alleges that in October and November 2016, Vasquez removed cash without authorization from four different San Antonio Cash Network ATMs.
The indictment also seeks a monetary judgment in this case in the amount of $1,084,600, which represents with the value of the proceeds obtained from the defendant’s overall scheme. Each charge calls for up to 30 years in federal prison and up to a $1,000,000 fine upon conviction.
The FBI and the Texas Department of Public Safety investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney William R. Harris is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Buffalo Man Sentenced in Cross Country Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Gabriel Rodriguez, 40, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, was sentenced to serve 60 months in federal prison by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that between 2004 and July 12, 2012, the defendant conspired with others to distribute large quantities of marijuana in the Buffalo area. In April 2009, codefendants Jordan Ali and Shane Grafman began assisting one another in their drug distribution businesses. The defendants obtained the narcotics in the State of Arizona, and then utilized several methods to send the marijuana and cocaine to the Buffalo area, including cars, trucks, shipping crates and United States Postal Service parcels. Grafman also utilized private jets to travel from Arizona to Buffalo to pick up his drug proceeds. During this time, Rodriguez obtained more than 2,000 pounds from Grafman and Ali for distribution in the Buffalo area.
During the investigation, law enforcement officers seized approximately $1,000,000 in United States currency, including $671,385 from a hidden compartment within a Honda Ridgeline driven by Grafman.
A total of six defendants were arrested and convicted in this case.
The sentencing is the culmination of investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of James J. Hunt, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Division; Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James D. Robnett; the United States Postal Service Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector-in-Charge Delany E. De Leon-Colon; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood; the Erie County Sheriff's Department, under the direction of Sheriff Tim Howard; the Niagara Frontier Transit Authority, under the direction of Chief George Gast; the Tempe, Arizona Police Department; the Apache County, Arizona Sheriff's Department; and the Oklahoma State Police.
Buffalo Man Sentenced in Cross Country Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Gabriel Rodriguez, 40, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, was sentenced to serve 60 months in federal prison by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that between 2004 and July 12, 2012, the defendant conspired with others to distribute large quantities of marijuana in the Buffalo area. In April 2009, codefendants Jordan Ali and Shane Grafman began assisting one another in their drug distribution businesses. The defendants obtained the narcotics in the State of Arizona, and then utilized several methods to send the marijuana and cocaine to the Buffalo area, including cars, trucks, shipping crates and United States Postal Service parcels. Grafman also utilized private jets to travel from Arizona to Buffalo to pick up his drug proceeds. During this time, Rodriguez obtained more than 2,000 pounds from Grafman and Ali for distribution in the Buffalo area.
During the investigation, law enforcement officers seized approximately $1,000,000 in United States currency, including $671,385 from a hidden compartment within a Honda Ridgeline driven by Grafman.
A total of six defendants were arrested and convicted in this case.
The sentencing is the culmination of investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of James J. Hunt, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Division; Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James D. Robnett; the United States Postal Service Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector-in-Charge Delany E. De Leon-Colon; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood; the Erie County Sheriff's Department, under the direction of Sheriff Tim Howard; the Niagara Frontier Transit Authority, under the direction of Chief George Gast; the Tempe, Arizona Police Department; the Apache County, Arizona Sheriff's Department; and the Oklahoma State Police.
Buffalo Man Indicted for Being A Felon in Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Larry Watkins, Sr., 51, of Buffalo, NY, with being a felon in possession of ammunition. The charge carries a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul C. Parisi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and statement by the Government to the Court, on June 16, 2018, the defendant discharged a firearm on Stanton Street in Buffalo in broad daylight. In April of 1993, Watkins was convicted of a felony in Erie County Court. In May 2005, the defendant was convicted of a felony in federal court. As a result of those prior convictions, Watkins is legally prohibited from possessing ammunition.
The defendant was arraigned this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and is being held pending a detention hearing on June 25, 2018, at 2:00 p.m.
The indictment is the culmination of investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Howard.
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.
Buffalo Man and Woman Charged in Superseding Indictment with Heroin and Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Jawayne Watkins, 29, aka Weezy, and Anika Williams, 42, both of Buffalo, NY, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, and 4-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, heroin and 4-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison, and a fine of $5,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who is handling the case, stated that according to the superseding indictment and a previously filed complaint, in July 2017, an undercover officer made a $1,500 controlled purchase of heroin and 4-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl from Watkins. On November 9, 2017, Watkins made a second sale, this time a mixture of heroin and 4-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl.
Watkins was on New York State parole and living in a halfway house at the time of his arrest in November 2017.
Anika Williams was arraigned before U.S, Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and released on conditions following a detention hearing this morning. Jawayne Watkins is scheduled to be arraigned on June 26, 2018 at 3:00 p.m.
The superseding indictment is the result of an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Howard.
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.
Biopharmaceutical Company Executive Sentenced for Insider TradingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An executive of a California-based biopharmaceutical company was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with trading on insider information and profiting nearly $1 million.
Robert Gadimian, 48, of Burbank, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 27 months in prison, two years of supervised release and ordered to pay a fine of $25,000. In November 2017, Gadimian pleaded guilty to seven counts of securities fraud and insider trading.
From November 2011 to October 2014, Gadimian was the Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs at Puma Technology Inc., a biopharmaceutical company based in California whose principal focus was the development of a breast cancer drug called neratinib. Puma was involved in several ongoing drug trials for neratinib including one that a Massachusetts-based consulting firm was conducting for Puma.
By virtue of his position at Puma, including his attendance at steering committee meetings and project team meetings related to ongoing drug trials, Gadimian learned sensitive, non-public information about the ongoing trials. Gadimian traded on that inside information and made significant profits, in violation of Puma’s insider trading policy. For example, in July 2014, Gadimian purchased a series of short-term Puma call options in advance of a July 22, 2014, public announcement that Puma achieved positive results during one of the trials. The following day, Puma’s stock price jumped approximately 295 percent, and Gadimian then sold all the call options he purchased and profited $910,000 from his illegal trades. In total, Gadimian made profits of $95,000 in 2013 and $1,060,000 in 2014.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission provided assistance in bringing this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil J. Gallagher Jr. of Lelling’s Economic Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Area Law Enforcement Meeting Held in SomersetRead the Press Release
SOMERSET, KY. – Federal, state and local law enforcement officials met yesterday in Somerset, to discuss initiatives of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice that are designed to combat drug trafficking and violent crime.
Approximately 40 officials, including local prosecutors, police chiefs and sheriffs, met at the Center for Rural Development, to discuss current trends in drug trafficking and violent crime affecting the south central region of Kentucky. Representatives from Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) gave an intelligence briefing on the current trends.
U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr., his executive staff, and members of federal law enforcement agencies, have been traveling across the Eastern District of Kentucky and meeting with local law enforcement to provide information on two major initiatives: the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Enforcement Initiative and the U.S. Attorney’s Opiate/Opioid Prosecution Initiative. Attendees were given an overview of each initiative and provided tools, both to help them combat these problems on a local level and to develop appropriate cases for the prosecution of individuals under federal law.
“Our goal is to establish and maintain partnerships with local and state law enforcement, in a joint effort to remove violent offenders from our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr. “We also want to do our part in fighting the opioid epidemic, by providing tools to our local partners to assist in fighting the drug scourge impacting our communities.”
This is the third such meeting conducted by U.S. Attorney Duncan and was hosted and organized by Chief William Hunt of the Somerset Police Department. U.S. Attorney Duncan previously met with law enforcement partners in Ashland and Pikeville.
Alleged Gang Member Sentenced for Dealing FirearmsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An alleged member of the Latin Gangsta’ Disciples gang in Lawrence was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison for federal firearms trafficking. Defendant sold 11 firearms, 18 magazines and 359 rounds of ammunition (including 59 rounds of hollow point ammunition, sometimes referred to on the street as “cop killers).
Eric Valentin, a/k/a “Jefe,” 22, of Nashua, N.H., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to three years in prison and three years of supervised release. In April 2018, Valentin pleaded guilty to dealing firearms without a license and conspiracy to deal firearms without a license. In February 2018, Valentin was charged along with co-defendants Jose Ilarraza, a/k/a “Kae-Kae,” 26, of Newburyport, and Bryan Torres-Almanzar, a/k/a “Flex,” 19, of Nashua, N.H.
According to court documents, in September 2017, a cooperating witness working for federal investigators was approached by an individual in the Middleton House of Corrections, after that individual learned that the cooperator was interested in obtaining firearms for shipment to the Dominican Republic. The cooperating witness was instructed to contact Torres-Almanzar, who was allegedly heavily involved in firearms trafficking.
Investigators used this information and another cooperating witness to purchase firearms from Torres-Almanzar and his partner, Valentin, on six occasions between Sept. 12, 2017, and Oct. 19, 2017. For example, on Sept. 14, 2017, the cooperating witness arranged to purchase a 9mm semiautomatic pistol with a laser sight, three magazines and 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition for $1,000 from Torres-Almanzar and Valentin. During the sale, Torres-Almanzar and Valentin talked about future gun purchases and told the cooperating witness that “we do business and will take care of you.” They also said that they were in the business of “growing our organization” and repeatedly urged the cooperating witness to buy more firearms.
During the course of the investigation, the cooperating witness purchased a total of 11 firearms, 18 magazines and 359 rounds of ammunition (including 59 rounds of hollow point ammunition, sometimes referred to on the street as “cop killers”) from Torres-Almanzar and Valentin for a total of $12,300. During an Oct. 4, 2017 sale, Valentin provided the cooperating witness with a “price list” that indicated the range of firearms that Valentin and Torres-Almanzar allegedly had for sale.
Torres-Almanzar previously pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 26, 2018. Ilarraza’s case remains pending.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Lawrence Police Chief Roy P. Vasque; Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett; Lowell Police Chief Jonathan C. Webb; and Nashua (N.H.) Police Chief Andrew J. Lavoie made the announcement today.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Alien Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that, on June 14, 2018, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging MIGUEL ANGEL ARCOS-VASQUEZ, also known as “Dimas Fernando Herrarte,” 26, with one count of illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported. ARCOS-VASQUEZ, a citizen of either Mexico or Guatemala, last resided in Norwalk.
ARCOS-VASQUEZ appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah A. L. Merriam in New Haven and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, ARCOS-VASQUEZ illegally entered the U.S. in or before 2014. In March 2014, he was arrested by the Stratford Police Department for a burglary offense. In April 2014, he also was charged with failure to appear. He was not encountered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at this time.
It is also alleged that, in January 2016, ARCOS-VASQUEZ attempted to enter the U.S. three times through Texas, but was removed to Mexico after each attempt.
It is further alleged that, on January 24, 2017, ARCOS-VASQUEZ was arrested by the Stamford Police Department on charges of threatening in the first degree. On January 27, 2017, under the name of Dimas Herrarte-Ramirez, he was charged by the Norwalk Police Department with sale of a hallucinogen/narcotic and criminal possession of a firearm. ARCOS-VASQUEZ has been detained since that time, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was notified.
In October 2017, the state charges against ARCOS-VASQUEZ were resolved and he is currently serving a sentence of five years of imprisonment, execution suspended after two years.
If convicted of the charge of illegal reentry, ARCOS-VASQUEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years.
Immigration authorities are in the process of determining if ARCOS-VASQUEZ is a citizen of Mexico or Guatemala.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial at which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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.
Albuquerque Felon Sentenced to 92 Months in Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Manuel Herrera, 51, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court to 92 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Herrera will be on supervised release for three years after completing his prison sentence.
Herrera was arrested in Jan. 2017, on an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition on Sept. 11, 2016, in Bernalillo County, N.M. According to the indictment, Herrera was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of his prior felony convictions for forgery, aggravated driving while intoxicated, bribery and intimidation of a witness, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
On March 13, 2017, Herrera entered a guilty plea to the indictment.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel A. Hurtado prosecuted the case as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets violent, repeat offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders primarily based on their prior criminal convictions for federal prosecution offenders with the goal of making communities in New Mexico safer places for people to live and work.
Additional Charges Filed Against Defense Attorney and Client for Smuggling Drugs into Anchorage PrisonRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that a 25-count superseding indictment has been filed against a criminal defense attorney and her client for allegedly smuggling drugs into the State of Alaska Department of Corrections (DOC) Anchorage Correctional Complex (ACC) for distribution to inmates.
Kit Lee Karjala, 55, a criminal defense attorney in Anchorage, and her client, Christopher Brandon Miller, aka “Mellow,” 34, who is currently an inmate at ACC, have both been named in the superseding indictment. Karjala and Miller are both charged with drug conspiracy, conspiracy to provide contraband in prison, money laundering conspiracy, as well as additional drug and money laundering charges. The charges filed today supersede the original 2-count indictment filed in this case.
According to court documents, the drug conspiracy began in June 2016 and continued until May 2017. Karjala allegedly passed drugs to co-conspirator inmates, including Miller, during in-person attorney-client visits. Because Karjala was an attorney and represented to DOC that these meetings were professional visits, DOC permitted her to meet with Miller and the other co-conspirator inmate in rooms with no physical barriers separating Karjala from the inmate she was visiting. During these visits, Karjala would hand a package of drugs to the inmate and the inmate would then hide the drugs inside his body. After Karjala delivered the drugs, the inmate would then smuggle the drugs back to his jail cell, where the inmate would later distribute the drugs to other ACC inmates for profit.
The superseding indictment also alleges that Karjala and Miller conspired to conduct financial transactions involving drug proceeds, which were designed to promote the drug conspiracy and to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of those drug proceeds.
In addition, a separate indictment has been filed against Karjala for intentionally failing to appear for a bail review hearing that was scheduled for June 19, 2018, as was required by her conditions of release related to the initial charges. A warrant has been issued for Karjala’s arrest.
If the public has any information regarding Karjala’s whereabouts, please call the FBI at (907) 276-4441.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the Alaska State Troopers (AST) conducted the investigation, with substantial assistance from DOC, leading to the charges in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea W. Hattan.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Wednesday 20 June 2018
Wisconsin Man Sentenced to 235 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Denton Jerome, 32 years old, of Doylestown, Wisconsin, was sentenced by District Court Judge James Moody to 235 months imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of attempted sex trafficking of a minor, announced United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.
U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “Crimes committed against innocent children are particularly egregious. Others who commit these type of offenses, should be warned by this sentence. We and our law enforcement partners aggressively focus our efforts on bringing offenders like Mr. Jerome to justice.”
“Crimes like these have a grave impact on our children,” said James M. Gibbons, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Chicago. “Mr. Jerome’s lengthy prison sentence is a harsh reminder that law enforcement and the courts will not tolerate those who steal the innocence of the children and of our communities.”
According to documents in the case, Jerome was apprehended as a result of an undercover operation targeting customers of child sex tourism. On April 18, 2017, Jerome drove from Wisconsin to a hotel in Munster, Indiana, with the intent to engage in commercial sex acts with a 10-year-old female. Less than a year earlier, Jerome was convicted for attempted child enticement in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, also as the result of an undercover sting operation, and sentenced to three months imprisonment. Jerome committed the instant offense while on probation from his first conviction.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of Hammond Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abizer Zanzi.
###
West Monroe felon sentenced for possessing pistol after fleeing police, hiding in trash canRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a felon from West Monroe was sentenced last week to 21 months in prison for illegal possession of a firearm.
Marquarius D. York, 22, of West Monroe, Louisiana, was sentenced June 13, 2018 by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the February 5, 2018 guilty plea, a resident on Mitchell Avenue in West Monroe on June 29, 2017 reported seeing a man who was later identified as York. A subsequent search led to police locating York hiding in a trash can as well as the firearm that he fired in the street. The weapon was a Cougar 800, 9mm caliber pistol. York told police he knew he was not allowed to possess the firearm as he had been previously convicted of a felony. York has a 2013 conviction from Ouachita Parish for attempted simple burglary and a 2015 Ouachita Parish conviction for attempted simple escape.
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 out neighborhoods safe for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Session announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
The ATF and West Monroe Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford prosecuted the case.
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Enticement of a Minor and Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
A Roanoke, Virginia man pleaded guilty yesterday to charges of enticement of a minor, receipt or attempted receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Thomas T. Cullen for the Western District of Virginia.
Scott Curtiss Pieritz, 57, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Michael F. Urbanski to charges of enticement of a minor, receipt or attempted receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
In July 2017, law enforcement agents were notified that Pieritz, who had a duty to register as a sex offender as a result of three prior child pornography convictions, was using various social media applications to entice minors to produce and send him child pornography. A search warrant for his electronic devices confirmed that Pieritz was in possession of numerous images and videos of child pornography, had posed as a minor online, and had exchanged money and gifts for images from minors. The defendant also admitted to this conduct in an interview with law enforcement agents.
Pieritz is schedule to be sentenced on Oct. 1.
The case was investigated by the Virginia State Police. Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy Healey of the Western District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Enticement of A Minor and Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Roanoke – A Roanoke, Virginia man pleaded guilty yesterday to charges of enticement of a minor, receipt or attempted receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Thomas T. Cullen for the Western District of Virginia.
Scott Curtiss Pieritz, 57, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Michael F. Urbanski to charges of enticement of a minor, receipt or attempted receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
In July 2017, law enforcement agents were notified that Pieritz, who had a duty to register as a sex offender as a result of three prior child pornography convictions, was using various social media applications to entice minors to produce and send him child pornography. A search warrant for his electronic devices confirmed that Pieritz was in possession of numerous images and videos of child pornography, had posed as a minor online, and had exchanged money and gifts for images from minors. The defendant also admitted to this conduct in an interview with law enforcement agents.
Pieritz is schedule to be sentenced on Oct. 1.
The case was investigated by the Virginia State Police. Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy Healey of the Western District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Presents Case Study on “Swastika Branding Case” During Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission’s Hate Crime Awareness SeminarsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – The U.S. Attorney’s Office is participating in two Hate Crime Awareness Seminars sponsored by the Office of Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission on June 20 and 21, 2018, in Albuquerque, N.M. The first seminar is taking place today at the Albuquerque Indian Center at 105 Texas Street SE, and the second takes place tomorrow at Albuquerque & Bernalillo County Government Center.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is presenting on the federal prosecution of United States v. Paul Beebe, et al., 10-Cr-3104-MV (DNM), the first case to be charged under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (Shepard/Byrd Act). Three men from San Juan County, N.M., were indicted by a federal grand jury in Nov. 2010 under this law, which was enacted in October 2009, for their racially motivated assault on a 22-year-old developmentally disabled man of Navajo descent.
Court records reflect that the defendants took the victim to an apartment in Farmington, N.M., which was adorned in racist paraphernalia, including a Nazi flag and a woven dream catcher with a swastika in it. After the victim had fallen asleep, the defendants defaced the victim’s body by drawing on him with blue, red and black markers. When the victim awoke, one of the defendants branded the victim, who sat with a towel in his mouth, by heating a wire hanger on a stove and burning the victim’s flesh, causing a permanent deep impression of a swastika in his skin. The defendants used a cell phone to create a recording of the victim in which they coerced him to agree to be branded.
The defendants also defaced the victim’s body with white supremacist and anti-Native American symbols, including shaving a swastika in the back of the victim’s head and using markers to write the words “KKK” and “White Power” within the lines of the swastika. They also mocked the victim’s heritage by drawing an ejaculating penis and testicles on the victim’s back, telling him that they were drawing his “native pride feathers,” all the while recording the incident on a cell phone to later play for law enforcement, as “proof” that the victim consented to their acts.
All three defendants subsequently pled guilty to violating the Shepard/Byrd Act and served prison sentences.
The case study will be presented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto D. Ortega, who prosecuted the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle T. Nayback, who supervises the Indian Country Crimes Section in the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The agendas for the Hate Crime Awareness Seminars are attached.
Hate Crime Seminar AgendaTwo Colorado Financial Services Executives Sentenced in Multimillion-Dollar Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A former CEO and a former corporate counsel of a Colorado financial services company were sentenced on June 19 and June 20, in Denver, Colorado, for their participation in a multimillion-dollar investment scheme in which they falsely told investors that they could access substantial financing, including hundreds of millions in cash in an overseas bank account, in exchange for up-front fees.
Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Inspector in Charge Craig Goldberg of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Denver Division, and Acting Inspector in Charge Bill Hedrick of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Chicago Division, made the announcement.
Brian G. Elrod, 59, of Buffalo Creek, Colorado, formerly the CEO of a financial services company known as Compass Financial Solutions Ltd. (CFS), was sentenced to serve 38 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Additionally, Elrod was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,440,051.29. William E. Dawn, 80, who was CFS’s corporate counsel, was sentenced to time served. U.S. District Judge William J. Martinez handed down the sentence for Elrod, and U.S. District Judge Robert E. Blackburn sentenced Dawn and ordered him to pay restitution in the amount of $366,752.01.
Elrod pleaded guilty on Feb. 19, 2015, in the District of Colorado to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. As part of his plea agreement, Elrod admitted that from approximately 2005 to 2011, while he served as the CEO of CFS, he marketed and sold to investors promissory notes that were purportedly guaranteed by CFS and others. With respect to the notes that were guaranteed by CFS, Elrod promised investors high returns through monthly interest payments and represented to investors that the proceeds from the notes would be used to operate CFS. However, Elrod instead used the investors’ funds for, among other things, payments to other investors and to himself. After Elrod defaulted on the notes, he conspired with Kenneth Brewington, who purported to be a wealthy financier, and told investors that Brewington would assume CFS’s obligations on these notes. To induce CFS’s investors to sign these assumption agreements, Elrod showed investors fraudulent documents that falsely claimed Brewington had 500 million euros in an overseas bank account. Elrod also sold additional promissory notes that were guaranteed by Brewington personally. To induce investors to purchase the notes guaranteed by Brewington, Elrod again showed investors similar fraudulent documents purporting to show Brewington’s wealth and told some of the investors that their investments would be used to release Brewington’s money overseas. Elrod acknowledged that his scheme resulted in over $2.5 million in losses to investors.
Dawn pleaded guilty on Feb. 25, 2015, in the District of Colorado, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. As part of his plea agreement, Dawn admitted that from approximately 2002 to 2010, he served as in-house counsel at CFS. Dawn also admitted that he drafted promissory notes sold by Elrod and Brewington in order to solicit investor funds. In doing so, Dawn knew that the proceeds from these notes were going to be used by CFS to make payments to other investors, which had not been disclosed to the purchasers of these notes. To disguise from investors the fact that the proceeds from the notes were not in fact going to be used to release the millions of euros supposedly held by Brewington overseas, the defendant allowed his attorney-client trust account to be used to receive the investors’ money. Dawn acknowledged that his scheme resulted in over $200,000 in losses to investors. He also acknowledged that he owes $366,752.01 in restitution.
Brewington, 55, of Corona, California, was convicted on multiple counts of fraud and money laundering on May 18, in the District of Colorado, following a two-week jury trial. Brewington’s sentencing is set for Aug. 17, before U.S. District Court Judge Philip A. Brimmer, who presided over the trial of the case.
The investigation was led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission also provided substantial assistance in this matter. Trial Attorneys Anna G. Kaminska, Kyle C. Hankey, and Jennifer G. Ballantyne, as well as Assistant Chief Henry P. Van Dyck of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
Twice Deported, Dominican National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Dominican national deported from the United States in 1999 and 2011, and arrested in Rhode Island in December 2017, has been sentenced to federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States.
Manolo Ruiz, 47, formerly of Lawrence, MA, has been sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith to 18 months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch and Rebecca J. Adducci, Interim Field Office Director, for the ICE Enforcement & Removal Operations (ERO) Boston Field Office.
Ruiz, by his own admission, is a native and citizen of the Dominican Republic. He admitted that he was previously deported from Miami, FL, to the Dominican Republic on September 5, 1999, and from Alexandria, LA, to the Dominican Republic on June 16, 2011.
On December 20, 2017, Ruiz was arrested in Rhode Island by Rhode Island State Police on a charge of providing a false document to a public official. He was released from Rhode Island state court on December 21, 2017, into the custody of United States Immigration and Custom Enforcement.
The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines range of imprisonment in this matter is 21-27 months. The government recommended the court impose a sentence of 21 months in prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zechariah Chafee, Border Security coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island.
###
Twenty-Two Members of Manhattan Crew Charged in Manhattan Federal Court with Narcotics and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing today of an Indictment charging 22 members of a crew operating in and around the Thomas Jefferson Houses in Manhattan with narcotics conspiracy and firearms offenses.
A total of 14 defendants were taken into custody today; two other defendants were already in federal custody. Sixteen of the 22 defendants will be presented and arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry B. Pitman later today. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “In this Office’s continuing effort to improve the quality of life for the law-abiding and rent-paying residents of NYCHA housing, today’s indictment charges 22 members with allegedly operating a serious drug distribution network to deal crack cocaine in and around the Jefferson Houses in East Harlem. These drugs destroy lives and cripple communities. In addition, members of the crew allegedly possessed firearms to further their drug operation, bringing the danger of gun violence to the streets of New York. Thanks to the outstanding work of the FBI and NYPD, the defendants will now face justice in federal court.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “As alleged, these drug dealers hold communities hostage by creating an atmosphere of fear, and the wares they’re pushing are now having a deadly impact beyond our city. The FBI Metro Safe Streets Task Force, which made today’s arrests, is committed to deterring street violence and will continue to pursue those that endanger New York City communities.”
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court and in other court papers[1]:
From 2014 up to June 2018, JOSE HERNANDEZ, a/k/a “Cheerio,” a/k/a “Bheerio,” CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE, a/k/a “Hood,” a/k/a ”H.O.,” a/k/a “Peanut,” LUIS AVILES, a/k/a “Toby,” GERALDO BUSANET, a/k/a “Bunazie,” SAMMUEL CABAN, a/k/a “Sammy,” JASON DAVENPORT, a/k/a “Jay,” JAMER DAVIS, a/k/a “J-Rock,” JERRELL FULCHER, a/k/a “Relly,” a/k/a “Butta,” RICO GONZALEZ, CLARENCE GRANDY, a/k/a “Butta,” TITO LLANES, a/k/a “Reek,” BENJAMIN LUCRE, a/k/a “Gotti,” DERRICK RICHARDSON, a/k/a “Fazo,” PARIS ROBERTS, a/k/a “Rambo,” ROCKY SANCHEZ, EDWIN SANTANA, a/k/a “E.B.,” a/k/a “Fat,” a/k/a “Defat,” LARRY SMITH, a/k/a “Scrap,” SHAHIEME SMITH, a/k/a “Mills,” a/k/a “Ira,” ISAAC SOLER, a/k/a “Doughboy,” DYLAN WILLIAMS, a/k/a “Rock,” a/k/a “Rockyo,” JAMES WILSON, a/k/a “Gotti,” and ROBERT WRIGHT, a/k/a “Rob Santana,” participated in a conspiracy to distribute 280 grams and more of crack cocaine and in around the Jefferson Houses, a public housing project in East Harlem, New York.
From 2014 up to June 2018, certain members of this Crew, namely JOSE HERNANDEZ, CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE, BENJAMIN LUCRE, EDWIN SANTANA, LARRY SMITH, ISAAC SOLER, and DYLAN WILIAMS used, carried, and possessed firearms in furtherance of the crack cocaine conspiracy of which they were members.
* * *
Charts containing the names, charges, and maximum penalties for the defendants are set forth below. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and NYPD, and commended the NYPD's Manhattan North Narcotics, Major Case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Schorr, Jessica Feinstein, Jacob Warren, and Christopher Clore are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
COUNT
CHARGE
DEFENDANTS
MAX. PENALTIES
1
Narcotics conspiracy
21 U.S.C. §§ 841(b)(1)(A) and 846
JOSE HERNANDEZ, 31
CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE, 34
LUIS AVILES, 31
GERALDO BUSANET, 31
SAMMUEL CABAN, 28
JASON DAVENPORT, 30
JAMER DAVIS, 23
JERRELL FULCHER, 21
RICO GONZALEZ, 21
CLARENCE GRANDY, 20
TITO LLANES, 22
BENJAMIN LUCRE, 18
DERRICK RICHARDSON, 21
PARIS ROBERTS, 19
ROCKY SANCHEZ, 23
EDWIN SANTANA, 29
LARRY SMITH, 28
ISAAC SOLER, 27
DYLAN WILLIAMS, 20
JAMES WILSON, 29
ROBERT WRIGHT, 23
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
2
Using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
18 U.S.C. §§ 924(c ) and 2
JOSE HERNANDEZ
CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE
BENJAMIN LUCRE
EDWIN SANTANA
LARRY SMITH
ISAAC SOLER
DYLAN WILLIAMS
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of five years in prison
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
Three Indicted for Health Care Fraud Conspiracy, Money Laundering, Aggravated Identity Theft, Obstruction, Wire Fraud, and Falsifying DocumentsRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- A federal grand jury has returned a thirty-eight count superseding indictment Tuesday charging Cameron Banks (a/k/a Reggie Staggers), age 32, of Georgetwon, S.C., Angela Pyatt, age 49, of Conway, S.C., and Solomon Pyatt, age 56, of Conway, S.C. with Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud, individual counts of Health Care Fraud, Money Laundering, Aggravated Identity Theft, Obstruction of a Health Care Crime Investigation, Wire Fraud, and Falsifying Documents. The indictment marks the second superseding indictment in the case.
Banks was originally the sole defendant in the first two indictments. The first superseding indictment added allegations of Money Laundering and Falsifying Documents to the original indictment, which included seven counts of Health Care Fraud, in connection with an alleged scheme to submit fraudulent loan applications for dental services.
The second superseding indictment adds defendants Angela and Solomon Pyatt, alleging that Banks used his position as an employee of a dentistry practice to conspire with them, and others, to submit loan applications in the names of patients to a medical financing program operated by a federally insured bank. The indictment alleges, however, that in a number of instances, no services were requested or provided to the patient or Banks fraudulently inflated the cost, causing the transfer of funds that Banks converted to his own personal use.
Including the Health Care Fraud Conspiracy, the second superseding indictment adds sixteen counts of Money Laundering, which allege that Banks conducted a number of financial transactions in an effort to conceal the source of the proceeds of the Health Care Fraud scheme and convert them to his own use. These transactions included cash withdrawals and transfers in amounts ranging from $2,975 to $51,000. Additionally, the indictment contains allegations of Aggravated Identity Theft and Obstruction of a Health Care Crime Investigation.
Unrelated to the Health Care Fraud Conspiracy, the second superseding indictment also includes two counts of Wire Fraud, both of which relate to fraudulent loan applications Banks used to purchase a 2014 Bentley Flying Spur and a 2015 Cadillac Escalade.
Last, the second superseding indictment includes four charges alleging Banks falsified documents he filed with the United States Department of Transportation in order to register as a commercial motor carrier and bus operator. Specifically, Banks filed Motor Passenger Carrier Authority applications as the representative of several separate, individual entities including the Abundant Faith Lighthouse, Delta Trailways, New Generation Christian Church, and CJ Banks Transportation. Banks is alleged to have knowingly falsified the filings for each entity by purposely withholding his involvement with the other entities as required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
The maximum penalty each of the three defendants could receive for Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud is 10 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.
The maximum penalty Banks could receive for each count of health care fraud is 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. The maximum penalty he could receive for the money laundering counts is 20 years and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. The maximum penalty he could receive for the Aggravated Identity Theft counts is a mandatory sentence of two years, which would run consecutively to any sentence imposed for any convictions of Health Care Fraud, the underlying felony. The maximum penalty Banks could receive for the falsification of documents counts is 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.
The case was investigated by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, and the United States Department of Transportation - Office of Inspector General. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Matt Austin of the Charleston office for prosecution.
All charges in indictments are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
#####
Texas Man Sentenced to Ten Years for Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms Conviction in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Nicolas Robert Muniz, 27, of Monahans, Tex., was sentenced today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to 120 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for his conviction on drug trafficking and firearms charges.
Muniz was charged by criminal complaint on June 5, 2017, after law enforcement officers seized approximately 504 grams of methamphetamine, 50 grams of marijuana, and firearms and ammunition from Muniz’s vehicle during a routine traffic stop. According to the complaint, the officers deployed a drug detection canine on Muniz’s vehicle after observing that Muniz was acting in a suspicious and nervous manner. They searched the vehicle and found the drugs after the canine alerted to the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle.
Muniz and a co-defendant Michael Dwain Samples, 26, also from Monahans, were subsequently charged in a six-count indictment filed on Sept. 13, 2017. The indictment charged the two men with participating in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy and possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The indictment also charged Muniz and Samples with being felons in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possessing firearms in relation to drug trafficking crimes. According to the indictment, the defendants committed the offenses on May 16, 2017, in Lea County, N.M. Samples and Muniz were prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because they were convicted felons.
On Jan. 16, 2018, Muniz pled guilty to a four-count felony information charging him with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In entering the guilty plea, Muniz admitted that on May 16, 2017, he agreed to drive Samples from Monahans to Carlsbad, N.M., to purchase approximately 469 grams of methamphetamine. Muniz admitted having a loaded firearm under his seat of the vehicle he was driving, and that he possessed the firearm and ammunition despite his status as a convicted felon and for protection and in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
On Oct. 31, 2017, Samples pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. In entering the guilty plea, Samples admitted that on May 16, 2017, he traveled from Monahans to Carlsbad, to purchase approximately 469 grams of methamphetamine with the intention of distributing the methamphetamine to others. Samples further admitted that on May 16, 2017, he possessed a firearm and ammunition despite his status as a convicted felon. Samples was sentenced on April 17, 2018, to ten years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brock E. Taylor and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joni L. Autrey of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Tax Preparer Sentenced in SYAM Tax Service SchemeRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A 40-year-old Dallas tax preparer has been sentenced to prison for federal tax violations and failure to appear for his trial on that charge in early 2015 in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Shannon Tecoko Mays was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield to 180 months in federal prison, of which 162 months was for the tax scheme and an additional or consecutive 18 months for the failure to appear felony. Mays was also ordered to pay restitution of $1,121,202 to the Internal Revenue Service.
Mays was originally indicted in February 2014 by a federal grand jury charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was released on bond pending trial and failed to appear for trial in January 2015. Mays was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2015 for obstruction of justice for his failure to appear for trial. Mays pleaded guilty to the two felony indictments on Oct. 2, 2017.
According to prosecutors, an investigation began in August 2012 in response to numerous complaints to state and federal authorities from citizens in Port Arthur, Anahuac, Nacogdoches and Lufkin, Texas regarding income tax returns that were being fraudulently prepared on their behalf. During the investigation, it was discovered that Mays was operating numerous offices across the United States under the name “Syam Tax Services, L.L.C.” and “Baby Momma Tax.” Although the principal office was located in Dallas, Mays also operated or sought to operate satellite offices in numerous other locations, including Fort Worth, Houston, New Orleans, Memphis, Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles.
According to information presented in court, Mays targeted individuals who were on disability or only received Social Security income as they are generally exempt from having to file income tax returns and thus would be less likely to discover a fraudulent tax return had been filed on their behalf. To further facilitate the scheme, Mays employed “recruiters,” paying them from $50-100 for every client they successfully brought into Syam Tax. Many of the complaining taxpayers were told by the recruiters that they were receiving an economic “stimulus” payment from the government. In order to avoid detection, Mays altered the taxpayers’ addresses and phone numbers on the returns so that any phone calls or correspondence from the IRS would not reach the taxpayers. The scheme also used electronic deposits to ensure paper checks would not be mailed to the taxpayer. For the tax year 2011, Mays filed 4,226 tax returns claiming approximately $6 million in refunds. Of the returns filed, 3,887 of the returns fraudulently claimed an education credit under the American Education Opportunity Act, designed for persons to pay for their college education. Some of the returns also claimed false Earned Income credits. A successful injunction suit brought by the Texas Attorney General’s Office – Consumer Protection Division in 2014 recovered approximately $1,282,000 from Syam Tax Service bank accounts, which was returned to the U.S. Treasury. One recruiter from the Port Arthur area, Diana Broussard McCoy, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge in January 2015, and was sentenced to five years federal probation by Chief Judge Ron Clark. Another recruiter, Myra Jones, pleaded guilty in March 2014, to impersonating an Internal Revenue Service employee, and was also sentenced to federal probation by Judge Clark.
“The defendant who perpetrated this scheme systematically defrauded the government and the taxpaying public,” said Tamera Cantu, IRS Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Office. “At the IRS, protecting taxpayer money is a matter we take very seriously. IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to vigorously pursue those who unjustly enrich themselves by preparing false claims for refunds.”
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Port Arthur Police Department, the Texas Attorney General’s Office – Consumer Protection Division, and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert L. Rawls and Chris Tortorice.
####
Sullivan Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – James Ricky Johnson, Jr., 40, of Sullivan, MO, pled guilty on Monday to four counts of Production and Possession of Child Pornography charges. Johnson appeared before United States District Henry E. Autrey and sentencing is set for September 18, 2018.
According to court documents, Johnson admitted to taking child pornographic photographs of a 11-year-old minor child, as charged under Title 18, United States Code Section 2251(e) which calls for a minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years. The crime happened between 2014 and 2016, in Sullivan, Missouri. The images of the child were located during a search of the defendant’s email account by law enforcement.
Possession of Child Pornography carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000 and Production of Child Pornography carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000 and. In determining the actual sentences, a Judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
The case was investigated by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Charles County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lang is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Strafford Man Sentenced for Meth, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Strafford, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing methamphetamine to distribute and for illegally possessing a firearm.
Stephen T. Gross, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 12 years and eight months in federal prison without parole.
On May 24, 2017, Gross pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Strafford police officers arrested Gross on Aug. 27, 2016, after his bond was revoked in an unrelated state case. Officers searched his residence and seized a Taurus .38-caliber revolver, a Fox 16-gauge sawed-off shotgun with an obliterated serial number, a plastic bag that contained 284.63 grams of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
According to court documents, Gross has six prior drug-related offenses, several stealing related offenses, an assault, and has been convicted several times of driving without a license.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jody Larison. It was investigated by the Strafford, Mo., Police Department, the Combined Ozarks Multijurisdictional Enforcement Team (COMET), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
State Correctional Officer Who Illegally Distributed Steroids is SentencedRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that NICHOLAS AURORA JR., 34, of Hamden, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to three years of probation, the first six months of which AURORA must serve in home confinement, for illegally distributing steroids. Judge Bolden also ordered AURORA to pay a $2,000 fine and perform 200 hours of community service.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in December 2017, the Statewide Narcotics Task Force West conducted a court-authorized search of another individual’s residence in Hamden and seized approximately 25,000 pills and 530 vials of anabolic steroids. Subsequent analysis of the individual’s cell phone revealed numerous text messages relating to AURORA’s purchase and redistribution of steroids.
The investigation revealed that AURORA was purchasing steroids from his source of supply every two weeks. He personally used some of the steroids, and sold some, at a profit, to coworkers.
AURORA is a correctional officer with the Connecticut Department of Correction.
On March 14, 2018, AURORA pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute anabolic steroids.
This matter is being investigated by the Connecticut State Police, Statewide Narcotics Task Force West, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah P. Karwan.
Shreveport felon sentenced to 10 years for possession of firearm, methamphetamine distributionRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a Shreveport felon was sentenced last week to 120 months in prison for possessing methamphetamine and a pistol in his car.
William Charles Riggs, 44, of Shreveport, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was also sentenced to four years of supervised release. According to the March 13, 2018 guilty plea, Louisiana State Police attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Riggs’ vehicle on April 28, 2017 in Bossier Parish. The trooper observed the car straddling the center line, and when the traffic stop was initiated, the car sped off at a high rate of speed. The car eventually crashed, and Riggs escaped on foot. He was later apprehended. Troopers searched the vehicle and found 27.21 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded model 22; .40 caliber Glock pistol.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
The ATF, DEA, Louisiana State Police and Bossier City Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford prosecuted the case.
Shelton Man Charged with Distributing Counterfeit DrugsRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that KAMIL GOLEBIOWSKI, 26, of Shelton, was arrested yesterday on a federal criminal complaint charging him with various drug offenses related to the illegal distribution of counterfeit drugs. The charges stem from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.
Following his arrest, GOLEBIOWSKI appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah A. L. Merriam in New Haven and was ordered detained.
As alleged in the criminal complaint, on July 9, 2017, the Seymour Police Department and emergency medical personnel responded to a report of a suspected overdose at a residence in Seymour. At the residence, medical personnel pronounced a 29-year-old male deceased. Investigators seized drug and non-drug evidence from the scene, including the victim’s cell phone.
The State of Connecticut Chief Medical Examiner determined the victim’s cause of death to be acute intoxication due to the combined effects of cocaine, etizolam, fentanyl, flubromazolam and heroin.
The complaint alleges that analysis of the victim’s cell phone identified two individuals who purchased heroin and what they believed to be Xanax pills for the victim shortly before the victim died. GOLEBIOWSKI was subsequently identified as a source of supply for Xanax pills.
It is further alleged that, between August 2017 and May 2018, investigators made multiple controlled purchase of Xanax pills from GOLEBIOWSKI. Analysis of the pills revealed that they were counterfeit. In early June 2018, investigators intercepted two packages mailed from Canada and addressed to GOLEBIOWSKI. The packages contained approximately 1,400 counterfeit Xanax pills.
The complaint charges GOLEBIOWSKI with possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, a controlled substance; possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, a counterfeit substance; conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and use of a telecommunications facility in the distribution of narcotics.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad, Shelton Police Department and Seymour Police Department, with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.
Sheffield Lake man sentenced to 16 years in prison for providing support to ISISRead the Press Release
Amir Said Rahman Al-Ghazi, 41, aka Robert C. McCollum, of Sheffield Lake, Ohio, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for one count of providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, as well as two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman for the Northern District of Ohio, and Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony of the FBI’s Cleveland Division made the announcement.
“The National Security Division is committed to identifying and prosecuting those who seek to provide material support to terrorist groups like ISIS.” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “I want to thank the prosecutors and our partners in law enforcement—including the FBI and its Joint Terrorism Task Force—who ensured that this defendant was held accountable for his crimes.”
“This case is a stark reminder that ISIS is more than an abstract threat,” said U.S Attorney Herdman. “Through social media and other means, ISIS and groups like it seek to radicalize people of all backgrounds into its world of violence.”
“This case demonstrates law enforcement’s number one priority – to keep our communities and our nation safe,” said Special Agent in Charge Anthony. “It is clear that no area is immune from the influence of ISIS and its supporters. We hope this case will serve as a strong message to others who may consider providing support to terrorists. The FBI and our Joint Terrorism Task Force partners are committed to identifying and stopping these individuals.”
Al-Ghazi, who changed his name from Robert McCollum last year, pledged his support to ISIS and Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi via social media in 2014. From July 2014 to June 2015, Al-Ghazi made multiple statements trying to persuade others to join ISIS. He also expressed his own desire to perpetrate an attack on the United States and had attempted to purchase an AK-47 assault rifle. Al-Ghazi has communicated with individuals he believed to be members of ISIS in the Middle East and took steps to create propaganda videos for ISIS, according to court documents.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Shepherd of the Northern District of Ohio, with assistance from Trial Attorney Erin Creegan of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.Several Individuals and Corporation Plead Guilty to Shipping Hazardous WasteRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Raymond Williams, Daryl Duncan, Penny Duncan, and U.S. Technology Corporation pled guilty to charges involving the transportation of 9 million pounds of hazardous waste from Yazoo City, Mississippi to Berger, Missouri between October 2013 and December 2013.
According to court documents, Raymond Williams was the President, owner, and Chief Executive Officer of U.S. Technology Corporation (“UST”). UST was a registered corporation in the State of Ohio, with headquarters in Canton, Ohio. UST was a company that leased blasting material to various consumers for use in removal of paints and other materials. The consumers were often military bases and agencies, using the blasting materials to remove paints from things such as tanks and planes. The paints used often contained numerous heavy metals including cadmium, chromium, and lead. During the blasting process, heavy metals from the paint become imbedded in the material. Since the consumers leased the blasting material, consumers returned the heavy metal rich blasting material to UST upon completion.
In or around October 2013, Raymond Williams contacted Darryl Duncan in need of his assistance. Raymond Williams explained that he was in possession of over 9 million pounds of hazardous waste located in Yazoo City, Mississippi at the former Hydromex site. Williams asked Darryl Duncan to receive the hazardous waste in Berger, Missouri. Darryl Duncan agreed and worked with Penny Duncan to create Missouri Green Materials (“MGM”) for the sole purpose of receiving the hazardous waste from Yazoo City, Mississippi.
From October 2013 until December 2013, UST and Raymond Williams shipped approximately 9 million pounds of hazardous waste from Yazoo City, Mississippi to MGM and the Duncans in Berger, Missouri in violation of state and federal laws.
Williams, 71, of Atlanta, GA, pled guilty to conspiring to transport hazardous waste before United States District Judge Rodney W. Sippel. Sentencing has been set for September 20, 2018.
U.S. Technology Corporation pled guilty to conspiring to transport hazardous waste before United States District Judge Rodney W. Sippel. Sentencing has been set for September 20, 2018.
Daryl Duncan, 67, of Chicago, IL, pled guilty to placing a person in imminent danger by releasing hazardous waste into the air before United States District Judge Rodney W. Sippel. Sentencing has been set for September 20, 2018.
Penny Duncan, 60, of Chicago, IL. pled guilty to placing a person in imminent danger by releasing hazardous waste into the air before United States District Judge Rodney W. Sippel. Sentencing has been set for September 20, 2018.
This case was investigated by the Environmental Protect Agency and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Assistant United States Attorney Dianna R. Collins and Hal Goldsmith are handling the case for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Second Former 5LINX Owner Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Tax Charge for His Role in Multi-Million Dollar Marketing SchemeRead 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 Jeb Tyler, 45, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and filing a false tax return for the year 2014 before U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard A. Resnick, who is assisting AUSA Craig R. Gestring in the prosecution, stated that in 2001, Tyler, Craig Jerabeck, and Jason Guck started 5LINX Enterprise, Inc. (5LINX), a multi-level marketing company headquartered in Rochester, New York, which offered utility and telecommunications services, health insurance, nutritional supplements, and business services. 5LINX used independent representatives to sell products and services, and to recruit additional representatives. Jerabeck was President and Chief Executive Officer, Guck was Vice President and Secretary, and Tyler was Vice President of 5LINX.
In June 2006 and July 2006, Tyler, Jerabeck and Guck sold 5LINX stock for $5,500,000 to three investment companies, Trillium Lakefront Partners III, L.P.; Trillium Lakefront Partners III, NY L.P.; and Shalam Investment Co., L.L.C. (collectively known as "the Investors"). Tyler admitted that between May 2010 and April 2016, 5LINX sold and distributed products for a Florida vendor. Tyler, along with Guck and Jerabeck, and without the knowledge of the Investors, Board of Directors, or other stockholders, conspired and agreed to cause the Florida vendor to pay them personally or companies they owned approximately $2,310,510, which their Stockholders Agreements prohibited them from receiving. 5LINX, its investors, as owners between 2006 and January 2014, and as creditors thereafter, and stockholders were entitled to and should have received such funds instead of the defendant, Guck, and Tyler.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard A. Resnick further stated that the defendant admitted that he had provided material false information on his personal tax returns, Forms 1040, for the years 2012 through 2015. Specifically, the defendant admitted that he failed to report income he received from 5LINX, and took deductions to which he was not entitled, that is, consulting fees that were not paid. The false returns resulted in a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $449,123.
The defendants were charged in a superseding indictment in September 2017. Craig Jerabeck was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing. Charges are pending against Jason Guck. 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.
Today’s plea is the culmination of an investigation by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of James D. Robnett, Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Office.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 9, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Larimer.
Seattle Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud Conspiracy Involving Former Oregon Department of Energy EmployeeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore. – Martin J. Shain, 61, of Seattle, Washington, pleaded guilty today to one count each of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and tax evasion.
According to court documents, between June 2012 and March 2015, Shain and Joseph Colello, a former employee of the Oregon Department of Energy’s (ODOE) Business Energy Tax Credit (BETC) program, maintained a secret business relationship whereby the two would personally profit from the sale and purchase of Oregon BETCs.
Shain and Colello devised a plan whereby Colello would give Shain the names of BETC sellers and interested buyers—information he had access to as an ODOE employee. Colello would then contact the sellers and buyers to negotiate credit transfers, but made it appear as though the Shain had brokered the deals. Shain created a company in the name of his relative in order to receive commission payments from the sellers of the tax credits and to conceal their earned income from the IRS. Shain charged sellers a 1-2% fee, undercutting brokers who typically charged a 10% fee for facilitating similar transfers. Colello would receive a portion of this fee as a kickback.
Between 2012 and 2015, Shain deposited over $1.3 million in income from the commissions charged to sellers of BETC credits. He would transfer a portion of these funds into a personal account from which he would purchase and issue biweekly cashier’s checks payable to Colello. Over the course of the conspiracy, Shain purchased and issued approximately 58 cashier’s checks to Colello or Colello’s girlfriend. In total, Colello received more than $300,000 in bribe payments for his role in the scheme. Shain failed to report more than $1.34 million in income received brokering tax credit sales on four income tax returns between 2012 and 2015.
Colello pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in monetary transactions in property derived from specific unlawful activity, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, and one count of filing a false income tax return on March 15, 2018. On April 3, 2018, he was sentenced to 60 months in prison and was ordered to pay more than $81,000 in restitution.
Shain faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on each charge. He will be sentenced on September 20, 2018 before U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Jones.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI and prosecuted by Claire M. Fay and Scott E. Bradford, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Reno Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Receipt of over 2,000 Child Pornography Photos and VideosRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A Reno resident who used KIK Messenger to view more than 2,000 images and videos of child pornography was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada.
Ian Michael Ramsey, 21, previously pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography. In addition to the prison term, he will be required under the Sex Offender Registration Notification Act (SORNA) to register as a sex offender. United States District Judge Miranda Du presided over the sentencing hearing.
According to court documents, Ramsey admitted that he chatted online with others who looked at child pornography on the KIK Messenger application. During chat sessions, he would often suggest engaging in child trafficking and discussed meeting up in Las Vegas to potentially abuse children. During the execution of a search warrant at his residence, law enforcement discovered 500 videos and 1,500 images on his computer. An additional 300 videos had been deleted from his computer, but law enforcement was able to recover them during the investigation.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sue Fahami prosecuted the case.
If you have information regarding possible child sexual exploitation, make a report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline at www.cybertipline.com.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
###
Real Estate Investor Pleads Guilty to Rigging Bids at Online Foreclosure AuctionsRead the Press Release
Real estate investor Stuart Hankin pleaded guilty today for his role in a conspiracy to rig bids, in violation of antitrust law, at online public foreclosure auctions in Florida, the Department of Justice announced. He is the first defendant to plead guilty in this conspiracy.
“Those who corrupt the foreclosure auction process through illegal bid rigging must expect to face the consequences,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “The Division remains committed to rooting out antitrust violations at foreclosure auctions, whether the auction is online or in person, and whether the conspiracy is carried out in person, in text messages, or through other electronic means.”
Felony charges of bid rigging were filed against Stuart Hankin on November 2, 2017, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. According to court documents, from around January 2012 through around June 2015, Hankin conspired with others to rig bids during online foreclosure auctions in Palm Beach County, Florida.
The Department said that the primary purpose of the conspiracy was to suppress and restrain competition in order to obtain selected real estate offered at online foreclosure auctions at noncompetitive prices. When real estate properties are sold at these auctions, the proceeds are used to pay off the mortgage and other debt attached to the property, with any remaining proceeds available to the homeowner. According to court documents, the conspiracy artificially lowered the price paid at auction for such homes. In the past several years, the Division and its law enforcement partners have secured convictions of over 100 individuals for rigging public mortgage foreclosure auctions in six different states, now including Florida.
“Stuart Hankin and his co-conspirators used bid rigging to successfully undermine the legitimate, competitive foreclosure auction process for certain properties in Palm Beach County, Florida,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert F. Lasky for FBI Miami. “Their greed left victims – including homeowners and other valid stakeholders – shortchanged. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will vigorously investigate such schemes.”
A violation of the Sherman Act carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine for individuals. The maximum fine for a Sherman Act charge may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime if either amount is greater than the statutory maximum fine.
The investigation is being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal I Section and the FBI’s Miami Division – West Palm Beach Resident Agency. Anyone with information concerning bid rigging or fraud related to public real estate foreclosure auctions should contact the Washington Criminal I Section of the Antitrust Division at 202-307-6694, call the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html.
Queens Resident Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Parveg Ahmed pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly to one count of attempting to provide material support or resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (“ISIS”), a designated foreign terrorist organization. When he is sentenced, Ahmed faces a statutory maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the guilty plea.
As detailed in publicly filed court documents, Ahmed is a United States citizen who traveled to Saudi Arabia in June 2017, purportedly to celebrate an Islamic religious holiday. Upon his arrival in Saudi Arabia, the defendant attempted to travel to Syria to join ISIS. The defendant was detained in a Middle Eastern country during his attempted travel to ISIS-controlled territory and was deported back to the United States on August 28, 2017, where he was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Prior to his travel, the defendant had repeatedly expressed support on social media for ISIS and for individuals who provided support to the foreign terrorist organization’s mission of violent extremism. On July 17, 2017, JTTF agents obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s personal computer, and learned, among other things, that the defendant had viewed or listened to recordings of radical Islamic clerics Anwar al-Awlaki and Abdullah el-Faisal. Al-Awlaki was a United States-born cleric and prominent leader of the foreign terrorist organization al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula who was killed on or about September 30, 2011. El-Faisal, a Jamaican-born cleric, was found guilty in the United Kingdom of, among other things, solicitation to commit murder, for preaching to followers to kill individuals, including Americans, because he deemed them to be enemies of Islam. Additionally, agents learned that, on the same day the defendant left the United States for the Middle East, the defendant researched how to erase the data on his computer.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security & Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Craig R. Heeren and Margaret E. Lee are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Joshua Champagne of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The Defendant:
PARVEG AHMED
Age: 22
Queens, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-378 (AMD)
Providence Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man accused of robbing a Providence bank just prior to closing for the business day on Valentine’s Day in February 2017, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in federal court to a charge of bank robbery.
Appearing before U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith, Efrain Delacruz, 36, admitted to the Court that on February 14, 2017, he entered a Santander Bank branch office on Elmgrove Avenue, approached a teller, and gave her a note that said, “give me all the money. No dye packs, no fifties and no hundreds.” The teller immediately began gathering money from her station and gave it Delacruz.
According to information presented to the Court, as Delacruz left the bank he dropped nearly half of the money in the vestibule. A manager immediately locked the doors. Delacruz came back to the bank looking for the dropped money. He yanked on the doors trying to get in, but was unsuccessful. He then fled in his vehicle, leading police on a chase that exceeded 6 miles, often at high speed. Delacruz struck as many as seven vehicles prior to getting cornered by Providence Police and stopping.
Cash in the amount of $3,569 was found in the center console of the car. It is believed that the balance of the money initially handed to the defendant by the teller was dropped inside the bank, where it was recovered.
Delacruz, who is detained in federal custody, is scheduled to be sentenced on October 5, 2018.
Delacruz’s guilty plea is announced by United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch, Providence Police Chief Hugh T. Clements, Jr, and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Terrence P. Donnelly.
The matter was investigated by the Providence Police Department and the FBI.
###
Project Safe Neighborhood Prosecution Results in 289 Month Sentence for Violent FelonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Trent Shores announced that United States District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Shawn Dale Sexton, 26, of Bristow, to serve 289 months in federal prison for Felon in Possession Firearms and Ammunition.
On July 23, 2017, Bristow Police responded to an area where shots were reportedly fired. Witnesses identified Sexton as the driver of a white Jeep Wrangler and explained that he had been involved in a shooting in Slick, Creek County, Oklahoma and was continuing to drive through Bristow as he repeatedly discharged a weapon causing serious bodily injury to multiple victims. As Bristow police officers pursued Sexton, he fired his gun at officers, striking their patrol car. The officers pursued Sexton during a two-mile chase. Sexton possessed and discharged a weapon. He had seven felony convictions including multiple convictions for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Aggravated Assault and Battery and Conspiracy to Deliver Controlled Substance. Sexton has been in custody since his arrest on July 23, 2017.
“Sexton terrorized an entire community. His actions threatened the lives of citizens and law enforcement alike. In the Northern District of Oklahoma, we will continue our relentless pursuit of dangerous felons who possess firearms, especially those who show no regard for human life. We must hold them accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Shores.
This prosecution was part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhood and resulted from a joint investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bristow Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick handled the prosecution of this case.
Pottstown Man Charged with Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that an indictment has been unsealed today charging Calvin Roeder, 31, of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, with two counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
The indictment alleges that between June 2, 2017 and June 23, 2017, Roeder distributed images of child pornography, and on August 24, 2017, he possessed images of child pornography.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of fifty years in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josh A. Davison.
Portland Man Sentenced to Six Years for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Hadelyn Richardson, 26, of Portland, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to six years in prison and four years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He was also fined $10,000. Upon release from prison, he faces deportation to the Dominican Republic. He pleaded guilty on January 30, 2018.
Court records reveal that on June 21, 2017, law enforcement agents intercepted a package sent from Puerto Rico to the defendant’s residence containing about four kilograms of cocaine. During the ensuing search of his residence, agents seized 3.5 kilograms of cocaine and a firearm.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Portland Police Department. The prosecution is a result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The OCDETF mission is to identify, investigate, and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking enterprises, bringing together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state, and local law enforcement.