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Thursday 14 June 2018
Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Two Federal Officers in Federal CourthouseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to assaulting two federal officers, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Leonard Rushin-Felder, 22, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak.
In connection with his guilty plea, Rushin-Felder admitted that on May 2, 2017, he appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Robert C. Mitchell in the Joseph F. Weis, Jr., United States Courthouse for a detention hearing related to separate drug trafficking and firearms charges pending against him. At the conclusion of the detention hearing, Judge Mitchell ordered that the defendant be detained pending trial. The defendant further admitted that when two Deputy United States Marshals attempted to escort him from the courtroom, he forcibly assaulted, resisted, opposed, impeded, intimidated, and interfered with the Deputy Marshals while they were engaged in the performance of their official duties as federal law enforcement officers. During the ensuing struggle, the defendant made physical contact with the two Deputy Marshals. As part of his guilty plea, the defendant acknowledged that additional law enforcement and court personnel were needed to restrain him and assist with his removal from the courtroom.
As to each count, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 8 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Eric G. Olshan and Rachael L. Dizard are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The United States Marshals Service conducted the investigation of Rushin-Felder.
Philadelphia Man Charged Federally for Armed Robbery of PharmacyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that a Philadelphia man was charged today with an armed robbery of a Philadelphia pharmacy.
Ronald Hanible, 47, was charged by indictment with the armed robbery of Aspire Pharmacy at 4307 Locust Street.
According to the indictment, on April 27, 2018, Hanible robbed Aspire Pharmacy at gunpoint and stole approximately $200 and quantities of Oxycodone and Xanax pills. It is further alleged that the defendant brandished the handgun at a store employee during the armed robbery.
Hanible is charged with one count of robbery which interfered with interstate commerce, one count of using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and two counts of possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
If convicted of all charges, Hanible faces a maximum of life imprisonment, a mandatory-minimum imprisonment of seven years, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed by the Court, six years up to lifetime supervised release, a $3,000,000 fine, and a $400 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney José R. Arteaga.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Philadelphia Investment Adviser Pleads Guilty to Running Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced today that a Philadelphia investment adviser who bilked clients out of $1.6 million has pled guilty.
Carl Frederic Sealey, 43, chairman of Global Standard Industries Inc. (GSI) and SEK Industries Inc., pled guilty to fraud charges this week in connection with a scheme in which Sealey used his investors’ money to fund his own lavish lifestyle instead of using it to finance real estate deals.
Sealey claimed his company had more than $15 billion in managed domestic assets and another $33 billion offshore. Investors were led to believe that their investment was risk-free and that they would receive their monies back with interest within 90 days. Sealey would then represent to investors that their “deal” had been delayed and that they could get their money back more quickly if they invested additional monies for other “deals” that GSI had underway.
In reality, there were never any real estate closings or business takeovers underway by anyone at GSI. When investors wired monies to accounts exclusively maintained by Sealey, he used a fraction of the monies to pay rent for GSI’s Philadelphia and New York offices and the salaries of GSI staff members, most of whom were retained from a temporary employment agency. Sealey used the majority of the monies received from investors to support his extravagant lifestyle, including hotel accommodations, restaurants, spa services, retail shopping, and other personal expenditures.
“Individuals trust investment advisors with their life savings and thus their families’ economic well-being,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Williams. “The defendant blatantly betrayed that trust by making empty promises to investors with the ultimate goal of stealing their money and enriching himself.”
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anita Eve.
Phenix City Chiropractor Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Commit Wire Fraud Related to Truck Driver PhysicalsRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On Wednesday, June 13, 2018, Dr. Kenneth G. Edwards, 65, a resident of Columbus, Georgia and previously a practicing chiropractor in Phenix City, Alabama, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Louis Franklin. Dr. Edwards’s conviction resulted from his scheme to submit false documents to the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT).
According to court records, the false documents Dr. Edwards submitted to the USDOT related to physical examinations that he supposedly performed on licensed truck drivers, or prospective truck drivers who were seeking a commercial driver’s license (CDL). The USDOT requires that all truck drivers undergo an initial physical examination before receiving a CDL, and that they have subsequent examinations every two years to maintain the license.
During the plea hearing, Dr. Edwards admitted that, on occasions, he allowed his employees - none of whom were trained medical professionals - to conduct the USDOT - required physicals. Then, Dr. Edwards would submit documents to the USDOT falsely reporting that he had actually performed the physicals.
A sentencing hearing has not yet been set. Dr. Edwards faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, along with substantial monetary penalties and restitution.
This case was investigated by the United States Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General with assistance from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan S. Ross and Steven H. Lee are prosecuting the case.
Oregon Woman Pleads Guilty for Role in Forced Labor and Visa Fraud Scheme Involving Thai Restaurant WorkersRead the Press Release
Defendant financially benefited from co-defendant’s use of debts, fraud, threats of financial and reputational harm, and other means to compel victims to work at restaurants
Tanya Jumroon, also known as Thunyarax Phatanakit Jumroon, 59, of Beaverton, Oregon, and a naturalized citizen originally from Thailand, pleaded guilty today in a U.S. District Court in Portland, Oregon, to financially benefitting from forced labor, visa fraud conspiracy, and filing a false federal income tax return, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams of the District of Oregon, Special Agent in Charge Renn Cannon of the FBI in Oregon, and Special Agent in Charge Darrell Waldon of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation’s Seattle Field Office. Jumroon waived indictment by a federal grand jury and pleaded guilty to an information filed by the United States Attorney’s Office and the Civil Rights Division.
According to the defendant’s plea agreement, admissions in court, and other court documents, between 2011 and 2014, the defendant, her then-husband, Paul Jumroon, and other associates fraudulently obtained E-2 visas to bring Thai nationals into the United States to provide cheap labor at two restaurants located in Lake Oswego, Oregon, and Ridgefield, Washington. The restaurants were owned and operated by the defendant and Jumroon at the time, but have since been sold and are under new ownership.
Paul Jumroon used the fraudulently obtained E-2 visas to entice four forced labor victims to come to the United States from Thailand. After the victims arrived, Jumroon used inflated travel expenses, debt manipulation, threats of deportation, serious financial and reputational harm, verbal abuse, and control over identification documents, among other means, to compel them to work 12 hours a day, six to seven days a week, for minimal pay at the restaurants he co-owned and operated with the defendant. The defendant witnessed Paul Jumroon’s mistreatment of two of the victims, and she benefitted financially from the victims’ forced labor at the restaurants. As part of the defendant’s guilty plea, she agreed to pay the four victims a combined $131,391.95 in restitution for their unpaid labor in connection with the forced labor scheme.
The defendant further admitted to filing multiple false tax returns with the IRS by failing to report cash income earned from the restaurants between 2012 and 2015. As part of the plea agreement, the defendant agreed to pay tax due and owing in the amount of $120,384 to the IRS.
“The Justice Department remains committed to combatting human trafficking, holding those who choose to exploit vulnerable individuals accountable, punishing those who profit from these crimes, and securing restitution for exploited victims” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Gore of the Civil Rights Division. “Today’s guilty plea exemplifies the hard work of the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, to honor that commitment.”
“Human trafficking schemes are seldom carried out by a single person. Tanya Jumroon profited off of her then-husband’s actions while turning a blind eye,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “In too many of these cases, we later learn that someone close by could have taken action to stop the abuse and intimidation of others and did not. I implore all Oregonians to remain vigilant and watch for the signs of human trafficking in their communities. Your attention and perceptiveness could help a victim in need.”
"These victims believed the Jumroons were offering them a chance at a better life. When they arrived in the U.S., however, they faced false promises, forced labor and abuse. Victims such as these often live in the shadows and find it difficult to get the help they need. We are grateful for the community members who were able to bring this case to our attention so we could work together to bring an end to the physical, psychological and financial exploitation," said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon.
“Forced labor schemes, such as the one employed by the Jumroons, are deplorable crimes that have no place in today’s society,” said Darrell Waldon, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Seattle Field Office. “Falsely reporting income and expenses associated with such schemes will continue to be vigorously investigated by IRS-CI Special Agents.”
The defendant faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for financially benefitting from forced labor, five years in prison for visa fraud conspiracy, and three years in prison for filing a false tax return. Her sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 24 before United States District Judge Anna J. Brown.
Co-defendant Paul Jumroon previously pleaded guilty on Feb. 14 to forced labor, visa fraud conspiracy, and filing a false federal income tax return. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 18, also before Judge Brown.
Attorney General Sessions issued a proclamation on January 31 commemorating January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.
The District of Oregon is one of six districts designated through a competitive, nationwide selection process as a Phase II Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team (ACTeam), through the interagency ACTeam Initiative of the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Labor. ACTeams focus on developing high-impact human trafficking investigations and prosecutions involving forced labor, international sex trafficking and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion through interagency collaboration among federal prosecutors and federal investigative agencies.
This prosecution is the result of the joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, with assistance from the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division and Portland Police Bureau. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hannah Horsley and Scott Bradford of the District of Oregon, and Lindsey Roberson of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Oregon Woman Pleads Guilty for Role in Forced Labor and Visa Fraud Scheme Involving Thai Restaurant WorkersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tanya Jumroon, also known as Thunyarax Phatanakit Jumroon, 59, of Beaverton, Oregon, and a naturalized citizen originally from Thailand, pleaded guilty today in a U.S. District Court in Portland, Oregon, to financially benefitting from forced labor, visa fraud conspiracy, and filing a false federal income tax return, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams of the District of Oregon, Special Agent in Charge Renn Cannon of the FBI in Oregon, and Special Agent in Charge Darrell Waldon of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation’s Seattle Field Office. Jumroon waived indictment by a federal grand jury and pleaded guilty to an information filed by the United States Attorney’s Office and the Civil Rights Division.
According to the defendant’s plea agreement, admissions in court, and other court documents, between 2011 and 2014, the defendant, her then-husband, Paul Jumroon, and other associates fraudulently obtained E-2 visas to bring Thai nationals into the United States to provide cheap labor at two restaurants located in Lake Oswego, Oregon, and Ridgefield, Washington. The restaurants were owned and operated by the defendant and Jumroon at the time, but have since been sold and are under new ownership.
Paul Jumroon used the fraudulently obtained E-2 visas to entice four forced labor victims to come to the United States from Thailand. After the victims arrived, Jumroon used inflated travel expenses, debt manipulation, threats of deportation, serious financial and reputational harm, verbal abuse, and control over identification documents, among other means, to compel them to work 12 hours a day, six to seven days a week, for minimal pay at the restaurants he co-owned and operated with the defendant. The defendant witnessed Paul Jumroon’s mistreatment of two of the victims, and she benefitted financially from the victims’ forced labor at the restaurants. As part of the defendant’s guilty plea, she agreed to pay the four victims a combined $131,391.95 in restitution for their unpaid labor in connection with the forced labor scheme.
The defendant further admitted to filing multiple false tax returns with the IRS by failing to report cash income earned from the restaurants between 2012 and 2015. As part of the plea agreement, the defendant agreed to pay tax due and owing in the amount of $120,384 to the IRS.
“The Justice Department remains committed to combatting human trafficking, holding those who choose to exploit vulnerable individuals accountable, punishing those who profit from these crimes, and securing restitution for exploited victims” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Gore of the Civil Rights Division. “Today’s guilty plea exemplifies the hard work of the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, to honor that commitment.”
“Human trafficking schemes are seldom carried out by a single person. Tanya Jumroon profited off of her then-husband’s actions while turning a blind eye,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “In too many of these cases, we later learn that someone close by could have taken action to stop the abuse and intimidation of others and did not. I implore all Oregonians to remain vigilant and watch for the signs of human trafficking in their communities. Your attention and perceptiveness could help a victim in need.”
"These victims believed the Jumroons were offering them a chance at a better life. When they arrived in the U.S., however, they faced false promises, forced labor and abuse. Victims such as these often live in the shadows and find it difficult to get the help they need. We are grateful for the community members who were able to bring this case to our attention so we could work together to bring an end to the physical, psychological and financial exploitation," said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon.
“Forced labor schemes, such as the one employed by the Jumroons, are deplorable crimes that have no place in today’s society,” said Darrell Waldon, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Seattle Field Office. “Falsely reporting income and expenses associated with such schemes will continue to be vigorously investigated by IRS-CI Special Agents.”
The defendant faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for financially benefitting from forced labor, five years in prison for visa fraud conspiracy, and three years in prison for filing a false tax return. Her sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 24 before United States District Judge Anna J. Brown.
Co-defendant Paul Jumroon previously pleaded guilty on Feb. 14 to forced labor, visa fraud conspiracy, and filing a false federal income tax return. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 18, also before Judge Brown.
Attorney General Sessions issued a proclamation on January 31 commemorating January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.
The District of Oregon is one of six districts designated through a competitive, nationwide selection process as a Phase II Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team (ACTeam), through the interagency ACTeam Initiative of the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Labor. ACTeams focus on developing high-impact human trafficking investigations and prosecutions involving forced labor, international sex trafficking and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion through interagency collaboration among federal prosecutors and federal investigative agencies.
This prosecution is the result of the joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, with assistance from the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division and Portland Police Bureau. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hannah Horsley and Scott Bradford of the District of Oregon, and Lindsey Roberson of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Operation Chasing Oxy Dismantles Hampton Roads Oxycodone RingRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Nine local men and women have pleaded guilty for their respective roles in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain and sell approximately 9,000 oxycodone pills in Hampton Roads.
“Prosecuting opioid related crimes is one of our top priorities,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The resources and collaborative efforts used to investigate and prosecute this case are proof positive of the impact of federal, state, and local cooperation. The Eastern District will remain steadfast in its pursuit of those who spread this poison in our communities.”
According to court documents, from February to September 2017, Deonte Farrow and Quentia Fields led a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain Oxycodone pills from various pharmacies in the Hampton Roads area for the purpose of selling the pills on the streets for a profit. Farrow and Fields manufactured and drafted prescriptions for Oxycodone pills from their home computers and printers, using the name and DEA registration numbers of real physicians, without the physician’s knowledge. Farrow and Fields then worked with co-conspirators, Harvey Williams, Lucion Liles and Quanisha Platt, to recruit individuals to serve as runners, such as Tynasia Smith, Travis Smith, Juan Ramirez, and Tykeiah Benn, who would take the prescriptions to various pharmacies in the Tidewater area to be filled. Platt, who had worked in several pharmacies, knew how to draft a prescription so that it looked legitimate to a pharmacy. The runners either were paid in money or given a quantity of the Oxycodone pills for their services. The listed patient on the written prescriptions were either the name of a co-conspirator or the name of some other real person, sometimes without that person’s knowledge. In total, approximately 20 physicians’ names and DEA registration numbers were used on the fraudulent prescriptions without the doctor’s knowledge.
“The drug dealing activities of Farrow and Fields have caused direct harm in the Tidewater community,” Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division. Harm to those to whom they were dealing as well as to the reputations of those whose names were fraudulently used. All of this was done strictly for the Farrow Drug Trafficking Organization’s greed. By arresting Farrow and his drug dealing associates, investigators have been able to ensure that thousands of diverted pharmaceutical drugs are not being released on the street.
This investigation was conducted by the Richmond Tactical Diversion Squad, in cooperation with the Chesapeake, Norfolk and Virginia Beach Police Departments, and the Virginia State Police.
Name
Age, City
Sentencing Info
Deonte Farrow
28, Norfolk
Maximum penalty of 20 years on August 14
Tynasia Smith
22, Chesapeake
Maximum penalty of 20 years on November 5
Quentia Fields
27, Norfolk
Maximum penalty of 20 years on November 5
Travis Smith
31, Norfolk
Maximum penalty of 20 years on September 11
Harvey Williams
27, Chesapeake
Maximum penalty of 20 years on September 10
Lucion Liles
28, Norfolk
Maximum penalty of 20 years on July 31
Quanisha Platt
24, Norfolk
Maximum penalty of 20 years on July 30
Juan Ramirez
31, Norfolk
Maximum penalty of 20 years on July 30
Tykeiah Benn
27, Norfolk
Maximum penalty of 20 years on September 10
Each defendant pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obtain oxycodone by fraud and to distribute oxycodone. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney William D. Muhr is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-15.
Ohio County man admits to cocaine chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Kevin J. Pugh, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Pugh, age 38, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base within 1,000 Feet of a Protected Location.” Pugh is accused of selling cocaine near Bloch Playground in October 2017 in Ohio County.
Pugh faces up 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen L. Vogrin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Ohio Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, are investigating. The United States Marshals Service made the arrest.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James E. Seibert presided.Ocala Man Convicted of Heroin and Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – A federal jury yesterday found Santonio Juvon Jackson (35, Ocala) guilty of possession, distribution, and conspiracy to possess and distribute heroin and fentanyl. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years in federal prison, and up to life, on each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Jackson was indicted on December 6, 2017.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on October 26, 2017, Jackson conspired with others to deliver six ounces of heroin and fentanyl in the Ocala area.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
North Charleston Man Sentenced in Federal Court for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that James Kenneth Purcell, age 45, of North Charleston, South Carolina was sentenced in federal court in Charleston, South Carolina, for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2250(a). United States District Judge David C. Norton, of Charleston, sentenced Purcell to 30 months imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that in 1995 Purcell was convicted in the State of New York of 3rd degree rape, which required him to register as a sex offender in any state where he lived, worked or attended school. After serving his sentence, Purcell later moved to Maine and first registered there in January 2004. In 2008, while living in Maine, Purcell was convicted of Unlawful Sexual Contact for which he received a sentence of 2 years and 6 months. Purcell last registered in Maine on April 25, 2016. Purcell subsequently moved to New Hampshire where he initially registered in July 2016 and last registered on November 21, 2016. In late November 2016, Purcell left New Hampshire without notifying authorities and moved to South Carolina. Purcell failed to register as a sex offender in South Carolina despite being required to do so under law, and he was arrested in North Charleston by the United States Marshals Service Operation Intercept Fugitive Task Force on July 12, 2017.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service with the assistance of the Raymond, New Hampshire Police Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, and North Charleston Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Dean H. Secor of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Newark Man Charged with Armed Jewelry Heist in ElizabethRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Newark man will appear in federal court today to face charges for his alleged involvement in the September 2017 armed robbery of a jewelry exchange located in Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
William Valentin, 42, is charged by complaint with one count of conspiring to commit Hobbs Act robberies, one count of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of conspiring to use a firearm during a crime of violence. Valentin was scheduled to make his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Falk in Newark federal court.
According to the complaint:
On the morning of Sept. 5, 2017, four masked individuals, including Valentin, entered a jewelry exchange located in Elizabeth. Valentin then brandished a firearm at an employee while the other conspirators unloaded the contents of the store’s safes into large bags. Video surveillance showed Valentin and other conspirators entering the mall, approaching the jewelry exchange, and running out with the bags of jewelry. Afterwards, Valentin and his conspirators jumped into a black Audi and drove away.
In January 2018, Valentin was arrested in Holyoke, Massachusetts, with a backpack containing jewelry stolen from the Elizabeth exchange in his possession.
The count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison, which must be imposed consecutive to any other sentence imposed. The Hobbs Act, Hobbs Act conspiracy, and conspiracy to use a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence charges each carry a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense.
The charges and allegations in the complaint are merely accusations, and Valentin is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Chief Ronald Simon, and the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Michael A. Monahan, with the investigation leading to today’s charges. He also thanked the Holyoke Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Neiswanger, for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Repole of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Public Protection Unit in Newark.
New York Man Traveled to Pennsylvania for Sex with a MinorRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Andrew Michael Dubois, age 32, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that on December 7, 2017, Dubois knowingly travelled in interstate commerce from New York to Pennsylvania for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.
United States District Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for October 4, 2018 at 02:15 P.M. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a maximum term of lifetime supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Lieber Smolar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the North Strabane Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Dubois.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that KEITH A. JAMES, age 27, of New Orleans, pled guilty yesterday to being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman set JAMES’s sentencing on September 26, 2018.
According to court documents, JAMES was found in possession of a firearm on July 11, 2017, after pleading guilty in 2008 to three counts of armed robbery and three counts of purse snatching in the Criminal District Court for the Parish of Orleans. JAMES faces a maximum prison term of 10 years to be followed by a three year term of supervised release.
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.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Louisiana Probation & Parole. Assistant United States Attorney Michael McMahon is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that HAROLD McARTHUR, age 33, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Barbier to one count of failure to register as a sex offender under the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents, On about August 26, 2010, McARTHUR was convicted in 2010 of indecency with a child (sexual contact) in Harris County, Texas. He was sentenced to 6 years with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Department of Corrections and required to register as a sex offender for life.
Since at least 2016, McARTHUR registered as a sex offender in Harris County, Texas, claiming a residential address in Katy, Texas. However, federal and state law enforcement officers determined that McARTHUR actually had been residing in New Orleans, since at least July 2017. McARTHUR was arrested at his residence in New Orleans on April 18, 2018, by members of the U.S. Marshal’s Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force.
McARTHUR faces a maximum term of 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. He also would have to be sentenced to a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life. Judge Barbier scheduled McARTHUR’s sentencing for September 6, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Marshals Service, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana State Police in this matter. He extended his thanks to the New Orleans Police Department and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Payne is in charge of prosecution.
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Nebraska Man Sentenced for Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Columbus, Nebraska, man convicted of Felon in Possession of a Firearm was sentenced on June 14, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Tyson Quigley, a/k/a Tyson Stands, age 29, was sentenced to 35 months in federal prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Quigley was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 17, 2017. He pled guilty on March 7, 2018.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on August 31, 2017, in St. Francis, South Dakota, when law enforcement responded to a call that Quigley was in possession of a sawed-off shot gun and was threatening to shoot people. When law enforcement located the vehicle that Quigley was reportedly in, Quigley exited the passenger side of the vehicle and ran away. Law enforcement caught up to Quigley and placed him under arrest. Quigley subsequently admitted that the sawed-off shotgun was his.
Due to the fact that the firearm’s barrel is less than 18 inches long, it is required to be registered in the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record. Records indicate that the firearm is not registered.
Quigley was convicted of Domestic Assault Involving a Pregnant Woman (felony) in Platte County, Nebraska, in 2013, making it illegal for him to possess firearms. Quigley will forfeit ownership of the firearm seized in this case to the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Quigley was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Nashville Gang Member Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Antonio L. Bender, 20, of Nashville, Tennessee, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Aleta A. Trauger, to 12 years in prison on federal firearms and obstruction of justice charges, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee. There is no parole in the federal system.
Bender was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 10, 2017, on charges of being an unlawful drug user in possession of two firearms; possession of a stolen firearm; and obstruction of justice, by having photographs deleted from his Facebook account which showed him holding a pistol in each hand, in an attempt to impede a federal investigation. Bender pleaded guilty to these charges in December 2017.
According to documents filed with the court, Bender is a Rollin’ 60s Crips gang member and was released from juvenile custody in October 2016. On March 27, 2017, Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) officers were responding to a report of shots being fired in the area of the J.C. Napier and Tony Sudekum public housing developments. As they were responding, two officers heard more gunfire and got out of their patrol car to investigate. While on foot, they heard four to five more shots before seeing Bender, who was armed with two pistols equipped with a laser and a flashlight. Bender raised the pistols towards the officers and fired once, as the laser crossed the chest of one of the officers. The officer was not hit and Bender then fled on foot. The officers did not return fire because there were bystanders behind Bender, and they could not fire without endangering them.
The officers chased Bender, who surrendered a short distance away, after discarding the two pistols, a Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic and a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber semi-automatic, which had previously been reported stolen.
The subsequent investigation determined that Bender is an unlawful drug user and he had taken both pistols from an unknown man selling firearms a few weeks earlier. He was involved in a shooting earlier in the day on March 27, 2017, in which he shot a person who had sold one of his associates some fake cocaine. Multiple other shots struck and heavily damaged an occupied car nearby.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sunny A.M. Koshy is prosecuting the case.
Moss Point Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – Carlos Jerome Dukes, Jr., 19, of Moss Point, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to being an unlawful user of controlled substances in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The case arose when Pascagoula Police Department responded to a shots fired report on April 5, 2018. Based on witness descriptions of the car involved, police discovered Dukes and 2 others with marijuana and 2 firearms. The gun in Dukes’ possession was reported stolen out of Long Beach, Mississippi.
Dukes will be sentenced by Judge Guirola on August 30, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Pascagoula Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Mexican National Sentenced for Repeated Immigration CrimesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Mexican national who has illegally entered the United States on at least four occasions and has over a dozen convictions including assault on a child, was sentenced today to eight years in prison.
“In 24 years in the United States, Mr. Santos-Ochoa has been convicted of 17 crimes,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The Department of Justice is committed to prioritizing criminal immigration enforcement. Especially those like Mr. Santos-Ochoa, who enter this country illegally and then commit further crimes, will be found, prosecuted, held accountable, and removed. This is an issue of public safety and national security, and one that we take very seriously.”
According to court documents, Victor Santos-Ochoa, 45, was convicted of 17 misdemeanor violations in California, Georgia and Virginia between 1992 and 2007, including repeated immigration violations and state criminal convictions, and has used approximately 20 different aliases and five different dates of birth.
Santos-Ochoa was indicted and pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been removed following conviction for an aggravated felony. He will be removed from the United States immediately following the completion of his prison sentence.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Russell Hott, Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney S. David Schiller prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:17-cr-151.
Mexican National Arrested for Allegedly Selling a Kilogram of Fentanyl to Undercover Law Enforcement Agent in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Mexican national has been arrested for allegedly selling a kilogram of fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement agent near Midway Airport in Chicago.
JAVIER GONZALEZ-LOZA, 40, sold the fentanyl for $40,000 during a February 2018 meeting in an alley in the 5600 block of South Kilbourn Avenue in Chicago, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed in federal court. Unbeknownst to Gonzalez-Loza, the purported buyer was an undercover law enforcement agent, the complaint states.
The complaint charges Gonzalez-Loza with one count of distribution of a controlled substance. Gonzalez-Loza made an initial court appearance Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel G. Martin, who ordered him to remain in federal custody. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for June 27, 2018, at 2:00 p.m.
Gonzalez-Loza had been deported to Mexico from the United States in 2013 after a prior criminal conviction, but was residing in Chicago at the time of the alleged drug deal, according to the complaint.
The arrest and complaint were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and James M. Gibbons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Fluhr.
According to the complaint, a confidential source cooperating with law enforcement notified authorities about Gonzalez-Loza’s alleged drug dealing. An undercover agent began communicating with Gonzalez-Loza, and some of their conversations were surreptitiously recorded.
In January 2018, Gonzalez-Loza provided the undercover officer with “sample” quantities of heroin and fentanyl, the complaint states. The meetings at which Gonzalez-Loza supplied these samples occurred in a grocery store parking lot near West 59th Street and South Pulaski Road in Chicago, the complaint states. After those meetings, the undercover agent and Gonzalez-Loza arranged for the larger deal the following month, at which Gonzalez-Loza distributed approximately 998.7 grams of fentanyl, as stated in the complaint.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The drug distribution charge is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Message from U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons for World Elder Abuse Awareness DayRead the Press Release
June 15, 2018, is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Communities around the world are focusing on the abuse, fraud, neglect, and schemes perpetrated against older individuals. As South Dakota’s United States Attorney, I take very seriously the role of our office in protecting older South Dakotans.
In 2017, Congress passed the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act. Among other things, this law enabled the Attorney General of the United States to allocate resources to federal investigations and prosecutions of crimes against older Americans.
In the District of South Dakota, I have designated Kevin Koliner, an experienced prosecutor, to serve as my office’s Elder Justice Coordinator. Kevin is responsible for prosecuting elder abuse cases, coordinating with state and tribal partners, and conducting public outreach and awareness activities relating to elder abuse. On a national level, the Department of Justice has convened a large working group to ensure that federal law enforcement stays ahead of the criminals, with access to current trends and information necessary to fulfill our duty of protecting older Americans.
Our focused efforts have already seen results. Here in South Dakota, our office has prosecuted a large-scale wire fraud case in which an older South Dakotan was targeted in a scam that involved gaining access to his investment account, then forging check requests to deplete the funds. In a separate case involving thousands of elderly victims, three co-defendants were recently sentenced to considerable time in federal prison after a decades-long scheme in which they peddled a supposed cure-all medical device, enticing vulnerable customers with false claims of scientific studies.
My office is also proud to partner with state and tribal law enforcement on these issues, working together to determine the best forum for ensuring justice for victims of these crimes. For instance, some matters are best pursued federally because they involve fraud on federal programs or they require interstate or international investigations. Other elder abuse cases might be best pursued by state authorities, perhaps if they are more local in nature, such as crimes perpetrated by direct caregivers or family members.
This partnership model has been a great success. Nationwide, the Department of Justice in partnerships between U.S. Attorneys, federal, state, and tribal law enforcement agencies, state attorney generals, and state prosecutors have over the past year brought elder abuse cases involving over 250 defendants, $600 million in victim losses, and involving over one million victims from every state.
As we mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, I want to share with you some practical advice regarding warning signs of potential elder abuse.
Examples of financial exploitation include:
- Use of ATM or credit cards without permission
- Forging signatures on checks or important documents
- Requests to older adults for money to cover “emergency” expenses
- Pressure to grant power of attorney rights
- Unauthorized sales, such as family heirlooms
Signs that your loved one might be a victim of financial exploitation:
- Sudden changes in banking practices
- Being accompanied to important appointments by unknown person
- Adding new names on bank signature cards
- Sudden changes in wills or other important documents
- Unexplained disappearance of funds or possessions
- Substandard personal care
- Unpaid bills when financials resources should be adequate
- Sudden appearance of previously uninvolved relatives
Steps to protect yourself:
- Check financial statements regularly (at least monthly)
- Store important documents in a locked drawer
- Talk to your bank about age-friendly banking options
- Contact an attorney with any legal questions, and be assured you understand their advice before proceeding
- Visit ftc.gov every year to get free credit reports, then review those reports thoroughly
For more information about the Department of Justice’s efforts to prevent and combat elder abuse, please visit the Elder Justice Website at elderjustice.gov. There is also a victim connect hotline, 1-855-4VICTIM (1-855-484-2846), where you can receive service referrals by senior services specialists. Finally, if you believe you or your loved one is a victim of physical or sexual abuse, do not hesitate to contact local police immediately.
Men Arrested in Connection with 20-Pound Fentanyl Seizure Charged FederallyRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Four men have been charged federally in a case involving the seizure of approximately 20 pounds of fentanyl.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Steve Francis, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, Montgomery Sheriff Phil Plummer and other agencies with the Miami Valley Bulk Smuggling Task Force announced the charges.
Omar Alejandro Cantu Garcia, David Guillermo Cantu Garcia, Pedro Torres Medina and Reyes Espinosa Aguilar (also known as Rodrigo Martinez Jr.) were each charged federally yesterday with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Omar Cantu and David Cantu entered the United States from Mexico via the Laredo, Texas Port of Entry on Sunday. On Monday, agents observed the pair exit a hotel in Dayton.
Activity consistent with drug trafficking – including driving their vehicle on a “heat run” to check for law enforcement, meeting a number of vehicles at a gas station parking lot and transferring packages between vehicles – led to traffic stops and the search of one residence on Prentice Drive in New Carlisle.
One vehicle, which was stopped by Clark County Sheriff’s Deputies, contained eight vacuum-sealed packages of cash. Inside the residence, agents discovered at least 50 pounds of marijuana sealed in plastic bags in the garage and nine kilogram blocks of fentanyl in a closet inside the home.
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl is punishable by 10 years up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the Miami Valley Bulk Smuggling Task Force, and Assistant United States Attorney Brent Tabacchi, who is prosecuting the case.
The Miami Valley Bulk Smuggling Task Force is part of the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission and includes officers from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, Miami Township Police Department, Butler Township Police Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Montgomery County RANGE Task Force, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Manchester Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Alfredo Gonzalez, 50, of Manchester was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for his involvement in a heroin trafficking conspiracy.
In November of 2017, a jury convicted Gonzalez of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with the intent to distribute, more than one kilogram of heroin.
Evidence presented at the trial established that Gonzalez was a Manchester-based heroin trafficker who purchased heroin from a Massachusetts-based drug trafficking organization run by Alberto Guerrero Marte. The trial evidence proved that Gonzalez negotiated deals to obtain at least 1.4 kilograms of heroin in June and July 2016. On July 10, 2016, surveillance agents followed Gonzalez from Manchester to a restaurant in Lawrence, where Gonzalez met Marte and others to conduct a deal for 500 grams of heroin. A law enforcement officer later stopped a vehicle operated by a runner for Gonzalez and seized 504.4 grams of heroin.
After serving his prison sentence, Gonzalez will be on supervised release for ten years.
“Those who choose to sell heroin and other dangerous drugs in New Hampshire will be held fully accountable for their actions,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “These drugs have caused tremendous harm to our community and continue to generate record numbers of overdose deaths. In order to safeguard the lives and safety of our citizens, we will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to prosecute drug dealers to the fullest extent of the law.”
“DEA is committed to investigating and dismantling Drug Trafficking Organizations and individuals like Mr. Gonzalez who are responsible for distributing lethal drugs like heroin to the citizens of New Hampshire,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Today’s substantial sentence not only holds Mr. Gonzalez accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are fueling the opioid epidemic with deadly drugs in order to profit and destroy people’s lives. DEA’s top priority is combatting the opioid epidemic by working with our local, county, state and federal partners to bring to justice anyone who distributes this poison.”
This matter was investigated by the DEA; Homeland Security Investigations; the Massachusetts State Police; the Haverhill Police Department; the United States Marshals Service; the New Hampshire State Police; the Manchester Police Department; the Lawrence Police Department; the Lowell Police Department, the Methuen Police Department, and the Hillsborough County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Donald A. Feith prosecuted the case.
This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
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Man Pleads Guilty to Coercion and Enticement of MinorRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Florida man pleaded guilty today to using Kik, an instant messaging mobile application, to coerce and entice a minor.
According to court documents, in late 2016, Anthony C.A. Martin, 27, of Pensacola, began communicating via Kik with a 15 year-old female living in Alexandria. In March 2017, over Kik, they discussed Martin traveling from Ohio, where he was living at the time, to Virginia to have sexual intercourse with the minor victim and then transport her back to Ohio. Days later, Martin met the minor victim in a room at a hotel in Alexandria, where the two had sex before driving to Ohio. There, Martin used Kik to ask the minor victim to send him explicit photographs and videos. The minor victim complied, using Kik to transmit to Martin, among other things, a video of her masturbating. Later, in June 2017, after the minor victim had returned to Virginia, Martin again traveled to Alexandria, where he met the minor victim at a different hotel and recorded their sexual encounter with his cell phone.
Martin pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison when sentenced on September 7. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Michael L. Brown, Alexandria Chief of Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander E. Blanchard and Kellen S. Dwyer are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-238.
Local, State, and Federal Law Enforcement Agents Make Arrests in Multi-State Drug RingRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina-------United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced multiple federal arrests today, effected by a collaborative effort between local, state, and federal law enforcement across multiple federal districts. Indictments were unsealed in federal courts in South Carolina, North Carolina, and California during the arrested defendants’ initial appearance and arraignment hearings this afternoon.
The following have been charged in a two-count federal indictment with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of crack cocaine, cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone and marijuana, a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846 and conspiracy to commit money laundering, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h).
Darry Hemphill, a/k/a “D”, a/k/a “D-Hemp”, age 30 of Rock Hill
Mikie Marcell Caldwell, a/k/a “Big Mike”, age 36 of Charlotte
Gabriel L’Ambiance Ingram, a/k/a “Big Shot”, a/k/a“ Big Shot Rock, a/k/a “Rock”, age 29 of Rock Hill
Archie Arsenio Caldwell, a/k/a “Nuk”, a/k/a “Nuk Crook”, age 29 of Rock Hill
Dontavis Devar Jordan, a/k/a “Rock”, age 30 of Rock Hill
Darrelll Larod Crockett, a/k/a “Unc”, a/k/a “Croc”, age 46 of Rock Hill
Patricia Ann Hemphill, age 47 of Rock Hill
Drece Larod McMullen, a/k/a “Cup”, age 45 of Charlotte
Carl Michael Mann, II, a/k/a “Pike”, age 35 of Rock Hill
Herbert Reginald Demario Dewese, a/k/a “50”, a/k/a “Big 50”, age 28 of Rock Hill
Cravelyn Squilla Davis, a/k/a “Sack”, a/k/a “Sack Gabanna”, age 25 of Blythewood
Odarrius Breonte Adams, a/k/a “Breezy”, age 34 of Charlotte
Seqvoya Anginette Neely, a/k/a “Sequoya Anginette Neely”, age 39 of Charlotte
Rondal Rollin, age 59 of Los Angeles, California
The defendants face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of $20,000,000.
While most of the defendants were arrested in the Rock Hill and Charlotte area, three of the defendants were arrested elsewhere. Davis was arrested in Columbia, (South Carolina), Adams was arrested in Georgia, and Rollin was arrested in California.
Defendants Dontavis Devar Jordan, Carl Michael Mann, II, and Herbert Reginald Demario Dewese remain at large. Law enforcement would request that any information regarding the whereabouts of these defendants be shared with local, state, or federal authorities.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service, United States Marshals’ Service, York County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, City of Rock Hill Police Department, the Charlotte, North Carolina Police Department, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Department, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina, United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, and the York County Solicitor’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William K. Witherspoon of the Columbia office.
USA Lydon praised the law enforcement partnerships in today’s arrests. “Local, state, and federal law enforcement officers from several agencies across multiple states worked in lockstep today to not only secure arrests in this long term investigation but to also continue their daily collective mission to secure our communities.”
The United States Attorney stated that all charges in this indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Kinston Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms CaseRead the Press Release
RALEIGH - United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today, CHARLES ELLIOT NOBLES, 37, of Kinston, North Carolina was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III to 264 months imprisonment followed by 3 years’ supervised release.
NOBLES was named in a two-count Superseding Criminal Information on September 11, 2017. On that day, NOBLES pled guilty to Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence and Aiding and Abetting and Discharging a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence and Aiding and Abetting.
Between August 24, 2015, and May 15, 2016, a series of armed robberies occurred in the Eastern District of North Carolina area and elsewhere. A total of seven robberies were conducted by various participants including NOBLES. NOBLES was at the helm of the conspiracy and participated in all seven robberies.
Between August 24, 2015 and May 15, 2016 NOBLES participated in at least seven Hobbs Act robberies. During the course of the crime spree, NOBLES robbed a US Cellular store in Beulaville, attempted a robbery at the Win-A-Lot internet café in Kinston, a Family Dollar store in Pink Hill, a Family Dollar store in Faison, a US Cellular store in Kenansville, a US Cellular store in Snow Hill, and robbed the US Cellular store in Kenansville a second time. During the attempted robbery of the Win-A-Lot internet café, NOBLES aided and abetted others who shot a victim in the face.
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.
KC Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Distributing MethRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for distributing methamphetamine.
Elisardo Meza, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 14 years in federal prison without parole.
On Jan. 3, 2018, Meza pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine. Meza admitted that he sold more than 200 grams of pure methamphetamine to a confidential informant working for the Drug Enforcement Administration.
This is Meza’s sixth felony conviction, five of which involved drugs, and his second federal felony conviction in this district involving drugs. Meza was on probation at the time of the offense.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Raskin. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jackson County Drug Task Force.
Jonesville Man Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm and DrugsRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Jabrail Adrian Wofford, age 28, of Jonesville, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Greenville, South Carolina, for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841, and Possession of a Firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). United States District Judge Henry M. Herlong, Jr., of Greenville, sentenced Wofford to 180 months in federal prison followed by supervised release.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on July 6, 2017, Union County Sheriff’s deputies executed a search warrant at the residence of Jabrail Adrian Wofford. During the search, a quantity of methamphetamine, cash, scales, and firearms were located in a bedroom.
The Union County Sheriff’s Office along with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville office prosecuted the case.
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Illegal Alien with 3 DUI Convictions Sentenced to 10 Months in Prison for Illegally Re-Entering United StatesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - An illegal alien found in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 10 months incarceration and two years supervised release on his conviction of Illegal Re-Entry After Deportation, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Cesar Garcia Alvarez-Paz, a/k/a Cesar Yohan Alvarez-Paz, Cesar Alvarez, Cesar Alvarez-Paz, age 29, of Guatemala.
According to the information presented to the court, Cesar Garcia Alvarez-Paz, an illegal alien, was formally removed from the United States by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement on October 7, 2015. Cesar Garcia Alvarez-Paz was found to be illegally present in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, on October 10, 2017.
The court noted that his three drunk driving convictions supported the imposition of the 10-month sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul E. Hull prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Attorney commended the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the investigation leading to a successful prosecution of Cesar Garcia Alvarez-Paz.
Illegal Alien from Guatemala Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Re-entering United StatesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Marvin Geovani Ramirez-Marroquin, 33, an illegal alien from Guatemala, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr., to unlawful re-entry by an alien after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Special Agent in Charge Jere T. Miles of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, and Joseph A. Banco Jr., Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.
On or about May 9, 2018, at approximately 11:00 p.m., a Mississippi Highway Patrol State Trooper, stopped a Dodge Avenger sedan on Interstate 10 eastbound around Mile Marker 46 in the City of D’Iberville. The State Trooper noticed signs of human smuggling activity and alerted the Department of Homeland Security Blue Lightening Operations Center. Homeland Security Officials assisted in an investigation regarding potential human smuggling.
Ramirez-Marroquin was a passenger in the vehicle and was identified as an illegal alien from Guatemala who had been previously removed from the United States. Specifically, Ramirez-Marroquin had been ordered removed by a United States Immigration Judge in April 2006, but unlawfully returned to the United States. He was discovered again by federal officials in 2017 was physically removed by air from Brownsville, Texas, to Guatemala in November 2017.
Ramirez-Marroquin is scheduled to be sentenced on August 30, 2018. He faces a maximum penalty of 2 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Border Patrol, and the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
Huntsville Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sex-Trafficking in Madison CountyRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – A Huntsville man pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to charges that he paid the father of a 15-year-old so he could have sexual contact with the child, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Jere T. Miles.
BILLY R. EDWARDS, 63, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor to charges of commercial sex trafficking, coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution, and being a convicted felon in possession of firearms. His sentencing is scheduled Sept. 12.
The child’s father, DARWIN MOISES AMADOR-ZEPEDA, 38, a Honduran national, is charged with commercial sex trafficking and coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution. Amador-Zepeda’s case is proceeding to trial, but a date has not been set.
“The trafficking of any human being, especially a child, is unconscionable, unthinkable, and unforgivable,” Town said. “Our Human Trafficking Task Force remains committed to bringing these despicable traffickers to justice and we have reserved bed space in prison for them all, which will only serve as temporary quarters on their road to perdition.”
Edwards acknowledges in his plea agreement with the government that he began paying Amador-Zepeda in 2014 so that he would persuade or coerce his 15-year-old son to have sexual encounters with Edwards.
During the ongoing sexual trafficking of the child, Edwards often paid Amador-Zepeda by check, and the two men used cell phones to induce or coerce the child to engage in sexually explicit conduct, according to Edwards’ plea agreement.
The sexual encounters with the child continued for several months until Edwards stopped paying to have them, according to the plea agreement. At that point, Amador-Zepeda began blackmailing Edwards, threatening to show law enforcement the cell phone communications between him and the child unless Edwards paid him. Amador-Zepeda told the child what to say in English to deliver the blackmail threat, according to Edward’s plea agreement. The two men later executed a contract for Edwards to make a series of payments totaling $20,000 to Amador-Zepeda in exchange for the cell phone containing the incriminating evidence.
In May 2017, the child told law enforcement about the sex trafficking. In September 2017, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office obtained a warrant and searched Edwards’ residence, finding an Industrial National de Armes .38-caliber revolver, a Jimenez Arms .25-caliber pistol, a Bryco Jennings .380-caliber pistol and a Winchester model 1400 MKII shotgun. Edwards previously was convicted of a felony, conspiracy to commit fraud, in the Northern District of Alabama in 2005.
The penalty for commercial sex trafficking is 15 years to life in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. The penalty for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution is 10 years to life in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s HSI, in conjunction with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and the Madison County District Attorney’s Office, investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorneys Xavier Carter and Carla Ward are prosecuting.
Honduran Man Sentenced for Immigration OffenseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ROBERTO UMANA-ROSA, age 46, a native of Honduras, was sentenced today after pleading guilty to a one-count indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien.
United States District Court Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown sentenced UMANA-ROSA to time served (11 months) and ordered him to pay a $100 special assessment fee. The defendant will be surrendered to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings.
According to court documents, on June 13, 2017, UMANA-ROSA was found in the United States after having been previously removed from the United States on October 15, 1998.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.
Heroin Trafficker Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, Henry Scott, 53, was a significant distributor of heroin in Suffolk. After conducting four controlled purchases of heroin from Scott for a total amount of 50 grams, the Suffolk Police and DEA obtained a search warrant for Scott’s person, his residence and his vehicle. Inside Scott’s vehicle agents discovered 64 grams of heroin. Inside his residence agents found 27 grams of heroin along with an AR-15 style firearm with a 60-round drum magazine.
Scott pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug distribution. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of life in prison when sentenced on October 1. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney William D. Muhr is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-54.
Heroin Dealer Convicted at Trial will Spend Nearly 29 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of the Monessen, Donora, and West Mifflin areas of Western Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 345 months of incarceration on his conviction of federal drug charges, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judges Arthur J. Schwab and David S. Cercone imposed sentences yesterday on Maurice Kenneth Frezzell aka "Reece", age 35. Judge Schwab imposed a sentence of 327 months on Frezzell as a result of his recent conviction at trial for selling two "bricks" of heroin, containing a total of 1.784 grams of heroin, to a confidential informant. A "brick" is a street term for 50 stamp bags of heroin or other opiates. Judge Cercone added an additional 18 months of incarceration for committing the crimes while on federal supervison.
U.S. Attorney Brady said, "Maurice Frezzell is a career criminal and one of the most significant heroin and fentanyl dealers in Washington County. He and his drug organization are responsible for overdose deaths throughout the county, and the people of Washington County are safer today now that he is behind bars. The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting heroin and fentanyl dealers like Frezzell – through the Opioid Strike Force - to the fullest extent of the law."
During the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Frezzell was a much larger heroin dealer than the modest drug buy would indicate. Testimony of DEA Task Force Officer Charles Tenny, who is also a Detective Sergeant with the Canonsburg Police Department, indicated that Frezzell was identified by the federal investigation as one of the highest-ranking members of the drug trafficking organization that has plagued Western Pennsylvania, and Washington County more specifically, in recent years. The federal investigation began in August of 2015 when large numbers of individuals began overdosing on high quality heroin and the much more deadly synthetic opiate fentanyl. Many of those people succumbed from the use of drugs packaged in stamp bags marked "Made in Columbia."
The government’s evidence implicated Frezzell as the source of drugs that have caused multiple overdoses investigated by the federal government. Charts submitted as evidence at the sentencing showed that in 2014, when Frezzell was serving his prior federal sentence for drug dealing, there were 1.77 overdose deaths per 100,000 people in Washington County. In 2016, after Frezzell was released on supervision, the number jumped from 1.77 to 51 per 100,000 residents. The Washington County Coroner’s Office supplied statistics showing that a total of 62 people had died of overdoses in the 10 years between 1992 and 2002, for an average of six people per year. That number was 73 in 2015 alone, and increased to 109 in 2016. A map of the Washington County locations where the victims overdosed showed that the majority of the deaths were within five miles of locations associated with Frezzell.
According to evidence presented to the Court, Frezzell began his criminal career when he was only 12 years and 3 months old and sexually assaulted a female victim twice in the same day. His second arrest occurred days later when he was arrested with crack cocaine. The government noted that Frezzell was sentenced during his multiple juvenile cases to penalties which include: curfew, probation, house arrest, electronic home monitoring, Agape Day Treatment, Glen Mills School for Boys, Mel Blount Youth Home, Vision Quest Boot and Hat Camp, and ultimately, Abraxas. The defendant was still on juvenile probation when he committed his first adult crime at the age of 18, when he was intoxicated and fled police with a concealed handgun with the serial number obliterated. Overall, the defendant has had 23 arrests during the 23 years between his first crime and his current conviction. Frezzell has spent essentially the entire 23 year time from the age of 12 either: pending trial; in jail; on supervision; and/or wanted for crimes. Frezzell is pending additional felony drug charges as a result of federal authorities executing a search warrant and locating approximately two pounds of marijuana, multiple vials of injectable steroids, several methamphetamine tablets and an amount of the highly concentrated form of THC commonly called "wax" or "shatter" at his residence.
Since Frezzell committed his new crimes while being supervised by the United States Probation Office after serving 80 months in federal prison for his last drug trafficking crime, Judge Cercone sentenced Frezzell to an additional consecutive period of 18 months incarceration for violating his federal supervision.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Schwab noted that the defendant had a "significant criminal history," called the defendant a "Career Offender" and stated that the sentence was "sufficient, but not greater than necessary."
Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt, a veteran federal prosecutor with the Violent Crime and Major Crime Sections of the United States Attorney’s Office, prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
A group of law enforcement officers from the DEA, the Monessen Police Department, the Canonsburg Police Department, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Washington County District Attorney’s Office, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the IRS conducted the investigation that led to the arrest and conviction of Frezzell. United States Attorney Brady commended the officers, agents, and detectives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Frezzell.
Henderson Man Sentenced to 36 Months in Federal Prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm CaseRead the Press Release
RALEIGH - United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today, LAJOHN CHAMPION, 28, of Henderson, North Carolina was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III to 36 months imprisonment followed by 3 years’ supervised release.
CHAMPION was named in an Indictment on November 29, 2017. On March 5, 2018, CHAMPION pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.
On November 17, 2017, members of the Henderson Police Department received information that CHAMPION, a previously convicted felon, was in possession of a firearm and operating a vehicle located at a gas station in Henderson.
Officers responded to the A & A Food Mart in Henderson and observed CHAMPION driving a Honda Accord. Officers, knowing CHAMPION did not possess a valid driver’s license, conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle as it turned into the driveway of a residence in Henderson. As the vehicle came to a stop, CHAMPION fled from the driver’s seat of the vehicle carrying a book bag. Officers pursued CHAMPION and, after searching the area, located CHAMPION coming out of a wooded area. CHAMPION was no longer in possession of a book bag.
In response to the foot chase, a K9 unit responded to the scene and located the book bag near a nearby residence. A search of the book bag revealed a loaded 9mm pistol. CHAMPION was arrested and transported to the Henderson Police Department. CHAMPION acknowledged the firearm belonged to him.
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.
Hanahan Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Justin Michael Hannah, age 38, of Hanahan, South Carolina has entered a guilty plea in federal court in Charleston, to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel of Charleston accepted the guilty plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on August 21, 2017, police officers responding to a 911 call regarding suspicious behavior at a North Charleston gas station discovered two firearms in a vehicle operated by Hannah. At the time of his arrest, Hannah had one or more felony convictions. North Charleston Police believe that they may have interrupted preparations for a robbery.
Ms. Lydon stated the maximum penalty for felon in possession of firearms and ammunition is imprisonment for 10 years and/or a fine of $250,000.
The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and officers of the North Charleston Police Department.
The case 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 Chris Schoen of the Charleston office is prosecuting the case.
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Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that FERNANDO PEREZ-YOK, age 26, a citizen of Guatemala, pleaded guilty to a one-count bill of information with illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of 8 U.S.C. ' 1326(a).
According to the bill of information, FERNANDO PEREZ-YOK reentered the United States on or about March 8, 2018, after having been previously removed therefrom on or about May 29, 2012.
If convicted, FERNANDO PEREZ-YOK faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, one year supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment. U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier set sentencing for August 2, 2018.
The United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González is in charge of the prosecution.
Guatemalan Man Pleads Guilty for Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Guatemalan national pleaded guilty today for conspiring to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine knowing and intending that it would be unlawfully imported into the United States.
According to court documents, Brayan Alexander Gramajo Jolomna, 31, was a member of a large-scale international drug trafficking organization (DTO) based in Central America. Between June 2015 and June 2016, Gramajo assisted in the purchase and transportation of cocaine on behalf of the DTO. Specifically, Gramajo kept inventory records for the DTO documenting the transportation of thousands of kilograms of cocaine from parts of Guatemala to the Mexican border, with intent to import the drugs into the United States. In addition, Gramajo assisted in the construction of a self-propelled semi-submersible vessel, the maritime pickup of large amounts of cocaine off the Guatemalan coast, and the transportation of various amounts of cocaine via land routes throughout Central America. In May 2016, Gramajo, along with other co-conspirators, participated in a search and rescue recovery effort of approximately 500 kilograms of cocaine lost at sea by the DTO off the Pacific coast of Guatemala.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Operation Go Explorers. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
Gramajo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine for the purpose of importation into the United States and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison when sentenced on September 28. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erik S. Siebert, Peter S. Duffey, and Heather H. Mansfield are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:16-cr-67.
Former employee of U.S. government contractor in Afghanistan sentenced to federal prison for accepting kickbacks from subcontractorRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - A former employee of a U.S. government contractor in Afghanistan was sentenced today for accepting illegal kickbacks from an Afghan subcontractor in return for his assistance in obtaining subcontracts on U.S. government contracts.
U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak of the Northern District of Georgia; Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge John Khin of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) Southeast Field Office, Atlanta Resident Agency; Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Craig of DCIS’ Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) John F. Sopko; Director Frank Robey of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s (CID) Major Procurement Fraud Unit (MPFU); Acting Special Agent in Charge J.C. Hacker of the FBI Atlanta Resident Agency and Special Agent in Charge Wendell W. Palmer of Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI), made the announcement.
Christopher McCray, 55, of Jonesboro, Georgia and Chattanooga, Tennessee, was sentenced in Atlanta by U.S. District Judge Mark H. Cohen of the Northern District of Georgia to five months in federal prison, with five months home detention, three years of supervised release, and 200 hours of community service. McCray pleaded guilty to one count of accepting illegal kickbacks on March 5, 2018. He was charged in an indictment filed on April 25, 2017 in the Northern District of Georgia with one count of conspiracy to accept kickbacks and 14 counts of accepting illegal kickbacks.
As part of his plea, McCray admitted that he was employed as the country manager for a subcontractor of an American company that was moving cargo for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service from Bagram Airfield to military bases through Afghanistan. When the prime contractor needed McCray’s employer to take a much bigger role in the distribution, McCray had the chance to influence the choice of the necessary Afghan trucking company as a subcontractor to his employer. McCray’s employer entered into a subcontract with an Afghan company but before the choice of the subcontractor was made, the Afghan trucking company secretly agreed to kick back to McCray 15 percent of the revenues it would receive on the contract, he admitted. McCray thereafter remained as the only representative of his employer in Afghanistan for the duration of the subcontract and was responsible for checking the accuracy of the invoices submitted to McCray’s employer and the quality of the Afghan company’s work, all while secretly receiving the kickbacks, he admitted.
McCray received the secret payments from December 2012 to May 2014. He and the Afghan trucking company also maintained a separate set of invoices, which showed the amounts charged to McCray’s employer and the amounts kept by the Afghan company and the amounts sent to McCray. McCray was first paid in cash, then by wires sent to his bank in Atlanta and then by Western Union payments sent to his mother, who would deposit the funds, mostly in cash, into McCray’s bank accounts, he admitted.
DCIS, SIGAR, Army CID-MPFU, the FBI and Air Force OSI investigated this matter. Trial Attorney James Gelber of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Pearce of the Northern District of Georgia prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former State Trooper Pleads Guilty to CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio –William P. Elschlager, 49, of Marietta, Ohio, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to cyberstalking.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and Washington County Sheriff Larry R. Mincks, Sr. announced the plea entered into before U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.
Elschlager was employed with the Ohio State Highway Patrol for 19 years and served as post commander for the Marietta Post.
According to court documents, between November 2015 and January 2016, Elschlager placed a victim under surveillance with a GPS device on the victim’s vehicle with the intent to harass and intimidate the victim.
“Today in court Elschlager admitted that he made phone calls and sent text messages regarding the victim’s whereabouts and, at times, her specific location, causing substantial emotional distress to the victim,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “For example, he texted the victim while she was in a retail store in Vienna, W.Va. and told her she needed to be aware of her surroundings and watch who she was around.”
In January 2016, when law enforcement officers conducted a search of Elschlager’s residence and electronic devices, they discovered a real-time location tracking of the victim on Elschlager’s computer. He also had the GPS tracking software on his cell phone.
Elschlager was arrested by Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies and indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2017.
Cyberstalking is a crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and Washington County Sheriff’s Office, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica H. Kim and Kevin Kelley, who are prosecuting the case.
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Former Corrections Officer Sentenced for Attempting to Distribute MarijuanaRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Brad Rushford, age 35, of Ellenburg Depot, New York, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for his role in attempting to distribute 120 pounds of marijuana, announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith.
As part of his guilty plea, Rushford admitted to coordinating the delivery of a 120-pound load of marijuana in March 2011. Rushford provided a driver and scout cellphones to use in delivering the marijuana, but the marijuana was intercepted by law enforcement in Malone, New York. At the time, Rushford worked as a Corrections Officer with the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
United States District Judge David N. Hurd also sentenced Rushford to a 4-year term of supervised release and to pay a $6,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Office of Special Investigations; New York State Police; and the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus P.W. Rieck.
Former Colorado Home Healthcare Business Owner Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A former Colorado home healthcare business owner was sentenced to 24 months in prison for tax evasion, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
According to documents and information provided to the court, Michelle Medina owned and operated RHHS Inc., also doing business as Reliable Home Health Services Inc., which provided home healthcare services in Colorado. From 2008 through 2011, Medina concealed hundreds of thousands of dollars in personal income by having RHHS Inc. directly pay her personal expenses. Medina did not inform her tax return preparer of this additional income and filed false individual income tax returns underreporting her income. Medina’s actions caused a tax loss of between $550,000 and $1.5 million.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Philip A. Brimmer ordered Medina to serve three years of supervised release and to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $841,327.00.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman commended special agents of IRS–Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorney Kathleen M. Barry of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.
Former Brockport Kindergarten Teacher Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Roland Yockel, II, 31, of Hilton NY, who was convicted of receipt of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 156 months in federal prison and 15 years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The defendant was also ordered to pay $7,200 in restitution to victims and he will have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that Yockel was employed as a full time Kindergarten teacher in the Brockport Central School District and also held positions with the Town of Hamlin Recreation Department as a summer youth camp counselor, program assistant, health director, and camp coordinator. The defendant traded, received, and possessed approximately 6,000 images and videos of child pornography, including child pornography that depicted the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers.
In July 2017, the defendant was identified by Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Special Agents in Phoenix involved in an ongoing child pornography probe with investigators from New Zealand. That investigation identified individuals who utilized the Internet based application “Chatstep.com” to receive and distribute child pornography.
On November 21, 2017, during the execution of a search warrant at Yockel’s Hilton home, Homeland Security Agents seized multiple devices from the defendant’s bedroom, which were later analyzed and found to contain recovered approximately 5,500 images and 247 videos of child pornography. Agents further discovered that Yockel engaged in online chats with other individuals trading child pornography in which the defendant pretended to be the father of two prepubescent girls. In those conversations, Yockel offered to allow other child pornographers to have sex with his supposed daughters, and talked about having sex with the other individuals’ children.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Richard Allen, and the Bivona Child Advocacy Center, under the direction of Executive Director Deb Rosen.
Federal Prison Employee Guilty of Defrauding Inmate FamiliesRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A 43-year-old Beaumont, Texas woman has pleaded guilty for her part in a conspiracy targeting federal inmates and their families in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Tanya L. Richard pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith F. Giblin.
According to information presented in court, while employed as an administrative employee of the Federal Correctional Complex in Beaumont, Richard was involved in a wide-spread fraud scheme targeting the families of federal inmates. Six persons, some of whom were former federal inmates, pleaded guilty to a similar charge last year in the same scheme and are currently serving federal prison sentences for their involvement. The nationwide, six-year scheme defrauded the relatives of federal inmates by falsely representing that they could obtain reductions in their relatives’ sentences in exchange for the payment of cash and wire transfers of funds. The payments were falsely represented to be for the payment for a network of confidential informants who would make undercover drug transactions under the direction of the courts and prosecutors which would allow the incarcerated inmates to ask the court for reductions of sentences for providing substantial assistance to the government under the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. In reality, the money was spent for the personal benefit of the defendants and there was never any network of informants or undercover transactions. Federal inmates do not have to pay for substantial assistance motions for reductions of sentences which normally only require information to be provided by such inmates against co-defendants as well as trial testimony.
Richard’s role in the scheme included obtaining confidential information from federal court presentence reports of inmates and drafting false cooperation agreements for inmate families that appeared to be from federal prosecutors and U.S. Attorneys. Richard is a former common-law spouse of Alvin James Warrick who pleaded guilty to a similar charge in the scheme last year. The scheme resulted in losses to inmate families from across the nation of over $4 million dollars. Richard was placed on administrative leave from her position at the federal prison after her indictment in April 2018.
Under federal statutes, Richard faces up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Marshals Service; Houston Police Department-Major Offenders Division; U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of Texas and Southern District of Florida. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Rawls.
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Federal Jury Finds Greenville Felon Guilty in Firearm TrialRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri Lydon announced today that a jury returned a guilty verdict following a trial in federal court in Anderson, South Carolina on Tuesday. The jury found Zee Zee Zelazurro, age 37, of Greenville, guilty of possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony and a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). The trial was held before United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain of Anderson, South Carolina. Judge Cain will impose a sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report, which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. Zelazurro may face up to life in prison and remains in custody.
Evidence presented by the government at trial established that, on May 2, 2017, officers of the Greenville Police Department responded to 911 calls regarding a shooting and other disturbances in the area of 100 Pelham Road. Officers encountered Zelazurro, who refused to comply with their instructions and pointed a black semi-automatic handgun at them. Officers took cover, and a standoff ensued. After a half an hour, officers were able to deescalate the situation, and Zelazurro was taken into custody. A .40 caliber Taurus semi-automatic handgun, which had been purchased by Zelazurro’s former girlfriend, was recovered from the scene. Zelazurro has prior convictions for Accessory after the Fact to Armed Robbery, Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Assault on a Federal Officer, and a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
Zelazurro’s case was expedited for federal prosecution as part of Operation “Real Time.” The goal of this program is to identify individuals for federal prosecution with significant criminal histories who continue to actively possess firearms in the communities across South Carolina. “Real Time” is a working collaboration between local, state, and federal law enforcement as well as state and federal prosecutors. Since August of 2015, the initiative has resulted in the expedited federal prosecution of over 150 defendants and seizure of over 200 firearms as well as assorted ammunition from prohibited persons in the upstate.
“We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the ATF for the successful prosecution of Zelazurro,” said Captain Howie Thompson of the Greenville Police Department Investigation Division. “I also commend the officers involved in Zelazurro’s arrest in 2017; their response, tactics, and teamwork resulted in Zelazurro’s peaceful surrender and minimized the threat to those living nearby. I can’t say enough about the collective efforts of the officers, investigators, and forensics personnel who provided prosecutors with the necessary evidence and support needed to reach this just verdict.”
“ATF is actively committed to investigating and apprehending criminals who illegally acquire and use firearms to commit violent crimes. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and prosecutors in the upstate area to keep our communities safe,” said ATF Charlotte Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Wayne L. Dixie, Jr..
“Operation Real Time identifies armed repeat offenders in our communities and takes them off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Sherri Lydon. “Convicted felons who continue to carry and use firearms need to know we are determined in our resolve to disarm and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”
The case was investigated by the Greenville Police Department, the Greenville County Forensic Division, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Schoen prosecuted the case.
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Federal Grand Jury IndictmentsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that a Federal Grand Jury in Greenville, South Carolina, returned Indictments against the following:
Reboot Owners and Employees Indicted on Conspiracy to Defraud and Obtain Money and Property. Jonathan E. Field, age 40, of Mauldin, South Carolina; Jacob D. Brandt, age 38, of Lawrenceville, Georgia; Joshua M. Watson, age 34, of Liberty, South Carolina; Michael G. Lyles, age 21, of Fountain Inn, South Carolina; Bryan F.C. Schroeder, age 23, of Cottonwood, Arizona; Kenneth C. Carnes, age 25, of Taylors, South Carolina; Danny L. Rainey, age 32, of Taylors, South Carolina; Larry D. Sample, age 39, of Brevard, North Carolina; Charles C.O. Matt, age 40, of Greenville, South Carolina; Richard A. Bolt, age 52, of Piedmont, South Carolina; Adriana R. Martinez, age 35, of Boiling Springs, South Carolina; Corey J. Haentjens, age 32, of Greenville, South Carolina; Justin Brock Rainey, age 30, of Taylors, South Carolina; Shena J. Field, age 40, of Mauldin, South Carolina; and Tara A. Kennedy, age 41, of Easley, South Carolina, were charged in a 1-count indictment. All 15 defendants were charged with Conspiracy to Commit Wire and Mail Fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349. The maximum penalty all defendants could receive is 20 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by agents of the United States Secret Service and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville office for prosecution.
Pickens Resident Indicted on Possession of Child Pornography. Jeffrey L. Harris, age 32, of Pickens, South Carolina, was charged in a 1-count indictment with Possession of Child Pornography, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(5)(B). The maximum penalty Harris could receive is 20 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr., of the Greenville office for prosecution.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges in these indictments are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Fayetteville Man Sentenced for Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today in federal court, Senior United States District Judge Malcolm J. Howard sentenced JAVION SCOTT, 27, of Fayetteville, North Carolina to 78 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
SCOTT was named in an Indictment on April 24, 2017. On March 12, 2018, SCOTT pled guilty to one-count of Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.
On March 29, 2017, officers with the Fayetteville Police Department, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Cumberland County Probation and Parole office in Fayetteville, conducted a warrantless search at the residence of SCOTT, who was subject to post-release supervision conditions due to prior felony convictions, including Second Degree Sexual Offense. The officers knocked on the door at 7:20 a.m., and it took several minutes for SCOTT to answer the door. Investigators determined that SCOTT’s girlfriend threw two semi-automatic pistols, ammunition, a loaded large capacity magazine, a loaded magazine, an unloaded magazine, and an unspecified amount of marijuana over the balcony. The firearms were kept in SCOTT’s bedroom. Investigation revealed that one of the firearms was reported stolen in Sampson County, on August 20, 2013. Investigators recovered a third pistol and 35 grams of marijuana in SCOTT’S vehicle.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
In support of PSN, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina has implemented the Take Back North Carolina Initiative. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
The Fayetteville Police Department, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Cumberland County Probation and Parole Office in Fayetteville conducted the criminal investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney James J. Kurosad handled the prosecution of this case for the government.
Exeter Man Sentenced to Six Months of Home Detention for Making False Statements to Obtain Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Brett Gessay, 55, of Exeter, was sentenced to six months of home detention and two years of probation and was ordered to pay full restitution to the Social Security Administration for making a false statement in order to obtain Social Security benefits, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Murray.
According to public records in the case, Gessay began receiving Social Security disability benefits in January 2007. Beginning in at least January of 2008, Gessay was self-employed as a construction worker. His income from this job rendered him ineligible to get most of the Social Security disability benefits that he received while he was self-employed. Gessay did not report this work activity to the Social Security Administration (SSA), and concealed his self-employment and self-employment income from the SSA. In mid-2016, Gessay admitted to investigators that he had concealed his work and income from the SSA in order to continue receiving disability benefits. As a result of his concealment, Gessay received over $48,000 in disability benefits that he was not entitled to receive.
“Federal benefit programs exist for those who truly need them,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Those who use fraud to cheat the system are defrauding federal taxpayers and undermining the integrity of the system. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who seek to defraud federal benefit programs.”
Special Agent in Charge Scott Antolik from the SSA Office of the Inspector General said, “This sentencing should serve as a warning to people who choose to selfishly defraud Social Security’s disability programs. We would also like to thank the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Special Investigations Unit for its assistance with this investigation. I strongly encourage the public to report suspected instances of Social Security fraud to the OIG’s Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271 or https://oig.ssa.gov/report.”
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Special Investigations Unit, and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew T. Hunter and Karen B. Burzycki.
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Enforcer for Large Scale Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that U.S. District Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced COLIN KNOX, age 39, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 30 years in prison. The defendant was convicted on all charges related to his role as a member of a large-scale and violent drug trafficking organization following a six-day jury trial in March.
The evidence at trial demonstrated that KNOX’s role in the organization was as an enforcer who used violence and threats of violence to protect Kelly Williams and the drug trafficking organization. On at least two occasions, KNOX attempted to obtain firearms and an untraceable vehicle to locate and harm others that were involved in disputes with Williams.
KNOX was the final defendant of 38 defendants convicted in Operation Third World, an extensive investigation that dismantled a violent drug trafficking network primarily operating out of Baton Rouge and Ascension Parish. His co-defendant, Demitoris Alexander, was sentenced to life imprisonment on June 7, 2018.
KNOX is currently serving a 10-year sentence for a 2015 conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, which was prosecuted in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana. At the time that KNOX committed the offense, he was still under supervision after serving a 96-month sentence, imposed in the same court, for a 2004 conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin stated, “This 30 year sentence turns last page in the final chapter of a career of violence and drug peddling for Mr. Knox. East Baton Rouge, Ascension, and the surrounding communities are better for it. I salute the outstanding efforts of the numerous federal, state and local law enforcement agencies who joined forces yet again to effectively combat a violent drug trafficking organization. Special thanks for the hard work and dedication of our prosecutors who spent countless hours in this extremely important matter.”
“The sentencing today of Collin Knox sends a clear message to all who engage in the distribution of illegal drugs and to those who plague our neighborhoods with violence that we will work together to see that you are brought to justice. Federal and local law enforcement successfully collaborated in order to put Knox in federal prison for 30 years as a result of his involvement with a violent drug trafficking organization in Baton Rouge,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Brad L. Byerley.
The investigation is another effort by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, which was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack against organized drug traffickers. Today, the OCDETF Program is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises. The OCDETF Program operates nationwide and combines the resources and unique expertise of numerous federal, state, and local agencies in a coordinated attack against major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.
Operation Third World was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Baton Rouge City Police Department, the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Louisiana State Police, the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Gonzales Police Department, and the Baker Police Department. This matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney and Deputy Criminal Chief Jennifer Kleinpeter and Assistant United States Attorney Adam Ptashkin.
Elyria man sentenced to 25 years in prison for selling fentanyl and heroin that resulted in fatal overdose of Lorain County womanRead the Press Release
An Elyria man was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for selling a mixture of fentanyl and heroin that resulted in the overdose death of a Lorain County woman.
Delante Lunn, 38, was convicted earlier this year of distribution of fentanyl and heroin. Lunn sold the drugs to a Wellington Village woman in February 2016. The woman died as a result of ingesting the drugs Lunn sold her, according to court documents and trial testimony.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Corts and Vasile Katsaros following an investigation by the FBI and Elyria Police Department, with assistance from the Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office.
Elkhart Man Sentenced to 86 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Eugene Troxell, age 46, of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced before South Bend District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. for being a felon in possession of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Troxell was sentenced to 86 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, Troxell sold two guns that had been stolen from a federally licensed firearms dealer. Troxell has twelve prior felony convictions in ten cases as well as nine misdemeanor convictions. His prior convictions include violent crimes and controlled substance offenses.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Middlebury Police Department and the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department and was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly E. Donnelly.
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