Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Friday 15 June 2018
Federal Jury Convicts Jacksonville Man of Stealing Veterans’ Disability BenefitsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – A federal jury today found Jose Calderon-Fuentes (63, Jacksonville) guilty of theft of government property. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 26, 2018. Calderon-Fuentes was indicted on July 13, 2017.
According to evidence presented at trial, in July 2000, Calderon-Fuentes was designated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as 100% disabled for bilateral blindness. He collected disability benefits in the years that followed, eventually receiving more than $4,000 per month. Federal agents opened an investigation when they learned that Calderon-Fuentes had a Florida drivers license. They then developed evidence that Calderon-Fuentes was exaggerating his disability claim, including recordings of him doing yard work, washing his truck, and driving. After Calderon-Fuentes learned that he was under investigation in Florida, he obtained another drivers license in Puerto Rico. As part of the application process for that license, he submitted a medical certificate that stated he had 20/50 vision.
This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictments Against 30 IndividualsRead the Press Release
MACON: Charles E. Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announces that a Grand Jury, sitting in Macon Georgia, has returned indictments against 30 individuals. An indictment is only an allegation of criminal conduct. All of the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt. “I want to thank our Federal, State and local law enforcement partners for their hard work bringing these cases before the Federal Grand Jury,” said United States Attorney Peeler.
Indictment #1:
KENNETH JAMES, age 50, of Phenix City, Alabama, is charged with Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute and faces a maximum sentence of Life in Prison, a $10 million fine, or both, if convicted.
The case was investigated by the Columbus Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melvin E. Hyde, Jr.
Indictment #2:
CRYSTAL AVERY, age 36, of Lithia Springs, Georgia, is charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine (Count 1), Possession with Intent to Distribute MDMA (Count 2) and Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana (Count 3). If convicted, Ms. Avery faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $10 million fine, or both as to Count 1; a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment, a $1 million fine, or both as to Count 2; and a maximum sentence of five (5) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine as to Count 3.
TIMOTHY BAILEY, age 30, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine (Count 1), Possession with Intent to Distribute MDMA (Count 2) and Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana (Count 3). If convicted, Mr. Bailey faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $10 million fine, or both as to Count 1; a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment and a $1 million fine, or both as to Count 2; and a maximum sentence of five (5) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine as to Count 3.
The case was investigated by the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department, the Georgia Department of Corrections and the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah E. McEwen.
Indictment #3:
CINDY ANN BLEDSOE, age 30, of Daytona, Florida, is charged with one (1) count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. If convicted, Ms. Bledsoe faces a maximum sentence of forty (40) years in prison, a $5,000,000.00 fine, or both.
The case was investigated by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja B. Profit.
Indictment #4:
JACOB M. WALKER, age 31, of Jacksonville, Florida, ANDREW B. O’HAIRE, aged 37, of Quitman, Georgia, and GEORGE T. WALKER, aged 55, of Hahira, Georgia, are each charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and each faces a maximum sentence of five (5) years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, if convicted.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration in Amarillo, Texas and Valdosta, Georgia; the Lowndes County Sheriff Office, the Brooks County Sheriff Office and the Georgia State Patrol and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja B. Profit.
Indictment #5
PATRICK O’NEAL KENNEDY, age 42, of Athens, Georgia, is charged with two (2) counts of Distribution of Crack Cocaine. If convicted, Mr. Kennedy faces a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years in prison, a $1,000,000.00 fine, or both, on each count.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary.
Indictment #6
LUIS A. MELLADO-SANCHEZ, age 19, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, is charged with one (1) count of Bank Robbery. If convicted, Mr. Mellado-Sanchez faces a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, on each count.
The case was investigated by the Albany Police Department, Camilla Police Department, Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah E. McEwen.
In addition, to the above indictments, 10 individuals were indicted for firearms offenses. All of these cases were brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October, 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
Those charged for firearms offenses are:
1. VICTOR OMAR BYRON, age 33, of Milledgeville, Georgia, is charged with Possession of Cocaine (Count 1), Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute (Count 2), Felon in Possession of a Firearm (Count 3), and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime (Count 4) and faces a maximum sentence of one (1) year in prison, a $100,000 fine, or both, on Count 1; five (5) years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, on Count 2; ten (10) years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, on Count 3; and life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, on Count 4, if convicted.
The case was investigated by the Georgia State Patrol, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly S. Easterling.
2. FRANKIE JACKSON, age 28, of Warner Robins, Georgia, is charged with Possession of Alprazolam (Count 1), Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute (Count 2), Illegal Receipt of a Firearm by Someone Under Indictment (Count 3) and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime (Count 4). If convicted, Mr. Jackson faces a maximum sentence of one (1) year in prison, a $100,000 fine, or both, on Count 1; five (5) years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, on Count 2; five (5) years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, on Count 3; and life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, on Count 4.
The case was investigated by the Warner Robins Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly S. Easterling.
3. MARCUS MARSHALL, age 34, of Columbus, Georgia, is charged with Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute (Count 1) and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon (Count 2). If convicted, Mr. Marshall faces a maximum sentence of Life in Prison, a $10 million fine, or both, on Count 1 and ten (10) years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, on Count 2.
The case was investigated by the Columbus Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melvin E. Hyde, Jr.
4. CORNELIUS HIXSON, age 22, of Columbus, Georgia, is charged with one (1) count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. If convicted, Mr. Hixson faces a maximum sentence of ten (10) years in prison, a $250,000.00 fine, or both, on each count.
The case was investigated by the Columbus Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Crawford Seals.
5. TELSAVOY MADDOX, age 37, of Columbus, Georgia, is charged with one (1) count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. If convicted, Mr. Maddox faces a maximum sentence of ten (10) years in prison, a $250,000.00 fine, or both, on each count.
The case was investigated by the Columbus Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melvin E. Hyde, Jr.
6. DENZELL OMAR DAVIS, age 25, of Athens, Georgia, is charged with one (1) count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. If convicted, Mr. Davis faces a maximum sentence of ten (10) years in prison, a $250,000.00 fine, or both.
The case was investigated by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary.
7. CHRISTOPHER G. SWINSON, age 33, of Valdosta, Georgia is charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana (Count 1) and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime (Count 2). If convicted, Mr. Swinson faces a maximum sentence of five (5) years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both on Count 1; and a mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years in prison, and a maximum sentence of 40 years, and a $250,000 fine, or both on Count 2.
8. KENTAVIOUS DEVOM BURGESS, age 23, of Athens, Georgia, is charged with two (2) counts of Distribution of Cocaine Base and one (1) count of Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Offense. If convicted of Distribution of Crack Cocaine, Mr. Burgess faces a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years in prison, a $1,000,000.00 fine, or both, on each count. If convicted of Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Offense, Mr. Burgess faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $250,000.00 fine, or both, on each count.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary.
9. TYLER COWAN, age 28, of Athens, Georgia, is charged with one (1) count of Possession of Firearm by a Convicted Felon. If convicted Mr. Cowan faces a maximum sentence of ten (10) years in prison, a $250,00.00 fine, or both.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary.
10. JAMARCUS HUFF, age 29, of Athens, Georgia, is charged with one (1) count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine, one (1) count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, one (1) count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, and one (1) count of Possession of Marijuana. If convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine, Mr. Huff faces a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years in prison, a $1,000,000.00 fine, or both. If convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Mr. Huff faces a maximum sentence of ten (10) years in prison, a $250,000.00 fine, or both. If convicted of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, Mr. Huff faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $250,000.00 fine, or both, to be served consecutively to any other term of imprisonment imposed in this case. If convicted of Possession of Marijuana, Mr. Huff faces a maximum sentence of one (1) year in prison, a $100,000.00 fine, or both.
The case was investigated by the Northeast Georgia Regional Drug Task Force and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary.
Finally, eleven individuals were indicted for Illegal Reentry and are subject to deportation proceedings following their sentences, if convicted. Those indicted were:
1. RICARDO TELLO-MARTINEZ, age 39, a citizen of Mexico, was indicted for Illegal Re-entry for re-entering the United States, after deportation on November 11, 2011, without obtaining prior authorization from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary for Homeland Security to return. Mr. Tello-Martinez was found in Athens-Clarke County, GA on April 15, 2018. If convicted, Mr. Tello-Martinez faces a maximum sentence of two (2) years in prison, a $ 250,000.00 fine, or both.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Jarrett.
2. LUIS FELIPE CERVANTES-MONDRAGO, age 24, a citizen of Mexico, was indicted for Illegal Re-entry for re-entering the United States, after deportation on December 13, 2011 and December 4, 2014, without obtaining prior authorization from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary for Homeland Security to return. Mr. Cervantes-Mondragon was found in Morgan County, GA on March 28, 2018. If convicted, Mr. Cervantes-Mondrago faces a maximum sentence of two (2) years in prison, a $250,000.00 fine, or both, on each count.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly S. Easterling.
3. JUAN FABILA-GARIBAY, age 46, a citizen of Mexico was indicted for Illegal Re-entry for re-entering the United States, after deportation on April 10, 1998 and October 26, 2017, without obtaining prior authorization from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary for Homeland Security to return. Mr. Fabila-Garibay was found in Irwin County, GA on April 11, 2018. If convicted, Mr.Fabila-Garibay faces a maximum sentence of ten (10) years in prison, a $250,000.00 fine, or both, on each count.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja B. Profit.
4. MANUAL HERNANDEZ-OLEA, age 44, a citizen of Mexico, was indicted for Illegal Re-entry for re-entering the United States, after deportation on January 5, 2012, without obtaining prior authorization from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary for Homeland Security to return. Mr. Hernandez-Olea was found in Oconee County, GA on May 4, 2016. If convicted, Mr. Hernandez-Olea faces a maximum sentence of two (2) years in prison, a $250,000.00 fine, or both, on each count.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly S. Easterling.
5. JONATHAN HANSEL MELENDEZ-SANTOS, age 37, a citizen of Guatemala was indicted for Illegal Re-entry for re-entering the United States, after deportation on March 31, 2011 and December 4, 2014 without obtaining prior authorization from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary for Homeland Security to return. Mr. Melendez-Santos was found in Thomas County, GA on April 29, 2018. If convicted, Mr. Melendez-Santos faces a maximum sentence of two (2) years in prison, a $250,000.00 fine, or both, on each count.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Bowen.
6. RAFAEL SANCHEZ-HERNANDEZ, age 26, a citizen of Mexico, was indicted for Illegal Re-entry for re-entering the United States, after deportation on January 5, 2012, without obtaining prior authorization from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary for Homeland Security to return. Mr. Sanchez-Hernandez was found in Grady County, GA on March 28, 2018. If convicted, Mr. Sanchez-Hernandez faces a maximum sentence of two (2) years in prison, a $250,000.00 fine, or both, on each count.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Crane.
7. JOSE SERRANO-HERNANDEZ, age 35, a citizen of Mexico, was indicted for Illegal Re-entry for re-entering the United States, after deportation on January 22, 2009 and March 31, 2015, without obtaining prior authorization from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary for Homeland Security to return. Mr. Serrano-Hernandez was found in Athens-Clarke, County, GA on May 3, 2018. If convicted, Mr. Serrano-Hernandez faces a maximum sentence of two (2) years in prison, a $250,000.00 fine, or both, on each count.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Easterling.
8. EDY EDWIN SOLIS-LOPEZ, age 37, a citizen of Guatemala, entered a plea of guilty on June 13, 2018. He is due to be sentenced on July 11, 2018. The investigating agency was the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary prosecuted the case for the United States.
9. FRANCISCO BUESO, age 49, a citizen of Honduras, entered a plea of guilty on June 13, 2018. He is due to be sentenced on July 11, 2018. The investigating agency was the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary prosecuted the case for the United States.
10. JUAN CHIVALAN, age 19, a citizen of Guatemala, entered a plea of guilty and was sentenced on June 13, 2018. The investigating agency was the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary prosecuted the case for the United States.
11. SABINO OSORIO, age 27, a citizen of Guatemala, entered a plea of guilty and was sentenced on June 13, 2018. The investigating agency was the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary prosecuted the case for the United States.
Questions concerning this release should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.
Explo vice president pleads guilty to conspiracy chargeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that the vice president of Explo Systems Inc. pleaded guilty Thursday to a criminal conspiracy at Camp Minden that led to an explosion, completing the prosecution of this matter.
William Terry Wright, 64, of Bossier City, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to conspiring to violate federal law.
Explo Systems Inc. is a private company whose primary business operations involved the demilitarization of military munitions and the subsequent resale of the recovered explosive materials for mining operations. According to the guilty plea, Wright was the vice president of operations at Explo and oversaw the demilitarization operations. The U.S. Army awarded Explo a contract on March 24, 2010 to dispose of 450,000 155mm artillery propelling charges designated as M119A2 for $2,902,500. The Army and Explo officials later amended the contract on March 6, 2012 to dispose of 1,350,000 propellant charges for $8,617,500. The contract required Explo to properly store and dispose of the demilitarized M6 propellant, which is a solid, granular, explosive material. The contract also required Explo to document the sale of the demilitarized M6 propellant by completing an End User Certificate (EUC). On the EUC, the purchaser of the demilitarized M6 propellant certified the purchase and compliance with applicable federal laws. Once the EUCs were certified, Explo submitted the EUCs to the Army.
Wright and other Explo officials and representatives conspired from January 2010 to November 2012 to defraud the United States by submitting false EUCs to the U.S. Army Joint Munitions Center (JMC) to dispose of hazardous waste at unpermitted facilities and improperly store explosives. This caused the government to pay money to the conspirators to which they were not entitled. They also moved and improperly stored M6 propellant in order to prevent government officials from discovering the improperly stored M6 propellant. Wright and others also instructed lower-level employees to hide and conceal improperly stored demilitarized M6 propellant and reactive hazardous waste from government officials during inspections.
Additionally, from June 2011 and continuing to October 2012, Explo officials submitted false EUCs to the JMC showing sales of demilitarized M6 propellant to third parties, when the sales did not occur. Explo officials, including Wright, also did not inform or notify the third-party EUC certifiers that Explo would submit the executed EUCs to the JMC as proof of sale of demilitarized M6. Wright submitted and caused to be submitted EUCs with forged and or fabricated signatures. The submission of false EUCs further concealed Explo’s inability to perform the requirements of the contract.
On October 15, 2012, an explosion occurred at a munitions storage igloo on Camp Minden. The explosion contained approximately 124,190 pounds of smokeless powder and a box van trailer containing approximately 42,240 pounds of demilitarized M6 propellant. The damage destroyed the igloo and trailer, shattered windows of dwellings within a four-mile radius, and derailed 11 rail cars near the storage igloo.
Wright faces five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. As part of the plea agreement, Wright agreed that he owes $149,032.80 restitution. Sentencing is set for August 30, 2018.
“I thank our federal and state law enforcement partners for their commitment to protecting Louisiana’s citizens and environment,” Joseph stated. “Those who try to cheat the taxpayers while endangering the well-being of our community will be held accountable.”
“The guilty pleas entered by the defendants in this case are the results of the uncompromising work by DCIS, our investigative partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure the integrity of the Department of Defense procurement process by penalizing government contractors who choose profit over quality and safety,” commented John F. Khin, Special Agent in Charge, Southeast Field Office, Defense Criminal Investigative Service. “DCIS remains committed to pursuing and bringing to justice anyone who uses fraud and deception to undermine our critical warfighting missions and the safety of our communities that support DoD activities.”
Explo owner David Alan Smith, 62, of Winchester, Kentucky; Program Manager Kenneth Wayne Lampkin, 65, of Haughton, Louisiana; Traffic and Inventory Control Manager Lionel Wayne Koons, 59, of Haughton; and Director of Engineering and Environmental Control Charles Ferris Callihan, 68, of Shreveport, were all charged in the conspiracy. Smith pleaded guilty December 14, 2017 to the conspiracy count and one count of making a false statement; Koons pleaded guilty on April 24, 2018 to one count of making a false statement; Lampkin pleaded guilty May 14, 2018 to one count of making a false statement; and Callihan pleaded guilty on June 8, 2018 to a one-count bill of information charging false representations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Sentencings are set for August 30, 2018.
The Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation, Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service, FBI and Louisiana State Police-Emergency Service Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Earl M. Campbell and J. Aaron Crawford are prosecuting the case.
Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Honors U.S. Attorney’s OfficeRead the Press Release
On June 14, 2018, the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) presented its Most Supportive Employer Award to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. United States Attorney Shawn N. Anderson accepted the award on behalf of the office. EGSR is a Department of Defense program that promotes cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers. Awards were given to businesses and government entities in Guam and the CNMI based on their support for members of the National Guard and Reserve.
U.S. Attorney Anderson stated, “It is an honor to receive this award from ESGR. For those who have served and currently serve in the armed forces, thank you for your continued commitment to the United States at the Department of Justice. I also thank our employees who attempt to fill the void while service members are on duty, deployed, or at training.”
Easton, PA Man Charged with Distributing and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Scott Wayne, 58, of Easton, was charged this week by indictment with the distribution and possession of child pornography.
According to the indictment, Wayne possessed a computer hard drive which contained visual depictions that had been produced using materials that had been mailed, shipped, and transported in interstate and foreign commerce. The indictment alleges that the production of these visual depictions involved the use of a minor, including a prepubescent minor who had not attained 12 years of age, engaging in sexually explicit conduct, and the visual depictions were of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of forty years imprisonment, a mandatory minimum of five years imprisonment, a mandatory minimum of five years supervised release up to lifetime supervised release, a $500,000 fine, and $10,200 in special assessments.
The case was investigated by the Bethlehem Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sherri A. Stephan.
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 Attorney’s 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.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
East St. Louis Woman Sentenced to Prison for ArsonRead the Press Release
Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced that LoriM. Jones, 50, of East St. Louis, Illinois, was sentenced today for one count of Arson. The Honorable Michael J. Reagan sentenced Jones to 60 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, along with a $100 special assessment. Judge Reagan also ordered Jones to pay restitution in the amount of $1,074,407.33.
Court proceedings revealed that on May 31, 2016, firefighters responded to a fire at the Cahokia Nursing and Rehabilitation Center ("CNRC") in Cahokia, Illinois. Jones was employed at CNRC as a Certified Nursing Assistant. Surveillance footage showed Jones leaving the room where the fire was located approximately 1 minute prior to smoke being detected. During an interview with investigators, Jones admitted to intentionally setting the fire by lighting some clothes in a closet on fire with a lighter. The room was occupied at the time by two bedridden residents. Firefighters and employees were able to evacuate all of the residents without any serious injuries.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms with assistance from the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshall and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Hoell.
District of Vermont Assistant United States Attorney Owen C.J. Foster Recognized at DOJ’s Director’s Awards CeremonyRead the Press Release
Assistant United States Attorney Owen C.J. Foster of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont was one of 162 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director James Crowell, IV at the 34th Director’s Awards Ceremony today in Washington D.C.
The District of Vermont was one of 35 districts represented at the ceremony that was held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
In addressing the award recipients and guests, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said, “Today’s honorees earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, they earned the gratitude of our fellow citizens — the people whose communities you made safer, whose lives you improved, and whose trust you rewarded. Today, we pause to honor and recognize a small portion of your work.”
AUSA Foster received the award for Superior Performance as an AUSA-Civil for his outstanding accomplishments in investigating and settling United States ex rel. Delaney v. eClinialWorks LLC, 2:15-CV-00095-WKS (D. Vt.). In its complaint-in-intervention, the government contended that eClinicalWorks falsely obtained that certification for its electronic health records software when it concealed from its certifying entity that its software did not comply with the requirements for certification. Under the terms of the settlement ClinicalWorks, three of its founders, and three of its employees paid a total of $155 million. This is by far the largest False Claims Act recovery in the District of Vermont and was one of the largest in 2017 nationwide. And, it was achieved over a highly-efficient two-year period. AUSA Foster was the leader of the investigation and the driving force behind its progress and ultimate resolution. AUSA Foster, a relatively new AUSA when the case started, had no background in computer science or health care. Nevertheless, he diligently reviewed documents and dug for answers until he, not only understood how EHR systems should work and how eClinicalWorks’ system failed, but also how to discuss those systems with the engineers involved in their development and the lawyers responsible for determining the outcome of the case. AUSA Foster’s devotion and commitment to this case was truly remarkable.
"AUSA Owen Foster successfully carried out a first-of-its-kind investigation with great efficiency and recovered a significant sum of money for the taxpayers,” stated United States Attorney Christina E. Nolan. “AUSA Foster is deserving of the Director’s Award and our gratitude for his public service.”
EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao.
District Man Ordered to Pay over $200,000 in Restitution to Estate of 4-Year-Old Girl Who Died After House FireRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jerome C. Lewis, 51, of Washington, DC, was ordered today to pay $204,503 in restitution to the estate of Samauri Michelle Jenkins, a four-year-old girl who died after he set fire to the house where she was staying in Southeast Washington.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Thomas L. Chittum III, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Gregory M. Dean, Chief of the District of Columbia Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services (DCFEMS).
Lewis was found guilty by a jury in October 2017 of first-degree murder with aggravating circumstances, second-degree murder, and first-degree cruelty to children. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced to a 32-year prison term on those charges in February 2018 by the Honorable Milton C. Lee.
The government had requested restitution for the estate of Samauri Jenkins or the imposition of a fine based on the defendant receiving a payout from an insurance company for the damage to his home and personal property. Judge Lee convened a follow-up hearing today to consider the government’s request for orders of restitution and/or fines. In advance of today’s hearing, Judge Lee granted the government’s request to freeze Lewis’s assets.
According to the government’s evidence, Lewis owned a home in the 2600 block of 33rd Street SE. In late 2011, Lewis began renting the first and second floors to relatives while he lived in the basement. In early 2013, his relationship with his tenant-relatives had become strained and he was experiencing a financial crisis. On Feb.17, 2013, in the early hours of the morning, he set fire to his mattress located in his basement living area, causing a fire that spread throughout the basement and to the first floor of the home.
Everyone was able to escape the home, with the exception of four-year-old Samauri Jenkins. She was rescued from a second floor bedroom by the District of Columbia Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services. She was taken to a hospital with burns and smoke inhalation, but died from her injuries two days later.
Lewis was arrested on the morning of the fire and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing today’s developments, U.S. Attorney Liu, Chief Newsham, Special Agent in Charge Chittum, and Chief Dean commended the work of the D.C. Arson Task Force, which is comprised of members from MPD, the Washington Field Division of the ATF, and DCFEMS. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Sharon Newman; Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Gilbert; Legal Secretary Dawn White; Intelligence Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator David Foster; Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Supervisory Administrative Services Specialist Tina Wall, and Administrative Services Specialist Sallie Rynas.
Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberley C. Nielsen and Michelle D. Jackson, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Deputy Attorney General recognizes Deputy U.S. Attorney Thomas J. EicherRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Thomas J. Eicher, Deputy U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, was one of 162 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director James Crowell IV at the 34th Director’s Awards Ceremony today in Washington, D.C.
The District of New Jersey was one of 35 districts represented at a ceremony held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
In addressing the award recipients and guests, Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein said, “Today’s honorees earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, they earned the gratitude of our fellow citizens — the people whose communities you made safer, whose lives you improved, and whose trust you rewarded. Today, we pause to honor and recognize a small portion of your work.”
Deputy U.S. Attorney Eicher was recognized for his leadership, effectiveness, personal integrity, and dedication to public service over the course of his 30-year career with the Department. As Chief of the Criminal Division, his breadth of experience and knowledge permits him to effectively manage one of the largest criminal divisions in the country. He helped establish New Jersey’s first federal reentry and “pre-trial” courts. He successfully pushed for innovative data-driven violent crime strategies and plays an important leadership role in the Public Safety Partnership and Violent Enterprise Source Targeting initiatives, which are key components in the Department’s strategy to combat drug trafficking and violent crime. In addition to the substantial leadership and guidance he provides, Deputy U.S. Attorney Eicher contributed to the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department through his leadership of the Criminal Chiefs Working Group and participation on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee.
“For three decades, the past 15 years of which have been spent in our office, Tom Eicher has represented the U.S. Attorney community with professionalism and distinction,” U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito, District of New Jersey, said. “As Chief of our Criminal Division, he developed strategies aimed at protecting the public by focusing on the most violent criminals and directed the further development of the office’s highly-regarded white collar programs. Now, as Deputy U.S. Attorney, he oversees the important work of our Camden and Trenton offices while continuing to be a trusted and reliable part of our leadership team. I am gratified that he has now been recognized with the Justice Department’s prestigious Executive Achievement Award, and I could not be prouder of Tom and the way he has represented our office.”
EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao .
Deputy Attorney General Recognizes U.S. Attorney’s Office ProsecutorsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO - Four Assistant United States Attorneys of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of California (NDCA) are among the 162 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) James Crowell, IV at the 34th Director’s Awards Ceremony today in Washington D.C. The awards ceremony took place in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building. The local recipients of the awards include Joseph Alioto, Susan Badger, William Frentzen, and S. Waqar Hasib.
In his prepared remarks, Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein told the awardees: “Today’s honorees earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, they earned the gratitude of our fellow citizens — the people whose communities you made safer, whose lives you improved, and whose trust you rewarded. Today, we pause to honor and recognize a small portion of your work.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Alex G. Tse expanded on the Deputy Attorney General’s remarks stating, “We welcome the recognition by the senior members of the Department of Justice of the outstanding work of the members of this district. We also join in the celebration of the accomplishments being recognized today. The recipients of these awards have demonstrated that their commitment to ensuring that justice is done in even the most difficult cases will not be compromised, no matter how many hours of toil may be required. We are tremendously proud of the recipients’ accomplishments and the examples they provide for all prosecutors.”
Joseph Alioto was recognized for his exemplary work in the NDCA's Strike Force Section, notably his outstanding contribution in a RICO prosecution against 12 high-ranking members of the Nuestra Familia prison gang in United States v. Cervantes. The prosecution, involving three murders, multiple stabbings and robberies, and an arson and other crimes, culminated in a four-month trial and convictions against the gang's highest-ranking members. Four gang members went to trial, all of whom were convicted of racketeering conspiracy, murder, murder conspiracy, attempted murder, assault with dangerous weapon, arson, and various firearms and drug-related crimes.
Susan Badger, Wil Frentzen, and S. Waqar Hasib were recognized for their outstanding work in the investigation of organized crime and public corruption conspiracies centered in San Francisco’s Chinatown that culminated in the life sentence of Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow. Chow served as the Dragonhead, or leader, of the San Francisco-based Chee Kung Tong organization. Chow was charged in March 2014 with various racketeering crimes, including the illegal trafficking of controlled substances, extortion, and participation in the collection of illegal debts. On October 15, 2015, the charges were amended in a Third Superseding Indictment to include murder. On January 8, 2016, after a multi-month trial, Chow was convicted of arranging the murder of Allen Leung, conspiring with others to murder Jim Tat Kong, 162 counts of money laundering, laundering of proceeds of narcotics sales, and conspiring to deal in illegal sales of goods.
The Northern District of California was one of 35 districts represented at the ceremony. EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao.
Deputy Attorney General Recognizes U.S. Attorney and Middle District of Florida EmployeesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez, Administrative Officer Jeff Hahn, Officer Manager/IT Specialist Joey Chigro, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Florida were among the 162 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director James Crowell, IV at the 34th Director’s Awards Ceremony today in Washington D.C.
The Middle District of Florida was one of 35 districts represented at the ceremony which was held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
In addressing the award recipients and guests, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said, “Today’s honorees earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, they earned the gratitude of our fellow citizens — the people whose communities you made safer, whose lives you improved, and whose trust you rewarded. Today, we pause to honor and recognize a small portion of your work.”
U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez received the award for Superior Performance By A Litigative Team for her work while detailed to the United States Embassy in Mexico City. Ms. Chapa Lopez and her colleagues demonstrated extraordinary persistence and commitment to the rule of law while successfully investigating and prosecuting members of the Los Zetas cartel who brutally murdered United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Special Agent Jaime Zapata and wounded ICE Special Agent Victor Avila in February 2011, during an attempted carjacking in Mexico. Deploying immediately after the attack, the team relentlessly pursued every evidentiary lead and soon began filing charges against the perpetrators. Over the next six and a half years, seven defendants were extradited to the United States, five of whom pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate. In July 2017, the final two defendants were convicted after trial. The convictions demonstrate that violent Mexican cartels cannot operate with impunity, that they will be punished for violating United States laws, and that Mexican and United States law enforcement can share evidence to bring to justice members of a dangerous transnational criminal organization.
Jeff Hahn, Joey Chigro, and Ilianys Rivera Miranda received the award for Superior Performance By An Administrative Team for their work in coordinating and implementing emergency response efforts to the District of Puerto Rico and the District of the Virgin Islands in an effort to ensure these districts were operational in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. They, along with employees from the District of Puerto Rico and the Southern District of Florida, reviewed and analyzed emergency relief policies to find the best ways to handle emergency relief efforts which could serve as best practices for other United States Attorneys’ offices facing similar emergencies. When living conditions in affected areas were dire, these employees took charge to ensure generators and other key items were shipped to critical locations. In a situation where many employees did not have power or water, those who were present in the aforementioned districts, the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, and other districts worked long hours and over the weekends to ensure employees were able to push forward and deal with the catastrophe before them and to eventually report to work. They went above and beyond the call of duty, inspiring others to do the same while making an extraordinary contribution in the midst of a very difficult crisis.
“I am deeply humbled by this award,” said U.S. Attorney Chapa Lopez, “and honored to serve alongside such distinguished individuals in my office and throughout the department.”
EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao.
Deputy Attorney General Recognizes Two Assistant United States Attorneys with Director’s AwardsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. – Assistant United States Attorneys Melissa M. Marangola and Joel L. Violanti of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of New York were two of 162 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director James Crowell, IV, at the 34th Director’s Awards Ceremony today in Washington D.C.
AUSAs Marangola and Violanti were recognized for their superior performance as criminal Assistant United States Attorneys based on their successful conviction of Ronald Epps for murdering his girlfriend Angela Moss in order to obtain the proceeds of a $100,000 insurance policy. They creatively utilized the federal wire fraud statute to obtain jurisdiction and prosecute an unsolved murder that the local District Attorney’s Office was unwilling to prosecute. As a result of the prosecution, Epps is presently serving a 60 year sentence in federal prison and the victim's family received closure knowing that the killer was brought to justice.
“More than three years passed and still no one had been held accountable for the murder of Angela Moss in 2009,” stated U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. “Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa Marangola and Joel Violanti worked relentlessly in reviewing the evidence and federal law to charge and successfully prosecute Ronald Epps, who, with a sentence of 60 years, will likely spend the rest of his natural life behind bars. Ms. Marangola and Mr. Violanti are among more than 60 Assistant U.S. Attorneys who work diligently each and every day serving and protecting the residents of the 17 counties that compromise the Western District of New York, and our Office is proud to honor them with this award.”
In addressing the award recipients and guests, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said, “Today’s honorees earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, they earned the gratitude of our fellow citizens — the people whose communities you made safer, whose lives you improved, and whose trust you rewarded. Today, we pause to honor and recognize a small portion of your work.”
The Western District of New York was one of 35 districts represented at the ceremony which was held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
Deputy Attorney General Recognizes Two Assistant United States Attorneys at Annual Director's Awards CeremonyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) Cortney Randall and Benjamin Bain-Creed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of North Carolina were among the 162 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director James Crowell, IV at the 34th Director’s Awards Ceremony today in Washington D.C.
The Western District of North Carolina was one of 35 districts represented at the ceremony which was held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
In addressing the award recipients and guests, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said, “Today’s honorees earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, they earned the gratitude of our fellow citizens — the people whose communities you made safer, whose lives you improved, and whose trust you rewarded. Today, we pause to honor and recognize a small portion of your work.”
In making today’s announcement R. Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina said, “Assistant United States Attorneys Cortney Randall and Benjamin Bain-Creed were recognized for their exemplary work with the investigation and prosecution of individuals involved in criminal conduct that can only be described as horrific. As a result of the trial team’s skills and tenacity, the perpetrators received substantial prison sentences, which will prevent them from further harming children. This prestigious award undoubtedly speaks to Cortney and Ben’s competence as lawyers and their dedication as public servants to furthering our mission of delivering justice and protecting the people of this District.”
AUSAs Randall and Bain-Creed, along with Department of Justice Trial Attorney Reginald Jones and FBI Special Agent Dan Alfin, received the Director’s Award for Superior Performance by a Litigative Team for their work on United States v. Steven W. Chase, et al (5:15-cr-15). The case involved the investigation and prosecution of administrators and users of “Playpen,” a highly sophisticated, global enterprise dedicated to the sexual exploitation of children, organized via a members-only website that operated on the dark web. Playpen’s administrators and more than 150,000 other members spent more than 4,000,000 hours in just over six months writing and viewing tens of thousands of postings relating to sexual abuse of children as young as infants and toddlers.
Following guilty pleas by co-defendants Michael Fluckiger of Portland, Indiana and David Lynn Browning, of Wooten, Kentucky, a federal jury in the Western District of North Carolina convicted lead site administrator, Steven W. Chase, of Naples, Florida, of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise and related charges. The court sentenced Fluckiger and Browning to 20 years in prison, and Chase to 30 years in prison. All three defendants were also ordered by the Court to serve a lifetime of supervised release. The Court further ordered Chase to forfeit his Naples residence from which he administered the site, and ordered all defendants to pay restitution to their victims.
To date, the investigation has resulted in 350 U.S. arrests and 548 international arrests, the prosecution of 51 hands-on child sex abusers and 25 producers of child pornography, and the identification or rescue of 55 American children and 296 sexually abused children around the world. This investigation and prosecution pioneered investigative work into the dark web that left an impact worldwide.
AUSA Randall received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Davidson College, and her JD from Georgetown University Law Center.
AUSA Bain-Creed received his Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Southern Mississippi, and his JD from the University of Florida. He also holds a Master’s Degree in English from the University of Florida.
EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao.
Deputy Attorney General Recognizes Southern District of Florida EmployeesRead the Press Release
Assistant United States Attorney Julia J. “Josie” Vaglienti, Assistant United States Attorney Lawrence D. LaVecchio, Administrative Officer Lazaro Feliciano, Assistant United States Attorney Mary V. “Jena” King, Legal Assistant Karol Gomez, Law Enforcement/Community Coordinator James D. “J.D.” Smith, Reentry & Community Outreach Specialist Keisha E. Bazile, and Law Enforcement Coordination Specialist Mark A. McKinney, Jr. of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Florida were among 162 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director James Crowell, IV at the 34th Director’s Awards Ceremony today in Washington D.C.
The Southern District of Florida was one of 35 districts represented at the ceremony which was held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
In his prepared remarks, Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein told the awardees, “Today’s honorees earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, they earned the gratitude of our fellow citizens — the people whose communities you made safer, whose lives you improved, and whose trust you rewarded. Today, we pause to honor and recognize a small portion of your work.”
Julia J. “Josie” Vaglienti and Lawrence D. LaVecchio were recognized for their outstanding work in the investigation and prosecution of one of the largest and most well organized gangs operating in the United States—the Latin Kings. The gang conducts its criminal activities through groups they refer to as “tribes.” In 2014, federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies commenced an investigation into the activities of several tribes operating in South Florida. Utilizing a full range of sophisticated investigative techniques, Ms. Vaglienti and Mr. LaVecchio gathered evidence of crimes committed by members of these tribes and thwarted imminent acts of violence by gang members, including robbery and attempted murder. Over two years, convictions were obtained and lengthy prison sentences were imposed again 39 gang members, many of whom occupied leadership positions, on charges including RICO conspiracy, armed robbery, narcotics trafficking and firearms offenses, effectively dismantling the Latin Kings in South Florida.
Lazaro Feliciano, Mary V. “Jena” King, and Karol Gomez were recognized along with other individuals for their work coordinating and implementing emergency response efforts for the District of Puerto Rico and the District of the Virgin Islands in an effort to ensure these districts were operational in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. They reviewed and analyzed emergency relief policies to find the best ways to handle emergency relief efforts which could serve as best practices for other United States Attorneys’ offices facing similar emergencies. When living conditions in affected areas were dire, these employees took charge to ensure generators and other key items were shipped to critical locations. In a situation where many employees did not have power or water, those who were present in the aforementioned districts, the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, and other districts worked long hours and over the weekends to ensure employees were able to push forward and deal with the catastrophe before them and to eventually report to work. They went above and beyond the call of duty, inspiring others to do the same while making an extraordinary contribution in the midst of a very difficult crisis.
James D. “J.D.” Smith, Keisha E. Brazile, and Mark A. McKinney, Jr. were recognized for their incredibly hard work and determination in forging enduring and positive working relationships with law enforcement agencies, community leaders, nonprofit agencies, government agencies, and education and faith-based organizations to implement, operate, and coordinate prevention and reentry programs in “hot-spot” communities throughout the Southern District of Florida. The robust violence prevention strategy they spearhead furthers the priorities of the United States Attorney’s Office to reduce violent crime, gang activity, drug abuse, and firearm offenses.
“The men and women that were honored today, as representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, exemplify the Department’s tireless commitment to justice, integrity and community involvement,” stated U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg. “We applaud the invaluable accomplishments of the award recipients and all public servants who strive to protect and enhance the quality of life of our local citizens and foreign neighbors.”
EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao.
Additional information regarding the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Deputy Attorney General Recognizes Oregon Appellate ChiefRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kelly Zusman, Appellate Unit Chief for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Oregon, was one of 162 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and Executive Office for U.S. Attorney’s (EOUSA) Director James Crowell, IV at the 34th Director’s Awards Ceremony today in Washington, D.C.
The District of Oregon was one of 35 districts represented at the ceremony held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
In addressing the award recipients and guests, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said, "Today’s honorees earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, they earned the gratitude of our fellow citizens — the people whose communities you made safer, whose lives you improved, and whose trust you rewarded. Today, we pause to honor and recognize a small portion of your work."
Ms. Zusman was recognized for her outstanding performance in representing the U.S. before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in U.S. v. Mohamud.
On November 26, 2010, Mohamed Mohamud flipped a switch believing it would detonate a bomb planted at the holiday tree lighting ceremony in downtown Portland, Oregon. Fortunately, there was no bomb as Mohamud was the subject of an FBI sting. A jury convicted Mohamud of attempting to detonate a weapon of mass destruction. Litigation was extensive and several novel and complex issues were raised on appeal.
Most significantly, the defendant challenged the constitutionality of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Amendment Act (FAA). The government’s briefing involved over 300 pages of classified and unclassified submissions and a 30,000 page record. After extensive preparation, including moots before the Criminal Division and the National Security Division, Ms. Zusman argued the case in July 2016. The conviction and sentence were later affirmed and the FAA found to be constitutional. The ruling was a significant victory for national security.
"Kelly’s dedicated service to the District of Oregon and the United States is beyond reproach. She’s nationally recognized for her appellate expertise and locally cherished for her leadership, unwavering support of coworkers, and persistent can-do attitude," said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao.
Deputy Attorney General Recognizes Northern District of Oklahoma Supervisor EmployeeRead the Press Release
Civil Chief Cathy McClanahan of the United States Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Oklahoma was one of 162 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA) Director James Crowell, IV at the 34th Director’s Awards Ceremony today in Washington D.C.
The Northern District of Oklahoma was one of 35 districts represented at the ceremony, which was held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
Civil Chief Cathy McClanahan was awarded the Director’s Award for Excellence in Management for her superior performance in a supervisory role. Specifically, Ms. McClanahan was recognized for managing in a proactive, inventive and forward-thinking manner that met the challenge of diminishing resources and led her Division to a high and sustained level of success. Ms. McClanahan assumed responsibility for the Northern District of Oklahoma’s Civil Division in 2008. Before that time, she served as a Civil Division Assistant United States Attorney for thirteen years. Prior to joining the office, she worked in general civil litigation at a large law firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Immediately prior to that experience, Civil Chief McClanahan clerked for the Honorable Paul J. Kelly, Jr., Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
United States Attorney Trent Shores stated, “Cathy is an extraordinary AUSA and stellar supervisor. Her knowledge, expertise, and judgment have been a driving factor in the success of the Northern District of Oklahoma’s Civil Division for over a decade. This award was well deserved.”
Deputy Attorney General Recognizes Maine AUSA and MDEA Special AgentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Assistant U.S. Attorney (“AUSA”) Joel Casey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Maine was one of 162 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director James Crowell, IV at the 34th Director’s Awards Ceremony today in Washington D.C. Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (“MDEA”) Special Agent Christopher Gardner was also recognized posthumously.
The District of Maine was one of 35 districts represented at the ceremony which was held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
In addressing the award recipients and guests, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said, “Today’s honorees earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, they earned the gratitude of our fellow citizens — the people whose communities you made safer, whose lives you improved, and whose trust you rewarded. Today, we pause to honor and recognize a small portion of your work.”
AUSA Casey, Special Agent Gardiner and their counterparts in Connecticut were recognized for Superior Performance by a Litigative Team for their work investigating and prosecuting the Red Side Guerilla Brims (RSGB”). The investigation revealed that members and associates of the RSGB, a sect of the Bloods street gang based in New Haven, were engaged in narcotics trafficking and related acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, assaults and armed robberies. In addition to distributing crack cocaine and other narcotics in and around New Haven, the investigation indicated that members and associates of the RSGB transported the drugs to Bangor, Maine, and sold them in Bangor and its surrounding communities. The RSGB also traded narcotics for firearms and used drug addicts as straw purchasers of firearms. Members then brought the firearms back to New Haven and distributed them to gang members. As a result of this investigation, 21 members and associates of the RSGB were convicted of federal charges in Connecticut and Maine. The investigation resolved seven murder cases, four attempted murders and four armed robberies that occurred in 2011 and 2012.
EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is charged with enforcing federal criminal laws in Maine and representing the federal government in civil litigation. The Office is composed of about 26 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 25 staff members at offices in Portland and Bangor. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me.
Deputy Attorney General Recognizes District of Colorado EmployeesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Members of the Administrative Division and a Criminal Division Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) for the District of Colorado were among the 162 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director James Crowell, IV at the 34th Director’s Awards Ceremony today in Washington D.C. The United States Attorney’s Office for District of Colorado was one of 35 districts represented at the ceremony which was held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building this morning.
In addressing the award recipients and guests, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said, “Today’s honorees earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, they earned the gratitude of our fellow citizens — the people whose communities you made safer, whose lives you improved, and whose trust you rewarded. Today, we pause to honor and recognize a small portion of your work.”
The Colorado U.S. Attorney’s Office Administrative Division was recognized for their outstanding teamwork, efficiency, and effectiveness in redesigning and moving a large United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) within Denver, without any operational impact, while obtaining cost savings and large scale efficiencies. The team closed the USAO's former location of more than 16 years on a Thursday evening, and opened a fully functional redesigned office five blocks away on Monday morning. The operational capability of the USAO was at full strength throughout the process, with four trials handled just prior to the move. Approximately 170 Assistant United States Attorneys, staff members and contractors now experience enhanced operational effectiveness in a state-of-the-art USAO directly adjacent to four United States Courthouses. Design elements now enhance effectiveness, while integrated communications link Denver to offices in Durango and Grand Junction, expanding the office’s critical public safety mission throughout Colorado. Those recognized include: Steven Brooks, Thomas Dillard, Marilyn Ferguson, David Gaouette, Jeffrey Hernandez, Mark Pittington, Victoria Soltis, and Bonnie Vigil.
Criminal Division AUSA Andrea Surratt, who is now with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Colorado, was awarded for work she did in the Southern District of New York just prior to transferring to Colorado. She was recognized for her work in the creation of an Overdose Death Initiative, which has transformed the way overdose deaths are investigated across New York City.
“We are honored to continue to get Department recognition for the excellence of our employees at all levels,” said U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer. “Our office has a history of regularly receiving these national honors because all our employees are deeply committed to improving life in Colorado. Our Admin Division is the engine room that keeps our ship running on that course. Without their exceptional performance, none of our defense of the United States or public safety work happens. There is simply no better Admin Division in the country.”
EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao.
Deputy Attorney General Recognizes District EmployeesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman announced three employees of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Ohio were recognized today by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director James Crowell, IV at the 34th Director’s Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C.
They were three of 162 members of the Department of Justice nationally recognized, and the Southern District of Ohio was one of 35 districts represented at the ceremony.
Brent G. Tabacchi received the Superior Performance as an Assistant United States Attorney recognition. Tabacchi has been in the District’s Dayton office for more than 13 years and prosecuted the largest Ponzi scheme in Dayton’s history, U.S. v. Apostelos. He has also prosecuted other significant white-collar cases, numerous narcotics and child exploitation cases.
“Brent has handled – and continues to handle – an extremely diverse and difficult case load that includes some of the most significant prosecutions ever in Dayton, and he does so while consistently maintaining the highest standards of prosecutorial excellence,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said.
Craig A. Black was recognized for his Superior Performance in a Litigative Support Role. Black serves as the head paralegal in the Financial Litigation Unit (FLU) and has served the district for more than 15 years.
“Craig is a national leader in innovating our financial litigation program in the Southern District of Ohio, as well as those of many other U.S. Attorney’s offices throughout the country,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “Craig’s tireless dedication to the mission of FLU has established him as a behind-the-scenes champion for victims of crime.”
Black has helped revolutionize how the District collects criminal civil monetary judgments. He has been instrumental in developing the District’s Criminal Judgment Enforcement Team, leading not only to record-setting collection efforts in the Southern District of Ohio, but improvements in FLU nationwide.
Jennifer Rausch was awarded recognition for her Superior Performance as a Special Assistant United States Attorney. Rausch is Director of the Special Victims Unit at Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien’s Office and has been cross-designated as a federal prosecutor for nearly four years.
“We are very lucky in Franklin County to have Jennifer Rausch as the Director of our Special Victims Unit and her work as a SAUSA illustrates the great teamwork we have with the Department of Justice in the Southern District of Ohio,” Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien said.
Rausch has aided in the conviction of nearly two-dozen criminal defendants on human trafficking, child enticement and child pornography offenses.
“Jen has helped build numerous major investigations into successful prosecutions, convictions, and trial victories, all the while tending the often-fragile victims and shattered families of these types of cases with exceptional sensitivity and care,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “Her years of courtroom experience have been invaluable in significant suppression hearings, a high-stakes federal jury trial resulting in convictions on all counts, and numerous contentious federal sentencings.”
“The outstanding achievements of these three individuals warrant their national recognition today,” Glassman added. “They are exemplary of the groundbreaking work that the men and women of the Southern District of Ohio are performing every day on behalf of the United States.”
In addressing the award recipients and guests, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said, “Today’s honorees earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, they earned the gratitude of our fellow citizens — the people whose communities you made safer, whose lives you improved, and whose trust you rewarded. Today, we pause to honor and recognize a small portion of your work.”
EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao.
# # #
Deputy Attorney General Recognizes District Employee for Superior PerformanceRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Levitt of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada was recognized by Department of Justice Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director James Crowell IV at the 34th Director’s Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C. today.
The District of Nevada was one of 35 districts represented at the ceremony held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building. This annual ceremony recognizes individuals for their outstanding service and dedication to carrying out the mission of the Department of Justice.
In addressing the award recipients and guests, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said, “Today’s honorees earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, they earned the gratitude of our fellow citizens — the people whose communities you made safer, whose lives you improved, and whose trust you rewarded. Today, we pause to honor and recognize a small portion of your work.”
“Peter is recognized for his exceptional work as an appellate advocate in tackling some of the most difficult cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and in particular for preserving convictions and sentencings imposed on defendants,” said U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson. “He has dedicated his expertise, energy, and service to the pursuit of justice and his commitment to excellence.”
Mr. Levitt has handled complicated cases with a tireless commitment to justice. For example, he handled United States v. Grimm and Mazzarella, where the defendants received sentences of 25 years and 14 years, respectively, and were ordered to pay more than $2.275 million in restitution for losses resulting from the massive mortgage fraud scheme; and United States v. Lindsey, where the Ninth Circuit affirmed the conviction imposed on a loan officer who secured more than $3 million in mortgage loans using straw buyers and false and fraudulent loan applications. Mr. Levitt’s exceptional work in these and other important criminal appeals has helped to shape Ninth Circuit law, and promotes the mission of the United States Attorney’s Office in Nevada.
EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit www.justice.gov/usao. For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Nevada, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv.
###
Deputy Attorney General Recognizes District Civil ChiefRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Assistant United States Attorney Jacob Schunk, Civil Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Iowa, was one of 162 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director James Crowell, IV at the 34th Director’s Awards Ceremony today in Washington D.C.
The Northern District of Iowa was one of 35 districts represented at the ceremony which was held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
In addressing the award recipients and guests, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said, “Today’s honorees earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, they earned the gratitude of our fellow citizens — the people whose communities you made safer, whose lives you improved, and whose trust you rewarded. Today, we pause to honor and recognize a small portion of your work.”
AUSA Schunk was recognized for his superior performance as a Civil AUSA. Over the past several years, Schunk has had tremendous success in building the district‘s Affirmative Civil Enforcement practice. The district now routinely resolves several False Claims Act matters and recovers millions of dollars each year for the federal treasury. Included among the matters he successfully resolved was a $5.6 million settlement with one of the nation‘s largest home health providers and a failure of care settlement with the owners and managers at an Iowa nursing facility.
“Through his outstanding work, Assistant United States Attorney Schunk has returned millions of dollars to the American taxpayer while ensuring those who make false claims are not unjustly enriched,” said United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. “We take seriously our duty to collect money owed to taxpayers and I am happy that AUSA Schunk’s excellent work has been recognized through this incredibly well-deserved and prestigious award.”
EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Connecticut Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for National Multi-Million Dollar Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that Chief U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced WALTER GLENN of Connecticut to one hundred and twenty (120) months in federal prison for his leading role in a prolific identify theft scheme. This sentencing follows GLENN being convicted by a federal jury of all charges against him after a weeklong trial in December.
The evidence at trial demonstrated that GLENN and others obtained and possessed the personal identifying information of more than four hundred individual victims and used the information to create fraudulent identification cards and counterfeit checks. From January 2014 through August 2015, GLENN and his coconspirators traveled across the country in rental vehicles and attempted to cash 833 counterfeit checks worth more than $2,000,000 at more than 450 Walmart stores in 23 states, resulting in a loss to Walmart of almost $1,000,000.
In December 2017, the jury unanimously found the defendant guilty of access device fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to make and pass counterfeit checks, produce fraudulent identification documents, and use unauthorized access devices. Following the verdicts, the Court revoked GLENN’s bond and remanded GLENN to the custody of the United States Marshal’s Service.
United States Attorney Fremin stated, “Our identities and reputations are sacred. We will continue to aggressively defend and protect individuals, companies, and other entities from new-age organized crime leaders, like this defendant, whose schemes to steal and defraud wreak havoc on so many across the country and the world. Such criminals should take a lesson from this 10-year sentence: stealing the identities of honest and hard-working people will result in very real and serious consequences. I commend the excellent work of all of the prosecutors and agents who have worked on this matter, and I am especially appreciative of the successful teamwork demonstrated by the seven different law enforcement agencies who contributed to this successful investigation and prosecution.”
This multi-jurisdictional investigation was led by the United States Secret Service, which received valuable assistance from the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Massachusetts State Police, the Connecticut State Police, the Hartford Police Department, and the Garland Police Department in Garland, Texas. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys M. Patricia Jones, Kevin R. Sanchez, and Jessica M.P. Thornhill.
Cherokee, N.C. Man Sentenced to Four Years for His Role in 2015 Murder at Smokemont Baptist ChurchRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Johnathan Hill, 25, of Cherokee, N.C. was sentenced yesterday to 48 months in prison for his role in the 2015 murder of a male victim at Smokemont Baptist Church, announced R. Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger also ordered Johnathan Hill to serve two years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.
John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, Jared St. Clair, Acting Chief Ranger of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Chief Doug Pheasant of the Cherokee Indian Police Department (CIPD) are making today’s announcement with U.S. Attorney Murray.
According to court filings, plea documents and the sentencing hearing, on March 29, 2015, CIPD received a 911 call alerting officers to a stabbing that had taken place inside Oconaluftee Baptist Church, commonly known as the Smokemont Baptist Church, located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Paramedics responding to the scene determined that the male victim had been stabbed and was deceased. According to court records, Johnathan Hill, Forrest Dakota Hill, and the victim drove to the church together. Over the course of their visit, Forrest Hill stabbed the victim with a knife during an unprovoked attack, causing the victim’s death. Court records show that the victim had been stabbed at least 16 times in the chest, back, neck and elsewhere.
Following the stabbing, Johnathan Hill and Forrest Hill, who are not related, drove away from Smokemont Baptist Church. Along the way, Johnathan Hill tossed through the car window the handle of the knife he believed to have been used in the attack. After that, the two men drove to the home of Johnathan Hill’s relatives, where the two men burned the clothes they wore during the stabbing.
In December 2017, Johnathan Hill pleaded guilty to a charge of accessory after the fact to second degree murder. Forrest Hill was previously sentenced to more than 16 years in prison on second degree murder charges.
The investigation was handled by the FBI, NPS and CIPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Pritchard of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
Carnegie Man Illegally Possessed 4 Firearms, Ammunition and Body ArmorRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH- On June 14, 2018, a resident of Carnegie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally possessing firearms, ammunition and body armor, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Stanley Patterson, aka Robert Cook, age 65, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Patterson’s house in Carnegie, Pa, was searched pursuant to a search warrant on December 16, 2015 and police located items which included four firearms (one with the serial number obliterated), ammunition for those weapons, and body armor. Patterson has prior convictions for crimes that include Robbery, Criminal Conspiracy, Burglary (two counts), Theft, Receiving Stolen Property and Felony Criminal Trespass. Each of these offenses precludes a person from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law, since they carry a maximum possible penalty of more than 2 years of incarceration. A person is prohibited from possessing body armor under federal law if they have been convicted of a prior crime of violence, such as robbery.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for September 10, 2018 at 1 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 13 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court remanded the defendant to the Allegheny County Jail. Patterson has several cases listed for trial in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on September 17, 2018.
Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt, a veteran prosecutor in the Violent Crime and Major Crime Sections of the United States Attorney’s Office, is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Carnegie Police Department, the Allegheny County Police Department and the Allegheny County Fire Marshal conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Patterson. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
Buffalo Man Charged with Selling Heroin Linked to the Death of A Hamburg ManRead 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 a 16-count indictment charging Tyrone Green, 24, and Brennen Bryant, Jr., 25, both of Buffalo, NY, with possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, as well as heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $5,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy C. Lynch and Seth T. Molisani, who is handling the case, stated that the charges in indictment and previously complaints stem from an investigation into an overdose death that occurred in Hamburg, NY on March 26, 2018. Through text messages on the decedent’s cellular telephone, detectives with the Hamburg Police Department and Special Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration identified Green and Bryant as the decedent’s suppliers. Law enforcement officers then set up a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Green who was arrested when he arrived to sell the fentanyl.
Subsequently, the investigation uncovered that between October 2017, and January 2018, the New York State Police made numerous controlled purchases of butyryl fentanyl, fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin from both defendants.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Hamburg Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gregory Wickett, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special-Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, the New York State Police, under the direction Major Edward Kennedy, and the Orchard Park Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Pacholec.
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.
Boise Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOISE – Ryan Andrew Chambers, 37, of Boise, was sentenced Tuesday in United States District Court to 240 months in prison followed by 10 years supervised release for possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Chambers pleaded guilty on March 22, 2018.
According to court records, in November 2017, Chambers began an online conversation on a social network application with an FBI agent working in an undercover capacity. During the conversation, Chambers sent the agent two images containing child pornography, and requested the agent send him live explicit videos of children. FBI agents discovered that the IP address used to communicate with the FBI agent was assigned to Chambers’ residence in Boise, Idaho, and that Chambers was on federal supervision for a 2009 conviction for possession of child pornography. After FBI agents provided the information to the United States Probation Office, a federal probation officer visited Chambers’ residence and seized numerous electronic devices. Agents also discovered that Chambers had recently used a social media application to request sexually explicit pictures of a local women and her child.
This case was investigated by the FBI and United States Probation Office, and was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
# # #
A Massachusetts Man and Georgia Woman Agree to Plead Guilty to Roles in Interstate Prostitution RingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Watertown, Mass., man and Georgia woman have agreed to plead guilty in connection with their roles in a long-running interstate prostitution ring.
Jineok Kim, 38, of Watertown, Mass., and Susan Bashir, a/k/a “Susan Redmon,” a/k/a “Susan Redmond,” 41, of Stone Mountain, Ga., agreed to plead guilty today to one count of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce individuals to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution and one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering. On March 15, Kim and Bashir were charged and arrested along with Yoon I. Kim, 36, of Haymarket, Va.; Taehee Kim, a/k/a “Hyunsook Kim,” 46, of Haymarket, Va.; and Kyung Song, 52, of Lexington, Mass.
According to the charging documents filed today, Kim participated in an interstate prostitution network from spring 2016 to December 2017, and Bashir worked for the prostitution network from at least 2013 until March 2018. The prostitution network had multiple brothels in high-end apartments in Cambridge, Mass.; Atlanta, Ga.; and eastern Virginia. They advertised appointments with Asian women primarily on three websites: www.bostonasiandolls.com, www.exoticasiansatlanta.com, and www.redhotflowers69.com. The women advertised on the websites were moved from city to city within the network, working as prostitutes for the organization.
Bashir’s role in the scheme involved screening potential clients that called to book an appointment and then arranging logistics for the client to meet with one the advertised women. Bashir also updated the prostitution websites and calculated the payments for each prostitute based on the number of clients she had met with. In addition, Bashir collected the cash earnings from the women working at the Georgia brothels and made bulk deposits at ATMs, funneling the money into accounts allegedly controlled by Taehee Kim and Yoon Kim.
Jineok Kim transported women working as prostitutes and supplies, including bulk orders of condoms, to and from brothel locations in Cambridge. Jineok Kim retrieved cash proceeds from each of the Cambridge brothel locations and allegedly laundered the proceeds according to Taehee Kim’s instructions, which including depositing the money into accounts belonging to Taehee Kim or sending postal money orders to Taehee Kim.
The charge of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce women to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain/loss, whichever is greater. The charge of conspiracy to engage in money laundering provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the laundered funds. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Andrew E. Lelling; Peter C. Fitzhugh Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Delany De Leon-Colon, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Cambridge Police Commissioner Branville G. Bard Jr. made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. D’Addio and Amy Harman Burkart of Lelling’s Civil Rights Enforcement Team are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
11 Assistant United States Attorneys and Two Federal Agent Partners Recognized by Deputy Attorney General at Department of Justice Director’s Awards CeremonyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Eleven Assistant United States Attorneys from the Eastern District of New York and two federal agent partners were among those recognized by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Director James Crowell, IV, of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA), at the 34th Director’s Awards Ceremony today, which was held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
In his prepared remarks, Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein told the awardees, “Today’s honorees earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, they earned the gratitude of our fellow citizens — the people whose communities you made safer, whose lives you improved, and whose trust you rewarded. Today, we pause to honor and recognize a small portion of your work.
U.S. v. Deutsche Bank
Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew R. Belz, Edward K. Newman and Jeremy Turk, as well as former Assistant United States Attorney Ryan M. Wilson and Special Agent Jeffrey Fata, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General, received the award for their exemplary performance in bringing about an historic $7.2 billion settlement against Deutsche Bank for its material misrepresentations in the sale of residential mortgage backed securities (RMBS).U.S. v. Paul Rivera, et al.
Criminal Division Deputy Chief Taryn A. Merkl, Business and Securities Fraud Section Deputy Chief Alixandra E. Smith and Assistant United States Attorney Michael Robotti received the award for their outstanding performance in the investigation and prosecution of United States v. Paul Rivera, et al. In Rivera, the two leaders of the “TF Mafia,” a violent Brooklyn gang, were convicted after an 11-week trial of racketeering conspiracy; racketeering involving predicate acts of sex trafficking, sex trafficking of children, murder, narcotics trafficking, money laundering and witness tampering; and substantive offenses, including murder-in-aid-of racketeering and firearms charges.
Disruption and Early Engagement Program
Criminal Division Chief Seth D. DuCharme, Assistant United States Attorney Melody Wells and Special Agent Joseph Rudnick of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Field Office, were recognized for their outstanding work in the development and implementation of the Disruption and Early Engagement Program (“DEEP”) counterterrorism and prevention initiative launched here in 2016 to meet growing challenges facing the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force and other law enforcement partners due largely to the rise of ISIS.
Hobby Lobby
Cultural Property Coordinator Karin Orenstein was recognized for her outstanding accomplishments in using civil forfeiture to combat illicit cultural property trafficking, as well as her efforts to return smuggled antiquities to their country of origin through repatriation. In United States v. 450 Ancient Cuneiform Tablets, she negotiated the forfeiture of thousands of Iraqi artifacts that were improperly imported by retailer Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., including 3,450 cuneiform tablets and clay bullae, and an additional 144 cylinder seals that were forfeited as substitute assets.
Operation Fallen Hero
Senior Litigation Counsel Andrea Goldbarg and her team members at the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section in the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division were recognized for successfully investigating and prosecuting members of Los Zetas cartel who brutally murdered Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent Jaime Zapata and wounded HSI Special Agent Victor Avila in February 2011 during an attempted carjacking in Mexico.
EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, visit www.justice.gov/usao/nye.
Thursday 14 June 2018
Wynantskill Woman Sentenced for Misusing Names of Government AgenciesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kristina Gross, age 37, of Wynantskill, New York, was sentenced today to pay a $5,000 fine for misusing the names of the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a misdemeanor offense.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and William A. Kalb, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeastern Field Division of the Office of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).
As part of her guilty plea on January 18, 2018, Gross admitted that she worked for a construction services company in Rensselaer County, whose Kinderhook Bank account had been levied by the IRS on February 14, 2017. On February 23, 2017, Gross twice emailed Kinderhook Bank what she claimed was an IRS release of levy form, in an unsuccessful attempt to induce the bank to provide her company with access to funds that the bank had frozen as a result of receiving the IRS levy.
Gross admitted that the document she sent to Kinderhook Bank on February 23 was forged, inaccurate and not approved or authorized by the Department of the Treasury or the IRS. She also admitted to knowing that the document would create the false impression at Kinderhook Bank that the IRS had actually issued the document when, in fact, the IRS had not.
This case was investigated by TIGTA and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.
Wisconsin Woman Charged with Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
Waheba Issa Dais, 45, originally of Israel and a U.S. legal permanent resident residing in Cudahy, Wisconsin, has been charged in a criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support or resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Matthew Krueger for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Special Agent in Charge Justin Tolomeo of the FBI’s Milwaukee Division made the announcement.
According to the criminal complaint, beginning in at least January, Dais attempted to provide services, personnel, expert advice and assistance to ISIS, by promoting ISIS’s agenda, facilitating recruitment and maintaining a virtual library of instructions on how to make bombs, biological weapons, poisons and suicide vests to assist self-proclaimed ISIS members and supporters in their attack planning. Dais used multiple social media accounts that she hacked and took over from unwitting victims and private social media platforms to provide and facilitate her support. Dais used one of her pro-ISIS accounts to encourage an individual, whom she believed to be an ISIS supporter, to conduct an attack in the name of ISIS. She provided detailed instructions on how to make Ricin and then suggested the individual introduce the Ricin to a government post or water reservoirs. In another post, she suggested potential targets for bombing attacks, including street festivals and celebrations in the summer.
Dais was arrested by the FBI on June 13. Dais appeared before a federal magistrate judge on the charges on June 13.
The defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.00. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. If convicted of any offense, the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI Milwaukee Division’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. The government’s is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, with assistance from Trial Attorney Jolie F. Zimmerman of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Wichita Man Charged with Buying Two Tiger PeltsRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita man was charged in federal court today with making a deal to buy two tiger pelts in violation of the federal Lacey Act, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Ret Thach, 38, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits interstate sale or purchase of animals that are covered by the Endangered Species Act.
In court documents, investigators allege Thach reached an agreement to pay $8,000 for two tiger pelts to be delivered to him in Wichita. Thach also agreed to pay traveling expenses for a seller from Wisconsin to drive to Wichita to deliver the pelts. Thach did not know that the seller was an agent of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service working undercover.
According to court records, the agent informed Thach that selling the pelts across state lines was “absolutely illegal.” Thach told the agent he already owned “a lion and a lot of bears” and wanted to go ahead with the deal to buy the tiger pelts. Thach said he wanted the pelts for his home office.
If convicted, Thach faces a penalty of up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Warren County Man Sentenced to 36 Months in Federal Prison for Firearms CaseRead the Press Release
RALEIGH - United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today, JATWAUN DONKES DAVIS, 27, of Manson, North Carolina was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III to 36 months imprisonment followed by 3 years’ supervised release.
DAVIS was named in a three-count Indictment on July 19, 2017. On March 5, 2018, DAVIS pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Possession of a Stolen Firearm, Receipt of a Firearm While Under Indictment.
On December 5, 2016, DAVIS was arrested for Breaking and Entering and Larceny after Breaking and Entering in Warren County, North Carolina. On January 17, 2017, DAVIS was indicted for the charges and released on a secured bond on January 20, 2017.
On April 6, 2017, DAVIS was at his girlfriend’s residence in Henderson, North Carolina, when an argument ensued between her and DAVIS. DAVIS became enraged when she told DAVIS his friends needed to leave. DAVIS pushed his girlfriend on her bed, grabbed her throat and began choking her while threatening to kill her. Upon his girlfriend requesting a friend to retrieve her purse where she kept her firearm, DAVIS jumped up and ran to the other bedroom taking his girlfriend’s firearm from her purse. DAVIS fled from the residence while in possession of the firearm. She chased after DAVIS yelling at him to return her firearm. DAVIS was picked up in a vehicle. DAVIS later informed his girlfriend that he had thrown the firearm by the road as he fled from her residence. A short time later, his girlfriend went to the Henderson Police Department (HPD) and filed charges relating to the assault and theft of her firearm.
On March 26, 2018, DAVIS provided a written statement accepting responsibility for the three charges.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
In support of PSN, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina has implemented the Take Back North Carolina Initiative. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Henderson Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette prosecuted this case.
Wallingford Man Charged with Federal Heroin and Amphetamine Distribution OffensesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that a grand jury in Hartford returned a four-count superseding indictment yesterday charging TIMOTHY ESTRIDGE, 37, of Wallingford, with drug trafficking offenses.
This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 16, 2017, the Wallingford Police Department and emergency medical personnel responded to a Wallingford residence after a 9-1-1 call reported the untimely death of a 38-year-old male. The caller who reported the death did not leave contact information and was not on scene when responders arrived. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, where investigators seized evidence of illicit drug use, including a small plastic baggy containing approximately eight suspected oxycodone pills, a glass dish with white powder residue, a broken credit card, prescription pill bottles, piece of wax folds commonly used as heroin packaging, and a used plastic syringe.
The State of Connecticut Chief Medical Examiner determined the victim’s cause of death to be intoxication of a combination of heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, alprazolam, amphetamine, and ethanol.
It is alleged that, on multiple occasions between July and December 2017, ESTRIDGE possessed and distributed heroin and amphetamines. It is further alleged that ESTRIDGE supplied narcotics to the overdose victim shortly before the victim was found dead.
The indictment charges ESTRIDGE with two counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, heroin, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, amphetamine. The charges carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count.
ESTRIDGE has been detained since his arrest on a federal criminal complaint on April 3, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment 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 Task Force and the Wallingford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha M. Freismuth.
United States Attorney, Louisiana Attorney General announce joint effort to increase violent crime prosecutions in northeast LouisianaRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry announced today that a prosecutor with the state Attorney General’s office would be designated as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in an effort to help reduce violent crime in the Monroe area.
The addition of another federal prosecutor in Monroe is in addition to the two violent crime prosecutors that were recently authorized for U.S. Attorney Joseph’s office as part of the Department of Justice’s ongoing effort to increase targeted prosecutions of violent crime through the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. In the past year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana has brought approximately 115 criminal indictments charging more than 200 defendants with firearm and drug related offenses, including felons and drug dealers in possession of firearms. These prosecutions represent approximately three times the number of such cases that have been brought in previous years.
The PSN program is a collaborative effort led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office involving local, state and federal law enforcement. In the Monroe area, participants include the ATF, FBI, DEA, Homeland Security, U.S. Marshals Service, Ouachita Parish District Attorney’s Office, Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Monroe Police Department. The program has been proven to be successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a crime reductions strategy involving PSN.
“I want to thank Attorney General Landry for his commitment and assistance to our joint effort to reduce violent crime in Northeast Louisiana,” Joseph stated. ”In the last year, we have substantially increased violent crime arrests and prosecutions in the District, which is clearly making our neighborhoods and communities safer. Given our collaboration with Attorney General Landry’s office and the hard work of our state, local and federal law enforcement partners in Northeast Louisiana, we fully expect that these efforts will reduce violent crime here in Monroe and throughout the area.”
“When I became Attorney General, one of my priorities was to strengthen my office’s working relationship with our federal partners,” Landry said. “I share U.S. Attorney Joseph’s vision to make our communities safer by working together; and we are optimistic that by offering one of our prosecutors to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, prosecutions will be done in a quicker and more efficient manner.”
“The Project Safe Neighborhood initiative is a comprehensive, coordinated, and community-based approach that we use to reduce and deter violent crime,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols. “It is through this collaborative effort that we truly make our communities safer.”
The Western District of Louisiana consists of 42 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes and encompasses two-thirds of the State of Louisiana. This area covers the cities of Alexandria, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe and Shreveport.
Two men face federal charges for their role in stealing government propertyRead the Press Release
Seven “Humvees” marked for destruction, alleged to have been stolen and resold
PRESS RELEASE
Indianapolis – United States Attorney Josh Minkler announced today that two men are facing federal charges for their role in stealing Humvee vehicles that were meant to be destroyed and sold for scrap. Richard S. Treloar, 63, St. Louis, Missouri, faces seven counts of conversion of government property and seven counts of false statements; co-defendant Mark W. Collier 52, Bedford, Indiana, faces seven counts of false statements.
“Theft, waste, fraud and abuse of government funds and equipment is never acceptable,” said Minkler. “When it involves stealing from our military, it is a particularly egregious offense and those responsible will be held accountable.”
Treloar owned a St. Louis based company called Treloar Enterprises International, Inc., (TEI) which contracted with the Department of Defense, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to demilitarize military vehicles, mostly High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles commonly known as Humvees. The Humvee is a four-wheel drive military light truck capable of being outfitted with armor, ballistic glass and high-powered weapons and is currently being used in the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters.
As part of Treloar’s contract with DAL, his company was responsible for demilitarizing the Humvees which would include eliminating the functional capabilities and inherent design features of vehicles. In many cases, that included the total destruction of the Humvee. When the Humvees were demilitarized, both Treloar and Collier verified in writing that the process had been completed.
From January 2014, through November 2015, TEI took delivery of all Humvees from Naval Support Activity Crane (Crane) which is located in Southern Indiana. To facilitate the contract, TEI opened a facility in nearby Spencer, Indiana, where the purported demilitarization took place. The indictment alleges Treloar converted at least seven fully armored Humvees for his own use and sold or attempted to sell them for his own benefit. The value of the Humvees was over $589,000. Both defendants also certified that each and every Humvee was demilitarized, when in fact they were not.
This case was investigated by the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General-Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Services, and Defense Logistics Agency-Office of the Inspector General.
"Today's indictments demonstrate the commitment of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and its law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of all Department of Defense programs," said Special Agent in Charge John F. Khin, Southeast Field Office. “DCIS' efforts in this investigation mitigated further significant loss and waste of taxpayer dollars from this fraudulent scheme."
"Not only is fraud of this type a serious financial crime, the equipment involved is concerning,” said Mike Wiest, Special Agent in Charge of the NCIS Southeast Field Office. “There are no legitimate civilian uses for an armored military vehicle. NCIS will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who siphon resources away from America's warfighters."
Assistant United States Attorney Bradley P. Shepard who is prosecuting this case for the government, said Treloar faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment on each count of conversion of government property and Collier faces up to five years’ imprisonment on each count of false statements.
An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in federal court.
In October 2017, United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced a Strategic Plan designed to shape and strengthen the District’s response to its most significant public safety challenges. This prosecution demonstrates the Office’s firm commitment to prosecuting complex, large-scale fraud schemes, particularly those that exploit positions of trust. See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan 5.1
###
###
Two Sentenced in Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ADRIAN ROBLES, JR., age 38, and FRANCISCO RUIZ, age 42, were sentenced yesterday after being charged by an indictment with violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act.
According to court documents, RUIZ and ROBLES, along with three others, were arrested in November 29, 2016 with fifteen kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride while conducting a drug transaction in the parking lot of a Walmart in Houma, Louisiana.
ROBLES was sentenced to 102 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release. RUIZ was sentenced to 40 months imprisonment and three years supervised release. Three more defendants will be sentenced as part of the same conspiracy.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Agency, Louisiana State Police, Customs and Border Patrol, Jefferson Parish Sherriff’s Office, and the Terrebonne Parish Sherriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Haller and James S. C. Baehr are in charge of the prosecution.
Two Men Indicted for Identity Theft and Possession of Stolen Mail in Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus CountiesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment today against Derek Hillgert, 29, of Carmichael, and Jeffrey Wilhite, 30, of Linden, charging them with access device fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of stolen mail, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to the indictment, the defendants possessed stolen United States mail and also used personal identifying information for victims to obtain things of value in excess of $40,000 in Sacramento, Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Tracy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Miriam R. Hinman is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, both defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for possession of stolen mail. Each count of access device fraud carries a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of aggravated identity theft, each defendant faces a mandatory consecutive term of two years in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two Dominican Nationals and One Cape Cod Man Charged with Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Dominican nationals and one Cape Cod man were charged yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with drug trafficking activities that resulted in seizures of over a half-kilogram of fentanyl.
Hilario Yogey Mota-Bernabel, 26, a Dominican national residing in New Bedford; Miki Michael Mota-Bernabel, 29, a Dominican national residing in Providence, R.I.; and Steven Marshall, 31, were charged in an indictment with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl. The Mota-Bernabels were charged by complaint and arrested on May 22, 2018, and have been in custody since. Marshall was arrested by federal authorities yesterday, after previously being arrested and charged in state court.
According to court documents, in January and February 2018, investigators conducted surveillance of Marshall as he traveled to New Bedford to purchase fentanyl from his source of supply, Hilario Yogey Mota-Bernabel. After a fentanyl pick up on March 1, 2018, investigators stopped Marshall, searched his vehicle, and seized approximately 125 grams of fentanyl.
Court documents further allege that agents conducted four controlled purchases, of approximately 100 grams of fentanyl each from Hilario Yogey Mota-Bernabel in March and April 2018. For one of the controlled purchases, Miki Michael Mota-Bernabel served as the courier, delivering over 100 grams of fentanyl to an undercover agent. Hilario Yogey Mota-Bernabel personally delivered the fentanyl on another occasion.
A search of Hilario Yogey Mota-Bernabel’s residence and stash house resulted in the seizure of over 350 grams of suspected fentanyl, $12,395 and other drug-related paraphernalia. Court documents also indicate the Mota-Bernabels entered the United States illegally.
The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of controlled substances provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. The Mota-Bernabels will be subject to deportation upon completion of their sentences. 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; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Barnstable Police Chief Paul MacDonald made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren A. Graber of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Travelers Rest Woman Sentenced to 15 Years Imprisonment for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Peggy Shelton McCarson, age 57, of Greenville, South Carolina, was sentenced to 180 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). Senior United States District Henry M. Herlong, Jr. of Greenville sentenced McCarson on June 13, 2018.
At an earlier guilty plea hearing, Assistant U. S. Attorney Jeanne Howard, established that on January 25, 2017, McCarson was a passenger in a car stopped for a traffic violation. After receiving consent to search the car, officers located a Smith and Wesson 9 mm handgun and 2 magazines with 32 rounds of ammunition on the floorboard of the passenger seat where McCarson had been seated. Also on the passenger floorboard was a box containing 2 plastic baggies with methamphetamine, marijuana and a set of digital scales. McCarson admitted the gun and drugs belonged to her. Shortly thereafter a search warrant was executed at McCarson’s residence in Travelers Rest where officers found another firearm, ammunition and additional methamphetamine.
Because of her prior criminal history, including six felony convictions for armed robbery, McCarson is considered an armed career criminal and is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
The case was investigated by agents of the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina Highway Patrol and ATF and was prosecuted as part of Project CeaseFire, a joint federal, state and local initiative focused upon aggressively prosecuting firearm cases in an effort to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer. Project CeaseFire is South Carolina’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a crime reduction strategy originally launched in 2001. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority and reinstituted PSN nationwide. Assistant United States Attorney Jeanne Howard of the Greenville office handled the case.
#####
Third Stolen Christopher Columbus Letter Returned to the Vatican Following U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Delaware and HSI Joint InvestigationRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. — Today, and for the third time in two years, U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss for the District of Delaware and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) returned a more than 500-year-old copy of a Christopher Columbus’ letter describing his discoveries in the Americas to the Vatican during a morning repatriation ceremony at the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana (the “Vatican Library”) in Vatican City. The letter, originally written in 1493, was stolen from the Vatican Library and later sold in 2004 for approximately $875,000.
In or around December 1921, the Superior General of the Society of Jesus donated a copy of the Columbus Letter (along with thousands of other rare books and manuscripts) to Pope Benedict XV. The Columbus Letter was preserved in the Vatican Library. After receiving a copy of the Columbus Letter, at no time did the Vatican City State or the Vatican Library relinquish title to this document. In or around 1934, a detailed description of the Vatican Library’s copy of the Columbus Letter was catalogued in the census copies of the standard bibliography of 15th century printing, otherwise known as the Gesamtkatalog der Wiegendrucke (volume VI, Leipzig, 1934, no. 7177). At an unknown time and date, the Columbus Letter was stolen from the Vatican Library and replaced with a forgery, which was designed to appear like the original letter.
Like the prior recovered letters, the return of the Vatican’s Columbus Letter followed a multi-year joint investigation conducted by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Delaware. After receiving a tip that the Vatican Library’s letter was stolen and replaced with a forgery, law enforcement determined that the original letter was located in a private art collector’s personal collection in Atlanta, Georgia. The investigation determined that this individual purchased the stolen Columbus Letter in good faith during a February 2004 transaction worth $875,000.
In April 2017, following negotiations between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and representatives for the individual in possession of the letter, the parties agreed to permit a subject matter expert to inspect and compare both the Columbus Letter in Atlanta against a copy of the Columbus Letter in the Vatican Library’s possession. The expert determined that the Columbus Letter located in Atlanta was, in fact, the original Columbus Letter that belonged to the Vatican Library, and that the copy in the Vatican Library’s possession was a forgery. Following this analysis, the person in possession of the Columbus Letter in Atlanta voluntarily agreed to relinquish title and interest in the Columbus Letter.
“This marks the third time in two years that agents from HSI, along with prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware, have partnered to return these precious letters documenting Columbus’ journey back to their rightful home,” said U.S. Attorney Weiss. “It is only through our strong federal law enforcement partnerships that we are able to combat these cross-border crimes that rob every one of these world treasures. I truly commend the efforts of everyone involved in this case.”
Ambassador Callista L. Gingrich of U.S. Embassy to the Holy See said, “The Columbus Letter, written in 1493, is a priceless piece of cultural history. I am honored to return this remarkable letter to the Vatican Library – its rightful owner.”
Vatican Librarian Archbishop Jean-Louis Bruguès said, “We are extremely grateful to be able to reinsert this volume in its rightful place in De Rossi’s collection, where it will remain at the disposal of the researchers who come from around the world to study the collections of the Vatican Library.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is dedicated to investigating those who pilfer history's most important records and chronicles and retuning those antiquities, like this Columbus Letter, back to their rightful owner nations,” said Special Agent in Charge Marlon V. Miller of HSI Philadelphia. “This effort is of utmost importance, not only to the special agents who investigate these crimes, but to the global community at large. “Let this repatriation signal our continued commitment to these investigations, and serve as a testament to our partnerships, both here and abroad.”
The case is being investigated by HSI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie M. McCall of the District of Delaware.
Link to Ambassador Gingrich's Remarks
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking 20 Kilos of CocaineRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Tellerick Simon, 34, pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and possession of more than 5 kilograms of cocaine with intent to distribute. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the guilty plea today.
According to information presented in court, on September 25, 2017, officers with the West Tennessee Drug Task Force conducted a traffic stop on eastbound I-40. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed over 50 pounds of cocaine. The occupants were bringing the cocaine from Houston, Texas through the Western District of Tennessee en route to Knoxville.
A thorough investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration offices in Memphis, Tennessee; as well as Houston and Brownsville, Texas revealed 34-year-old Tellerick Simon as one of the key participants in trafficking the cocaine. On June 13, 2018, Simon pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 10 years up to life imprisonment.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 17, 2018 before U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman.
The West Tennessee Drug Task Force, an extension of the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith is prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.
Ten Individuals Indicted in June Federal Grand JuryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office announced today the results of the June 2018 Federal Grand Jury.
The following named individuals have been charged with a federal crime or crimes by the return of an indictment by the Grand Jury. A grand jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt. A grand jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. United States Sentencing Guidelines may be considered, upon conviction, by the sentencing court. Federal prison sentences are non-parolable.
RYAN EDWARD OFFINEER, age 41, of Muldrow, OklahomaSexual Exploitation of Children
Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of MinorsThe Indictment alleges that in or about June 2013, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendant, RYAN EDWARD OFFINEER, employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced, and attempted to employ, use, persuade, induce, entice and coerce R.M. and C.O., a person under the age of eighteen years, to engage in sexually explicit conduct, as that term is defined in Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2256(2)(A)-(B), for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct, and such visual depiction was produced using materials that have been mailed, shipped, and transported in interstate and foreign commerce in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a), punishable by not less than 15 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00 or both.
The Indictment further alleges that beginning in or about June 2013, to on or about March 7, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, RYAN EDWARD OFFINEER, did knowingly possess, attempt to possess and access with intent to view, matters which contained visual depictions, as that term is defined in Title 18, United States Code, Section 2256(5), which said visual depictions involved the use of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, as that term is defined in Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2256(2)(A)-(B), and said visual depictions were of such sexually explicit conduct and had been transported in interstate commerce by computer, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(4)(B) and 2252(b)(2), punishable by not less than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00 or both.
The charges arose from an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Assistant United States Attorney John David Luton
BRETT WAYNE PIGEON, age 32, of Okmulgee, OklahomaFelon in Possession of Firearm (Two Counts)
The Indictment alleges that on or about March 23, 2017, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, BRETT WAYNE PIGEON, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm, to-wit: One (1) SCCY Industries, LLC, model CPX-2, 9mm semi-automatic pistol, serial number 266765, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00 or both.
The Indictment further alleges that on or about March 23, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, BRETT WAYNE PIGEON, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm, to-wit: One (1) Charles Daly, 12 gauge pump action shotgun, serial number 950658, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment; however, should the court determine that this defendant is an armed career offender, imprisonment of not less than 15 years, a fine up to $250,000.00 or both.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Okmulgee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant United States Attorney Dean Burris
JARED ROBERT FAULKNER, age 30, of Krebs, OklahomaFelon in Possession of Firearm
The Indictment alleges that on or about February 10, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, JARED ROBERT FAULKNER, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm, to-wit: One (1) Heritage Manufacturing, Inc., Model Heritage Rough Rider, .22 caliber revolver, serial number 185887, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment; however, should the court determine that this defendant is an armed career offender, imprisonment of not less than 15 years, a fine up to $250,000.00 or both.
The charges arose from an investigation by the McAlester Police Department, the Krebs Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant United States Attorney Dean Burris
JASON GLEN WILLIS, age 32, of Ardmore, OklahomaFelon in Possession of Firearm
Possessing, Receiving, and Concealing a Stolen FirearmThe Indictment alleges that on or about March 20, 2017, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, JASON GLEN WILLIS, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm, to-wit: One (1) Heritage Manufacturing, Inc., Model Rough Rider, .22 caliber revolver, serial number F76454, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment; however, should the court determine that this defendant is an armed career offender, imprisonment of not less than 15 years, a fine up to $250,000.00 or both.
The Indictment further alleges that on or about March 20, 2017, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, JASON GLEN WILLIS, knowingly possessed, received and concealed a stolen firearm, to wit: One (1) Heritage Manufacturing, Inc., Model Rough Rider, .22 caliber revolver, serial number F76454, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce, knowing and having reasonable cause to believe the firearm was stolen, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(j) and 924(a)(2), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00 or both.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Ardmore Police Department, the Carter County Sherriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Dean Burris
LUIS LOPEZ ARCE, age 26
ABEL EDUARDO CRISTERNA-GONZALEZ, age 27Possession With Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
Possession With Intent to Distribute Heroin
(One Count Each Per Defendant)The Indictment alleges that on or about April 24, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, defendants, LUIS LOPEZ ARCE and ABEL EDUARDO CRISTERNA-GONZALEZ, did knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2, punishable by not less than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $10,000,000.00 or both.
The Indictment further alleges that on or about April 24, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, defendants, LUIS LOPEZ ARCE and ABEL EDUARDO CRISTERNA-GONZALEZ, did knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2, punishable by not less than 5 years imprisonment, a fine up to $5,000,000.00 or both.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant United States Attorney Rob Wallace
JORGE BARRON, age 20, of Boulder, Colorado
ANA DUENAS, age 19, of Boulder ColoradoPossession With Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine
(One Count Each Per Defendant)
The Indictment alleges that on or about April 24, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, defendants, JORGE BARRON and ANA DUENAS, did knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2, punishable by not less than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $10,000,000.00 or both.The charges arose from an investigation by the Henryetta Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant United States Attorney Rob Wallace
DERIK WAYNE FRAZIER, age 35, of Durant, OklahomaFelon in Possession of Firearm & Ammunition
Possession of an Unregistered Firearm (Two Counts)
Possession of Firearm With An Obliterated Serial NumberThe Indictment alleges that On or about November 24, 2017, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, DERIK WAYNE FRAZIER, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce a firearm and ammunition which have been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00 or both.
The Indictment further alleges that On or about November 24, 2017, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, DERIK WAYNE FRAZIER, did knowingly possess One (1) Maverick by Mossberg, Model 88, 12-gauge Weapon Made from a Shotgun, s/n: MV87720L, with a barrel of less than 18 inches in length, not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Sections 5861(d), 5841, 5845 and 5871, punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $10,000.00 or both.
The Indictment further alleges that on or about November 24, 2017, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, DERIK WAYNE FRAZIER, did knowingly possess One (1) Savage Arms, Stevens Model 9478, 12-gauge Weapon Made from a Shotgun, with a barrel of less than 18 inches and an overall length of less than 26 inches, not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Sections 5861(d), 5841, 5845 and 5871, punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $10,000.00 or both.
The Indictment further alleges that on or about November 24, 2017, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, DERIK WAYNE FRAZIER, knowingly received and possessed in interstate commerce a firearm, that is One (1) Savage Arms, Stevens Model 9478, 12-gauge Weapon made from a Shotgun, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce prior to November 24, 2017, from which the manufacturer's serial number had been removed, altered and obliterated, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(k) and 924(a)(1)(B), punishable by not more than 5 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00 or both.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Durant Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Harrington
MICHAEL SHAWN MAYBERRY, age 24, of Okmulgee, OklahomaFirst Degree Burglary in Indian Country
Assault With A Dangerout Weapon in Indian CountryThe Indictment alleges that on or about October 1, 2017, within Indian Country, as defined by Title 18, United States Code Section 1151, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant MICHAEL SHAWN MAYBERRY, an Indian, did knowingly break into and enter a dwelling house occupied by and in the possession of B.B. and in which there were at the time and place human beings, B.B. and N.A., with the intent to commit some crime therein, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 13 and 1153(a) and Title 21, Oklahoma Statute, Section 1431, punishable by not less than 7 years imprisonment, a fine up to $10,000.00 or both.
The Indictment further alleges that beginning in or about December 2017, and continuing until in or about February 2018, within Indian County, as defined by Title 18, United States Code Section 1151, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, MICHAEL SHAWN MAYBERRY, an Indian, did assault B.B., with dangerous weapons, with intent to do bodily harm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 113(a)(3) and 1153, punishable by not more than 1 year imprisonment, a fine up to $100,000.00 or both.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Harrington
Statement of United States Attorney Mike Stuart Regarding the Department of Justice's Zero Tolerance Prosecution Policy on Illegal Entries at the Southwest BorderRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart issued the following statement:
“I strongly commend the Administration and Attorney General Sessions for the “zero tolerance” prosecution policy at the border. The laws of this country must be respected by those who want to enter the United States. Line skippers undermine the administration of justice and illegal aliens are dangerous to public safety and a risk that terrorists could undermine the weaknesses inherent in our border entry system. Re-entry by an illegal is a felony and my office prosecutes every single case one hundred percent of the time. We are supposed to enforce the laws of the United States and my office does every day. Prosecutors should not pick and choose the laws they enforce. If you cross the border unlawfully and make your way to the southern district of West Virginia, we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. That is what the law calls for and that is what we shall do. It’s dangerous to cross the border illegally and bringing children along for the trip is even more dangerous. We take violations of American law extremely seriously and intend to enforce the law in defense of public safety and American citizens.”
Please see the remarks below of Attorney General Jeff Sessions addressing recent criticisms of zero tolerance and separating families made by church leaders.
Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 2018
ATTORNEY GENERAL SESSIONS ADDRESSES RECENT CRITICISMS OF ZERO TOLERANCE BY CHURCH LEADERS
Fort Wayne, IN
First- illegal entry into the United States is a crime—as it should be. Persons who violate the law of our nation are subject to prosecution. I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13, to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained them for the purpose of order.
Remarks as prepared for delivery
Thank you, Tom for that kind introduction; thank you for your eight years of service to the Department of Justice, and congratulations on your appointment as United States Attorney.
Thank you to the Fort Wayne Rotary Club, the Fort Wayne Business Forum, the Allan County Bar Association—and most of all thank you to law enforcement officers from the federal, state, and local levels.
Thank you all for being here.
It is good to be back in the Hoosier state. On my previous trip, I enjoyed being with your dedicated and professional Attorney General Curtis Hill as we explored the 10 Point Coalition neighborhood.
This is an exciting and important time. We have an historic opportunity to—finally—fix an immigration system that has been broken for decades.
The American people have been begging and pleading with our elected officials for an immigration system that is lawful and that serves our national interest—one that we can be proud of. There is nothing mean-spirited about that. They are right, decent and just to ask for this.
But for more than a decade now, the elites and Washington insiders have prioritized the interests of certain corporate interests and activist groups over what is best for the American people.
Beginning in 2009, the previous Administration released most aliens apprehended at the border who requested asylum into the United States with a document asking them to show up for a hearing at some later date. Word spread quickly that by asserting a fear of returning to one’s home country, one could remain in the United States.
The results are just what one would expect. The number of illegal entrants has surged. Asylum claims skyrocketed, and the percentage of meritorious asylum claims— those actually granted— declined.
That’s because the vast majority of the claims are not valid. For the last five years, only 20 percent of claims have been found to be meritorious after a hearing before an Immigration Judge. In addition, some fifteen percent are found invalid by during the initial screening by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service.
In addition, in 2009, the Department of Homeland Security reviewed more than 5,000 initial asylum screenings. By 2016, only seven years later, that number had increased to 94,000. The number of these aliens placed in immigration court proceedings went from fewer than 4,000 to more than 73,000 by 2016—nearly a 19-fold increase.
This cannot continue.
Compounding this problem, the previous administration wouldn’t prosecute illegal aliens who entered the country with children. It was de facto open borders.
The results were unsurprising. More and more illegal aliens started showing up at the border with children. To illustrate, in 2013, there were fewer than 15,000 family units apprehended crossing our border illegally between ports of entry. Five years later, it was more than 75,000—a five-fold increase in five years. It didn’t even have to be their child—it could be anyone. You can imagine the horrible abuses that resulted.
The open borders, pro-amnesty crowd encouraged that—and they have the gall to attack those of us who want to end this lawlessness and the dangers these children face.
And then there was the time that President Obama used his pen and phone to do something he said he couldn’t legally do. In July 2012—a few months before he was up for re-election—President Obama announced that he would give legal status to 800,000 illegal aliens—along with work authorization and other benefits, like Social Security. Congress had rejected this proposal on multiple occasions—but President Obama did it anyway.
Again, the result was not a surprise: the number of unaccompanied alien children arriving at our border nearly doubled in one year. The next year, it doubled again.
That could hardly be a coincidence. The President had sent the wrong message. Criminal networks spread the lie that kids could get amnesty. As a result, tens of thousands of vulnerable children made the dangerous journey North—with terrible humanitarian consequences.
And then, in 2014, the Obama Administration doubled down and attempted to expand its unlawful amnesty to any illegal alien here since 2010.
Towards the end of the last administration, prosecutions for illegal entry and reentry both declined, and sanctuary policies were encouraged, eroding relationships with state and local law enforcement officers that had taken decades to build.
Sanctuary policies are when cities or states refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. If they’ve got somebody in custody who is wanted for deportation—they release them back into the community. At their root, they are a rejection of all immigration law. If you won’t deport somebody who came here illegally and then committed another crime—then who will you deport?
Meanwhile in Congress, efforts to end illegal immigration have been blocked at every turn. Any law enforcement policies are attacked by open borders radicals and well-paid lobbyists.
Every time something is proposed that would end illegal immigration, it gets blocked. If it works, it gets blocked. If it doesn’t work—if it won’t end illegal immigration—then the elites and the Washington insiders are all for it.
Eric Holder—my predecessor as Attorney General of the United States—supports sanctuary laws. Here is his legal defense of sanctuary policies: “states have the power over the health and safety of their residents and the allocation of state resources.” That’s it. It’s almost a non sequitur. The question is whether cities and states have the right under the Constitution to actively undermine the supreme law of the land—a question that has been settled repeatedly in the negative since 1819.
Our elites—who seem to think that they are also our betters—don’t like our immigration system; they know they don’t have the votes to change it—and so they have willingly embraced illegality. It is outrageous.
But the Trump administration is working to restore legality to the system and undo the damage that was done in the Obama years.
Unfortunately there has been a lot of misinformation out there on what we at the Department of Justice are doing. The reports have been so wrong that some people might even call it “fake news.”
So let me clear a few things up.
Yes, we are pursuing a “zero tolerance” prosecution policy at the border.
Under the laws of this country, illegal entry is a misdemeanor. Re-entry after having been deported is a felony.
Under the law, we are supposed to prosecute these crimes. Accordingly, I have ordered our prosecutors to pursue 100 percent of the illegal entries on the Southwest border that DHS refers to us.
If you cross the Southwest border unlawfully, then the Department of Homeland Security will arrest you and the Department of Justice will prosecute you. That is what the law calls for—and that is what we are going to do. Having children does not give you immunity from arrest and prosecution. It certainly doesn’t give immunity to American citizens.
However, we are not sending children to jail with their parents. The law requires that children who cannot be with their parents be placed in custody of the Department of Health and Human Services within 72 hours.
We currently spend more than $1 billion a year in taxpayer dollars taking care of unaccompanied illegal alien minors. Most are in HHS custody. They are provided food, education in their native language, health and dental care, and transported to their destination city—all at taxpayer expense.
It should be noted the perils to which these parents subject their children. Hundreds of aliens die every year trying to make it to the border to illegally enter this country. In many cases, children are trafficked, abused, or recruited by criminal gangs. No one should subject their child to this treacherous journey—and yet the open borders lobby encourages it every day.
But the Trump administration is ending the Obama-era incentives to bring children here illegally. Last September, the Trump administration ended DACA. We agree with President Obama: he didn’t have the legal authority to give any legal status to illegal aliens without Congress. That’s why this unlawful policy is over.
And now that DACA is over, the criminals can’t spread the lie that kids can get amnesty.
Our policies are discouraging people from making children endure that treacherous journey. Everything the open borders lobby is doing is encouraging that and endangering these children. It’s that simple.
There’s only one way to stop this and that is for people to stop smuggling children. Stop crossing the border illegally with your children. Apply to enter lawfully. Wait your turn.
We have also returned the asylum process to what Congress intended it to be.
If you don’t meet the requirements for asylum in this country, then you do not receive asylum here. That should not be a controversial idea.
Let me take an aside to discuss concerns raised by our church friends about separating families. Many of the criticisms raised in recent days are not fair or logical and some are contrary to law.
First- illegal entry into the United States is a crime—as it should be. Persons who violate the law of our nation are subject to prosecution. I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13, to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained them for the purpose of order.
Orderly and lawful processes are good in themselves and protect the weak and lawful.
Our policies that can result in short term separation of families is not unusual or unjustified. American citizens that are jailed do not take their children to jail with them. And non-citizens who cross our borders unlawfully —between our ports of entry—with children are not an exception.
They are the ones who broke the law, they are the ones who endangered their own children on their trek. The United States on the other hand, goes to extraordinary lengths to protect them while the parents go through a short detention period.
Please note, Church friends, that if the adults go to one of our many ports of entry to claim asylum, they are not prosecuted and the family stays intact pending the legal process.
The problem is that it became well known that adults with children were not being prosecuted for unlawful entry and the numbers surged from 15,000 in 2013 to 75,000 four years later. That policy was a declaration of open borders for family units.
Importantly, children are far more at risk attempting entry in remote areas.
I have given the idea of immigration much thought and have considered the arguments of our Church leaders. I do not believe scripture or church history or reason condemns a secular nation state for having reasonable immigration laws. If we have them, then they should be enforced. A mere desire to benefit from entry to the nation does not justify illegal entry. And, there are of course adverse consequences to illegal actions.
Once again, let me state that this nation has perhaps the most generous laws in the world.
My request to these religious leaders who have criticized the carrying out of our laws to also speak up strongly to urge anyone who would come here to apply lawfully, to wait their turn, and not violate the law.
Under the INA, asylum is available for those who leave their home country because of persecution or fear on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Asylum was never meant to solve all problems—even all serious problems— that people face every day all over the world.
You may have heard that I have “restricted” asylum eligibility or “denied” asylum eligibility to certain people. But that’s not exactly right.
I have not made new law—I have simply restated and implemented what Congress has passed: asylum is generally not for those who have suffered a private act of violence. It is for members of groups who are persecuted by the state or whom the state will not protect from persecution. Members of those groups cannot go somewhere else in their home country. Most victims of private crimes can.
Think about it. There are victims of crime all over the world—1.2 million violent crimes are committed every year in this country alone. Are all 1.2 million of these victims automatically entitled to asylum in Canada, the United Kingdom, or anywhere else they choose?
We have to make a choice: do we continue to allow the word to spread that you can come here illegally and there will be no consequences—or do we finally send the message that we enforce our laws? In the Trump administration, we enforce the law.
There is no right or entitlement—legal or moral—to come to this country. Immigration is a privilege that the American people have chosen to grant in certain cases. And let me note how generous the American people are: we allow in 1.1 million legal immigrants on a path to citizenship every year. Another 700,000 come here explicitly for jobs. Another half a million come here to attend our universities and colleges.
But we’ve got a choice here. We either have open borders or we have laws. It’s one or the other.
Some people in the media have chosen to attack us for enforcing the law. That doesn’t surprise me. But I’m not ashamed of the United States of America. I am not going to apologize for carrying out our laws. That is my duty.
President Trump ran for office promising to end the illegality and to fix our system. We are carefully and lawfully stopping the abuses in our system.
It is not a bad thing, but a good thing that President Trump is keeping his word. We intend to follow the mandate that he has received from the people. I embrace it.
President Trump made a generous offer to the Democrats in Congress. He offered to give DACA recipients true legal status if we can build a wall, close the loopholes, and switch from chain migration and the visa lottery to a merit-based system. The Democrats’ refusal of this offer is baffling. He simply asked that they agree to a permanent solution to the problem. Why wouldn’t you want to end the illegality?
Our goal is not radical. What is radical is the open borders policies that have been pushed on us time and again by the elites and the Washington insiders.
Our goal is that immigrants should apply, wait their turn, and that people stop making that dangerous trek across the desert rather than coming here unlawfully. If they meet the standards, then they can be admitted—and those standards should advance the national interest.
If we succeed in this—if we finally get a system we can be proud of—then we will start a virtuous cycle of lawfulness, safety, and prosperity.
The American people have been patient. We have been waiting for 30 years. They want us to seize this opportunity that we have right now. It’s time that we finally deliver a lawful system of immigration that benefits them.# # #
AG
18 - 789
Do not reply to this message. If you have questions, please use the contacts in the message or call the Office of Public Affairs at 202-514-2007.
St. Thomas Man Pleads Guilty to Alvaro de Lugo Post Office BurglaryRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Allen Springette, 45, of St. Thomas, pleaded guilty today in District Court before District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez, to burglary of the Alvaro de Lugo Post Office, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today. Sentencing is set for October 18, 2018.
In court today, Springette admitted that, had the case proceeded to trial, the government would have been able to prove that in the early morning hours of April 16, 2018, Springette gained entry into the Alvaro de Lugo Post Office by smashing one of its windows with a brick. After crawling through the window, Springette rifled through several postal packages and thereafter, as was captured on surveillance video, left with at least one package. Virgin Islands Police Department officers easily identified Springette as the individual captured on those surveillance videos and, upon encountering him later that same evening, noticed that Springette appeared to be wearing the same clothing as seen on the videos. When questioned, Springette admitted to breaking into the Alvaro de Lugo Post Office with the intent of finding items to steal and that he did, in fact, steal at least one postal package.
Springette faces a maximum sentence of five years and a fine of $250,000.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Virgin Islands Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith J. Edwards.
St. Joseph Woman Sentenced for Selling Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for selling stolen firearms.
O’Ceonna S. Thomas-Weston, 23, of St. Joseph, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to five years in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 28, 2017, Thomas-Weston pleaded guilty to selling a stolen firearm. Co-defendant Ronnie Lee Martin III, 22, of St. Joseph, has also pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
Thomas-Weston admitted that she sold a stolen Bushmaster .223-caliber rifle to a confidential informant. Thomas-Weston contacted the confidential informant and indicated she had an AR-15 style rifle for sale and wanted $1,200 for the rifle. The confidential informant negotiated the price down to $900. Thomas-Weston told the confidential informant she hoped the person that bought the rifle didn’t get caught with it because it was a stolen military rifle.
Thomas-Weston also admitted that she had earlier sold a Taurus .38-caliber revolver and a Taurus 9mm pistol to the confidential informant. She had agreed to sell the confidential informant a .25-caliber pistol, but that sale never occurred. Thomas-Weston and Martin also sold the confidential informant a stolen Remington 30-06 caliber rifle.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Morgan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Joseph, Mo., Police Department and the Buchanan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Six Former and Current Fitbit Employees Indicted for Possessing Multiple Trade Secrets Stolen from JawboneRead the Press Release
On February 14, 2020, United States Attorney David L. Anderson issued the following statement:
Today, the United States filed a motion to dismiss the criminal trade secret theft charges against Patrick Narron, Jing Qi Weiden, Patricia Romano, and Rong Zheng. The filing of this motion to dismiss follows the filing on December 11, 2019, of a similar motion to dismiss against Ana Rosario, and the return of not-guilty verdicts on February 3, 2020, by the trial jury of all charges against Katherine Mogal. It is a serious step for the United States to move to dismiss criminal charges at any time, and more so without a presentation to a trier of fact and, as occurred here, after the pendency of charges for more than a year. However, it is the solemn duty of the United States to seek justice in all its cases, and to evaluate the appropriateness of charges at all times, not just at the point of indictment or trial. Our assessment of these cases led us to the firm conclusion that only an immediate dismissal of the criminal charges against all defendants would be in the interests of justice.
SAN JOSE – Six California residents were charged in a federal indictment filed today in San Jose, Calif., for their alleged possession of stolen trade secrets, announced Acting United States Attorney Alex G. Tse and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Spradlin. The indictment charges each defendant with possession of one or more trade secrets. The secrets allegedly were stolen from now-defunct San Francisco-based AliphCom, Inc., doing business as Jawbone, after his or her employment with Jawbone ended and the defendant accepted employment with Fitbit, Inc., another San Francisco-based company.
The indictment charges Katherine Mogal, 52, of San Francisco; Ana Rosario, 33, of Pacifica; Patrick Narron, 41, of Boulder Creek; Patricio Romano, 37, of Calabasas; Rong Zhang, 45, of El Cerrito; and Jing Qi Weiden, 39, of San Jose, for being in possession of stolen trade secrets. The indictment describes Jawbone as a company that “designed, manufactured, and sold wearable electronic devices, fitness trackers, and wireless speakers in interstate and international commerce.” The indictment alleges Jawbone’s protected internal computer systems and cloud storage contained trade secrets, 14 of which are described in the indictment. Similarly, the indictment describes Fitbit as a publically traded company that promotes itself as “design[ing] products and experiences that track and provide motivation for everyday health and fitness.”
According to the indictment, each of the defendants worked for Jawbone for at least one year between May of 2011 and April of 2015, and had signed a confidentiality agreement with the company. The indictment alleges that in between March 2015 and April 2015, Mogal, Rosario, Narron, and Zhang, while still working for Jawbone, received an offer of employment from Fitbit and within three weeks, each had terminated his or her employment with Jawbone. Each of these defendants accepted his or her offer of employment from Fitbit. Weiden resigned from Jawbone in March 2014 and began working for Fitbit in November 2014. According to the indictment, at times in 2014 and 2015, after he or she was no longer employed by Jawbone, each defendant received and possessed one or more of the trade secrets for the economic benefit of someone other than Jawbone. Further, the indictment alleges each defendant was aware following his or her departure from Jawbone that the trade secrets were stolen and that they were being possessed without authorization.
“Intellectual property is the heart of innovation and economic development in Silicon Valley,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tse. “The theft of trade secrets violates federal law, stifles innovation, and injures the rightful owners of that intellectual property. This office, together with our law enforcement partners, is committed to protecting the intellectual property rights and economic security of this district.”
“While we live in a free market economy, HSI is committed to ensuring employees are playing fair and within the limits of the law,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, Special Agent in Charge for northern California and northern Nevada. “HSI has devoted more than two years to investigating these allegations of the theft of trade secrets. HSI considers these types of charges extremely serious, and is dedicated to safeguarding against any illegal corporate practices adversely impacting other businesses.”
The defendants are scheduled to make an initial appearance on July 9, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. before the U.S. Magistrate Judge Virginia K. DeMarchi.
Each defendant has been charged with one or more counts of possession of stolen trade secrets, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1832(a)(3), as follows:
Defendant
Defendant
Defendant
Mogal
six counts
Weiden
one count
Romano
four counts
Rosario
five counts
Narron
two counts
Zhang
two counts
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and $250,000 fine per count, followed by a maximum three years supervised release. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amie Rooney is prosecuting the case with assistance from Nina Burney Williams and Elise Etter. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.
Sentencings for June 8 - June 12, 2018Read the Press Release
EDUARDO AGUILAR, 27, of La Puente, California, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on June 12, 2018, for conspiracy to distribute heroin. Aguilar was arrested in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He received sixty months of imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment and $400.00 fine. The Wyoming Highway Patrol and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation investigated this case.
PAULO CESAR RODRIGUEZ-LOPEZ, 42, of Jalisco, Mexico, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on June 12, 2018, for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the United States. Rodriguez-Lopez was arrested in Sweetwater County. He received twelve months and one day imprisonment, to be followed by one year of supervised release, was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment, and is subject to deportation upon release from custody. The Office of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated this case.
VICTOR VALENZUELA, 43, was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl, on June 11, 2018, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and for conspiracy to launder money. Valenzuela was arrested in Lubbock, Texas. He received one hundred eighty months of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, was ordered to pay a $200.00 special assessment and a $500.00 fine, and is subject to deportation upon release from custody.
This case results from an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) joint investigation conducted by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service. This investigation resulted in the identification, prosecution and conviction of state defendants and 14 federal defendants on a variety of felony charges related to the distribution of methamphetamine. The principal missionof the OCDETF program is to identify, disruptand dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking andmoney laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for thenation’s illegal drug supply.
DENNIS FRANCIS BOYLE, 54, of Davis, California ,was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on June 11, 2018, for production of child pornography. Boyle was arrested in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He received one hundred sixty-four months of imprisonment, to be followed by a life term of supervised release,and ordered to pay a $5,000.00 Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act Assessment and a $200.00 special assessment. The Department of Homeland Security investigated this case.
JESSIE PATRICK SICOCAN, 22, o fCheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson on June 11, 2018, for possession of unregistered firearms. Sicocan was arrested in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He received thirty months of imprisonment, to be followedby thirty-six months of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment and a $200.00 fine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together alllevels of law enforcement to reduce violent crimeand make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turningthe tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series ofactions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration ofPSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crimereduction strategy thatincorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
JAMES EDWARD KNIGHT, II, 42, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on June 8, 2018, for tax evasion. Knight was arrested in Casper, Wyoming. He received three months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment and $374,970.00 in restitution. The Internal Revenue Service investigated this case.
Salvadoran National Charged with Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Salvadoran national was charged today in federal court in Boston with illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
Geraldo Reyes Menjivar-Menjivar, 33, was indicted on one count of illegal reentry of a deported alien.
According to court documents, on May 24, 2018, law enforcement in Chelsea encountered Menjivar-Menjivar and determined him to be unlawfully present in the United States. Menjivar-Menjivar was previously deported on Nov. 7, 2014.
Menjivar-Menjivar faces a sentence of no greater than two years in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. 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 today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Child EnticementRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kevin Joseph Martin, 43, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to one count of attempting to entice a child to engage in illegal sexual activity, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between March 9, 2017, and April 22, 2017, Martin communicated with an undercover agent who was posing as person with a sexual interest in children. During the chats using a messaging application and text messages, Martin discussed with the undercover agent various ways to sexually assault the 11-year-old daughter that the undercover agent claimed to have. Eventually, the undercover agent agreed to meet Martin in a parking lot where Martin believed he would have the opportunity to perform sex acts on the girl. Martin was arrested by law enforcement when he arrived at the agreed upon location.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force, and the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelley D. Weger is prosecuting the case.
Martin is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on August 30, 2018. Martin faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.
Round Valley Tribal Member Convicted of Domestic Violence Sentenced to 87 Months ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
Spokane – Joseph H. Harrington, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Walter Richard Harrington, age 54, a member of the Round Valley Indian Tribes recently residing in Tieton, Washington, was sentenced today after having pleaded guilty on November 2, 2017 to assault by strangling on Indian Reservation. United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Harrington to an 87-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison.
According to information disclosed during court proceedings, in March 2017, Harrington brutally beat, strangled, and kicked an adult female within the external boundaries of the Yakama Nation Indian Reservation. Due to the violent nature of the attack, the victim suffered multiple injuries including two broken ribs. Harrington was serving a term of probation at the time of the assault. Harrington has a long criminal record including convictions for rape, assault, theft, and six separate convictions for driving under the influence.
United States Attorney Harrington said, “This case is yet another example of the strong working partnerships developed among Tribal, County, and Federal law enforcement agencies. Prosecuting domestic violence assaults that occur within any of the four Indian Reservation in the Eastern District of Washington is a priority for the United States Attorney’s Office.”
This case was investigated by the Yakama Nation Tribal Police Department, the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Tom Hanlon, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.