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19 July 2018
Seven Puerto Rico Police Officers Charged with Rico Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico– Seven Puerto Rico police officers from the Caguas Drug Unit have been charged in a superseding indictment for their alleged participation in criminal acts, announced U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez of the District of Puerto Rico. The FBI is in charge of the investigation.
On May 21, 2018, four police officers assigned to the Caguas Drug Unit (CDU): Eidderf Jhave Ramos-Ortiz, a.k.a. “Baby”; Juan Carlos Ortiz-Vázquez, a.k.a. “Juan C.;” Christian Rodríguez-Cruz; and Eric Velázquez-Martínez were charged by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico for drug trafficking and firearms violations. Today, those four defendants, along with Ramón Cotto-Centeno; Luis Rivera-Ruiz, a.k.a. “Chopa/Agua Dulce”; and Jorge Muñoz-Martínez were charged in a superseding indictment under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO Act).
From in or about July 2014 the defendants together with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, being persons employed by and associated with the CDU, an enterprise engaged in, and the activities of which affected, interstate and foreign commerce, knowingly and unlawfully conducted and participated, directly and indirectly, in the conduct of the enterprise’s affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity. The pattern of racketeering activity consisted of the following acts: extortion, attempted extortion, extortion conspiracy and drug conspiracy, and possession with intent to distribute narcotics.
The defendants were sworn police officers with the CDU. The defendants violated the legitimate purposes of the CDU in order to enrich themselves through illegal conduct, including extortion, robbery, and the distribution of narcotics.
Eidderf Jhave Ramos-Ortiz is now facing one count for RICO Act violations, five counts for extortion under color of official right, three counts for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marihuana, five counts for carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and three counts for possession with intent to distribute marihuana.
Defendant Juan Carlos Ortiz-Vázquez is facing one count for RICO Act violations, four counts for extortion under color of official right, three counts for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marihuana, and three counts for carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Defendants Christian Rodríguez-Cruz and Eric Velázquez-Martínez are facing one count for RICO Act violations, four counts for extortion under color of official right, one count for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marihuana, and one count for carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
Defendant Ramón Cotto-Centeno is facing one count for RICO Act violations, one count for extortion under color of official right, and one count for possession with intent to distribute tramadol, a Schedule IV Controlled Substance. Defendants Luis Rivera-Ruiz and Jorge Muñoz Martínez are facing one count for RICO Act violations.
“The purpose of the Caguas Drug Unit is to combat drug trafficking, firearms and ammunition trafficking, among other related crimes, and these officers were behaving like the criminals they were supposed to be apprehending. They not only betrayed the citizens they were sworn to protect, they also betrayed the thousands of honest, hard-working law enforcement officers who risk their lives every day to keep us safe. We will continue to work with our local law enforcement partners to pursue corruption wherever it lies,” said U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez.
“Today’s charges represent a grave breach of the oath taken by these sworn officers. Fortunately, those accused represent only a very small percentage of the brave men and women of the Puerto Rico Police Department, who serve only to protect the citizens of Puerto Rico. In fact, the FBI’s continued efforts to clean up corruption and civil rights violations have been assisted by the full cooperation of the leadership of the Puerto Rico Police Department,’ stated Douglas Leff, Special Agent in Charge of FBI, San Juan.
Assistant U.S. Attorney José A. Contreras is in charge of the prosecution of the case. If found guilty, all defendants are facing up to 20 years for the RICO Act violations, 20 years for extortion under official rights, up to five years for drug trafficking violations, and five years up to life in prison for the firearms charges. The charges contained in the superseding indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Citizens of Puerto Rico with allegations of law enforcement corruption are encouraged to contact the FBI’s San Juan Division at (787) 754-6000.
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San Francisco Area Certified Public Accountant Convicted of Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A jury in the Northern District of California convicted a San Francisco area Certified Public Accountant late yesterday of three counts of aiding and abetting the filing of a false tax return, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Alex G. Tse for the Northern District of California.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Marc Howard Berger, 67, of Walnut Creek, California, willfully assisted in the preparation of three false Form 1040s for G. Steven Burrill for the years 2011, 2012, and 2013. The guilty verdict followed a three-week jury trial before the Honorable Richard Seeborg, U.S. District Court Judge.
Berger was a CPA and partner with a regional tax preparation firm, Burr Pilger Mayer. Berger’s client, Burrill, was the owner and CEO of Burrill & Company, Burrill Capital, and several related entities. Through the entities, Burrill managed venture capital funds, including Burrill Life Sciences Capital Fund III, L.P. (the Fund), a $283 million investment fund focused on the life sciences industry. Between December 2007 and September 2013, Burrill transferred more than $18 million from the Fund to his management companies in excess of the management fees that were allowable under the agreements that governed the Fund. Berger intentionally prepared and filed false income tax returns for Burrill that did not report more than $18 million in income, resulting in unpaid taxes of more than $4.7 million. With Berger’s assistance, Burrill paid no individual income taxes for the years 2009 through 2013.
“The jury’s verdict should serve as a message to all professionals who assist their clients in evading their tax obligations that such assistance will be prosecuted,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman.
“We are gratified by the jury’s verdict,” said Acting United States Attorney Alex G. Tse. “Tax preparers must know that they cannot willfully assist clients in defrauding the IRS and failing to pay their fair share.”
Berger and Burrill were both indicted by a federal grand jury on September 14, 2017. Berger was charged with three counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. Berger’s sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Berger faces a maximum statutory penalty of three years in prison for each count.
Burrill pleaded guilty on December 7, 2017 to one count of investment-adviser fraud and one count of tax evasion. Burrill’s sentencing is scheduled for September 25, 2018. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for investment-adviser fraud and five years in prison for tax evasion.
Berger and Burrill also face a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and Acting U.S. Attorney Tse thanked special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Leach and Tax Division Trial Attorney Lori Hendrickson, who are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Maryam Beros, Lilian Arauz Hasse, Larry Garland, and Bridget Kilkenny.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Saint Albans Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Fentanyl ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Saint Albans man pled guilty today to a federal fentanyl charge, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Travis Raynard Edwards, 30, entered his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl before United States District Judge Irene C. Berger. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
“Our efforts are focused on getting guys like Edwards off the streets,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “We will prosecute every dealer of fentanyl to the fullest extent of the law. As announced just last week, we are dedicating even more resources to address the problem of synthetic opioids.”
On March 2, 2018, DEA task force officers executed a search warrant at Edwards’ apartment on Shadyside Road in Saint Albans. They seized 195 grams of fentanyl and two firearms. Edwards has prior felony convictions of unarmed robbery and delivery of a controlled substance.
Edwards faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced on October 25, 2018. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua C. Hanks is responsible for the prosecution.
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Project Safe Neighborhoods Cases Sentenced TodayRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As part the Eastern District of California’s strategy to reduce violent crime by focusing on eradicating illegal firearms, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced the sentencing today of three federal firearms offenders.
U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley sentenced Tony Hill, 25, of Stockton to seven years and two months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Hill was found in possession of a stolen Smith & Wesson pistol with a speed-loader. Hill, who has multiple prior felony convictions, was on parole at the time of his arrest from a prior offense, and had been out of prison for less than four months. This case is the product of an investigation by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Stockton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Desmond prosecuted the case. 2:17-cr-168 TLN
U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. sentenced Nicholas J. Lopez, 31, of Sacramento to seven years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, in October 2016, Lopez was stopped for speeding on Interstate 5 in Glenn County. Because Lopez was driving with a suspended license, the car was seized and later searched. Inside the car the officers found a 9 mm handgun with a loaded 15-round magazine, two .40-caliber firearm magazines loaded with 10 rounds, and two 9 mm firearm magazines loaded with 10 rounds. Officers then executed a search warrant at Lopez’s residence where they found additional firearms. Because Lopez has previous felony convictions, he is prohibited from possessing firearms. This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Glenn Interagency Narcotics Task Force and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Owen Roth prosecuted the case.
2:17-cr-003 MCEJudge Nunley sentenced Lavell McDonald, 38, of Stockton, to five years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on February 16, 2016, McDonald was stopped while driving a moped in Stockton for an outstanding warrant. Officers searched him and found a 9 mm handgun with a bullet in the chamber. They also found a loaded magazine that matched the handgun nearby. McDonald had previously been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. This case is the product of an investigation by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Stockton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Owen Roth prosecuted the case. 2:17-cr-010 TLN
These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Previously Convicted Illegal Alien Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Mexican citizen residing in Richmond was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for illegal reentry after being removed following a felony conviction.
According to court documents, Pablo Santos-Castro, 33, illegally entered the United States in 1999. He was removed and illegally returned to the United States several times thereafter. In 2009 and 2010, he was convicted of grand larceny in Richmond and Prince George. He was again removed from the United States before illegally returning and being apprehended in connection with an arrest for driving under the influence.
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 (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne. 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. 3:18-cr-21.
Port St. Lucie Resident Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Prison for International Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
A Port St. Lucie resident was sentenced today to more than 12 years in prison for unlawfully exporting firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition from South Florida to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI); Diane J. Sabatino, Director, Field Operation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Miami Field Office; Ari C. Shapira, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division; and Ken J. Mascara, Sheriff, St. Lucie County Sherriff’s Office, made the announcement.
Frederik Barbieri, 47, of Port St. Lucie, Florida, previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, and one count of unlicensed exportation of defense articles, in violation of Title 22, United States Code, Section 2778. Today, U.S. District Court Judge Federico A Moreno sentenced Barbieri to 154 months in prison, to be followed by supervised release In addition, Judge Moreno entered a forfeiture money judgment against Barbieri in the amount of $9.6 million, which represents proceeds from the offenses, based on 122 shipments of water heaters containing approximately 915 firearms, and 15 shipments of air conditioning units containing approximately 45 firearms, a total of 960 firearms, with a profit of approximately $10,000.00 per firearm. Furthermore, the firearms and ammunition are subject to forfeiture.
According to stipulated facts filed in court, from May of 2013 through February of 2018, Barbieri conspired with others to: possess firearms with obliterated serial numbers; deliver packages containing those firearms to contract carriers for international shipment without providing notice that the packages contained firearms; and smuggle firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition from the United States to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
During this period, a shipment sent by Barbieri was intercepted in Rio de Janeiro by Brazilian law enforcement and found to contain approximately thirty AR-15 and AK-47 rifles and firearm magazines, all concealed in four 38-gallon Rheem water heaters. The water heaters were hollowed out and loaded with the contraband, and the serial numbers on each of the firearms had been obliterated. The same day that Brazilian authorities intercepted his shipment, Barbieri called and requested that the freight forwarder destroy the related paperwork.
Documentation provided by the freight forwarder revealed Barbieri’s historical shipments. In addition to shipping the four Rheem water heaters in which he concealed approximately thirty rifles, Barbieri also shipped to Brazil an additional 120 Rheem water heaters, as well as 520 electric motors and 15 air conditioning units, from May of 2013 to May of 2017, using that freight forwarder. These items are all consistent with objects used to conceal the illegal international shipment of firearms and ammunition.
In February 2018, federal agents executed a warrant to search a storage unit rented by Barbieri in Vero Beach, Florida. In the storage unit, law enforcement discovered 52 rifles, 49 of which were wrapped for shipment with obliterated serial numbers. In addition, law enforcement discovered dozens of high capacity firearm magazines, over 2,000 rounds of ammunition, and packaging materials. Barbieri was arrested the following day.
It is illegal for civilians to possess firearms in Brazil. According to Brazilian law enforcement, AK and AR rifles have a black market value of approximately $15,000 to $20,000. The retail cost of those firearms in the United States is approximately $700 to $1,000.
Neither Barbeiri, nor any of his coconspirators, obtained a license or written approval from the United States Department of State to export any defense articles. Non-automatic firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition are articles designated as “defense articles,” pursuant to federal regulations.
Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI, ATF, and CBP in connection with this matter. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Shack.
Related court documents and information can be found on the District Court for the Southern District of Florida’s website at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Phoenix, Arizona, Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin DistributionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced that Luis Lopez Arce, age 26, of Phoenix, Arizona pled guilty to Possession With Intent To Distribute Heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2, punishable by not less than 5 years nor not more than 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000.00 fine, or both.
The Indictment alleged that on or about April 24, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, defendant, did knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance.The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Rob Wallace represented the United States.
Owner of City Drug Co. in Maryville Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On July 19, 2018, Randall Scott Jenkins, 55, of Maryville, Tennessee, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to an Information charging him with two counts of aggravated theft of pre-retail medical products from City Drug Co., and one count of unlawfully possessing firearms and ammunition while being an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
Sentencing is set for 10:00 a.m., Thursday, December 13, 2018. Jenkins faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, for each of the aggravated drug theft charges. He also faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the firearms charge. Additionally, he will be subject to supervision by U.S Probation for up to three years upon his release from prison.
According to the plea agreement on file with U.S. District Court, since approximately 2002 Jenkins was a licensed pharmacist and co-owner of City Drug Co. In April 2018, surveillance cameras caught him, on two separate occasions, stealing bottles of pre-retail oxycodone from the controlled substance vault of the business. Jenkins had no prescription for the oxycodone and subsequently admitted to stealing the drugs to satisfy his own personal addiction to the painkillers.
In May 2018, law enforcement agents questioned Jenkins about additional stolen prescription painkillers, including empty prescription bottles. While Jenkins admitted to having a drug addiction problem, he told investigators he did not keep “trophies,” referring to the empty prescription painkiller bottles. That same day, a bottle containing oxymorphone and a bottle containing oxycodone were found in his home, and a loaded semi-automatic pistol was found in his vehicle. Jenkins had no valid prescription for either drug. Later in May 2018, a federal search warrant executed at his home in Maryville, Tennessee, revealed hydrocodone in an unlabeled pill bottle, oxycodone in two pre-retail pill bottles hidden under clothes in his master bedroom, and 19 firearms and ammunition.
“The U.S. Attorney’s office will continue to use all criminal and civil remedies available under federal law to combat the rapidly growing drug crisis in America,” said U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey. “Prescription opioids, such as oxycodone and oxymorphone, are potent, powerful, addictive and easily abused painkillers which are only available by a prescription issued by a licensed physician for a legitimate medical purpose. Our office will prosecute aggressively individuals in the health care industry, including physicians and pharmacists, who choose to abuse their authority and commit unlawful actions in furtherance of the opioid epidemic in east Tennessee,” added U.S. Attorney Overbey.
“This case reflects the level of cooperation between the men and women of the Drug Enforcement Administration and our law enforcement partners, as we work together to stop the diversion of dangerous pharmaceuticals,” said D. Christopher Evans, Special Agent In Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Louisville Field Division. “The DEA is proud to participate in the Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit, and remains committed to using every weapon in our arsenal to combat America’s deadly opioid epidemic.”
Agencies involved in this investigation include DEA-Tactical Diversion Squad and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lewen, Jr. represents the United States in court proceedings.
In August 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the formation of the Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit to help combat the devastating opioid crisis that is ravaging families and communities across America. This unit focuses specifically on opioid-related health care fraud using data to identify and prosecute individuals that are contributing to this prescription opioid epidemic. Federal prosecutors, working with FBI, DEA, HHS, as well as state and local partners, will help target and prosecute these doctors, pharmacies, and medical providers who are furthering this epidemic to line their pockets. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee was one of 12, out of 94 districts across the country, chosen to participate in this program.
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Oklahoma City Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – JESUS FRANSISCO CERVANTES, 31, of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute, announced Robert J. Troester, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.
A federal grand jury indicted Cervantes on March 20, 2018, for conspiracy and possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. He has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his initial appearance on April 10, 2018.
Today Cervantes pleaded guilty to a superseding information filed on July 17, 2018, that charges him with conspiring to possess five grams or more of methamphetamine from November 19, 2017, to February 16, 2018. In a plea agreement, Cervantes acknowledges his crime involved 709.6 grams of actual methamphetamine, which is more than a pound-and-a-half.
At sentencing, Cervantes faces up to forty years in prison, including a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. After release, he will be subject to supervision for no fewer than four years and up to life. This offense also carries a potential fine of $5,000,000. As part of his sentence, Cervantes has agreed to forfeit a 2006 Toyota 4-Runner Limited and $5,460 in cash. Sentencing will take place in approximately 90 days.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Patterson is prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to court filings for further information.
Ohio Man Sentenced in Connection with Meth Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – An Ohio man was sentenced today to federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Joshua Gregory Richardson, age 34, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 71 months’ imprisonment. Richardson had previously pled guilty in in February of this year. Stuart praised the work of MDENT.
“The influx of meth continues,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “I applaud this conviction that puts another meth dealer behind bars.”
From approximately December 1, 2016, to December 20, 2016, Richardson was a supplier of dealer amounts of methamphetamine to another dealer in Cross Lanes, West Virginia. On December 20, 2016, members of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) conducted a controlled purchase of approximately 1 ounce of methamphetamine from the local Cross Lanes dealer. After the controlled purchase, but before the agents left the area, Richardson arrived to collect money owed him for methamphetamine he had previously provided the local dealer. Agents followed Richardson from Cross Lanes into Ohio, where Ohio authorities conducted a traffic stop of his vehicle. A drug dog was at the scene and positively indicated on the vehicle. No drugs were found at the time. Richardson, however, possessed $9883 in cash at the time of the stop, $900 of which was pre-recorded buy money from the controlled purchase conducted in Cross Lanes earlier that day. Agents also downloaded text messages between defendant and the local dealer in which they discuss the sale of methamphetamine. The court also ordered that the cash found on him in Ohio be forfeited to the United States.
United States District Court Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney R. Gregory McVey handled the prosecution.
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Norwalk Man Indicted for Escaping from Halfway HouseRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport returned an indictment on July 2, 2018, charging BRANDEN HUERTAS, 36, formerly of Norwalk, with escape from the custody of the Bureau of Prisons.
According to the indictment, on or about June 22, 2018, HUERTAS escaped from the Chase Center in Waterbury. HUERTAS had been confined to the Chase Center to complete his term of incarceration after being convicted in 2015 of unlawful possession of a firearm.
HUERTAS was arrested on July 18, 2018, and is currently detained.
If convicted, HUERTAS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the United States Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Clark.
Newport News Man Sentenced to 45 Years for 2009 MurderRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to 45 years in prison for his role in a 2009 murder in Newport News.
Bryan Lamar Brown, 31, was convicted following a jury trial on April 17, along with co-defendants Mark Xavier Wallace of Williamsburg and Joseph James Cain Benson of Boston, for their respective roles in the 2009 murder of Louis Joseph Jr., in Newport News.
According to court documents, Joseph was beaten and shot multiple times at his Denbigh home while he babysat a five-year-old child. Brown, Benson and Wallace planned to commit a home invasion of Joseph to obtain money and drugs. Brown transported the co-defendants to Joseph’s house and also supplied the two firearms to commit the murder. After the murder, Brown drove the co-defendants away from the scene. Shortly thereafter, Brown had the firearms used in the murder transported to New York City to be resold for profit. Unbeknownst to Brown, law enforcement had a court authorized wiretap and overheard Brown setting up the deal to get rid of the murder weapons.
Benson and Wallace are scheduled for sentencing on July 24 and August 6, respectively.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa R. McKeel and Howard J. Zlotnick 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. 4:17-cr-45.
New York Man Sentenced to Nearly 12 Years for Furanyl Fentanyl and Crack TraffickingRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Dejuan Rabb, also known as “Slim,” 36, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to 140 months in prison and six years of supervised release for distribution of furanyl fentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, and possession with intent to distribute, furanyl fentanyl and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” Rabb pled guilty on March 12, 2018.
Court records reveal that on August 30, 2017, Rabb distributed furanyl fentanyl to an individual working with police. The next day, after conducting a second purchase of furanyl fentanyl from Rabb’s co-conspirator, Donttey Collazo, agents searched two apartments used by Rabb and Collazo to distribute drugs and seized furanyl fentanyl, crack and $2,000.
In sentencing Rabb, Judge Singal noted: “fentanyl has eclipsed all other illicit substances in terms of its tragic impact on the population in this District.” On April 3, 2018, Judge Singal sentenced Collazo to 28 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the Lewiston and Auburn police departments; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Central Maine Violent Crimes Task Force, and was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty in Methamphetamine-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that STEFEN DAIGLE, age 31, of New Orleans pled guilty today to one count of conspiring to traffic 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Louisiana. DAIGLE faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum life sentence, a fine of up to $10,000,000 and at least 5 years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan set sentencing for DAIGLE on October 24, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Louisiana State Police, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Highway Patrol, Montgomery County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, AMTRAK Police, and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon S. Long is in charge of the prosecution.
New Haven Man Involved in Woodbridge Gun Shop Burglary Sentenced to 105 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL HENDERSON, also known as “Silly,” 26, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 105 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a Woodbridge gun shop burglary in 2015.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 17, 2015, at approximately 3:08 a.m., Woodbridge Police responded to a business alarm at Woodbridge Firearms Trading Post LLC, located on Selden Road in Woodbridge. When officers arrived, they found a car crashed through the front door of the business, but no individuals were in the vicinity of the store. Four firearms – two .38 caliber handguns, one .32 caliber handgun and one 9mm handgun – were taken from a glass case in the store. The car had been reported stolen from New Haven on June 15, 2015.
The investigation revealed that HENDERSON, Eric Lewis-Joyner and others committed the burglary. HENDERSON’s fingerprint was found on a bottle of cologne that was inside the car, and his DNA was found on the car’s passenger-side door handle. In the days following the robbery, HENDERSON tried to acquire .32 caliber and .38 caliber ammunition.
The day after the burglary, an unrelated court-authorized search of Eric Lewis-Joyner’s residence in Hamden revealed the stolen 9mm firearm. Investigators also subsequently recovered from the residence items that Joyner wore during the burglary. The three other stolen firearms have not been recovered.
HENDERSON has been detained since his federal arrest on October 30, 2015. While detained, HENDERSON made threats against an ATF special agent investigating this matter, the U.S. magistrate judge who signed HENDERSON’s criminal complaint, and a witness in this case. He also assaulted a guard at the detention center where he is being held. The guard suffered a concussion from the assault.
On July 14, 2016, HENDERSON pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to the ATF. On October 4, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of theft of a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer, one count of possession of a stolen firearm, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Judge Bolden ordered HENDERSON to pay restitution in the amount of $52,225.80.
On February 10, 2016, Lewis-Joyner pleaded guilty to one count of burglarizing a federally licensed firearms dealer. On May 23, 2016, he was sentenced to 33 months of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and restitution of $52,225.80.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Connecticut State Police and the Woodbridge, New Haven and Hamden Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale.
Nevada Man Sentenced to Five Years for Interstate StalkingRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Donald Cain, 49, of Henderson, Nevada, and formerly of Conroe, Texas, and Columbia, South Carolina, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by John A. Woodcock Jr. to five years in prison and three years of supervised release for interstate stalking. He pled guilty on January 11, 2018.
According to the indictment and evidence introduced at the plea hearing, Cain was married in August 2014 to a resident of Aroostook County. When they met, he worked in Calais, Maine, but soon relocated to San Antonio, Texas. His wife remained in Maine. Between November 2014 and December 2015, the defendant used a telephone to call and send threatening text messages which caused substantial emotional distress to his wife.
In imposing the statutory maximum sentence, Judge Woodcock noted that Cain’s conduct was “utterly reprehensible” and constituted a “psychological assault” and that he had “never before seen a stalking crime of such length, intensity, vulgarity, scope, sophistication and impact.”
The investigation was conducted by the Houlton Police Department, the San Antonio, Texas Police Department, the Maine Computer Crimes Task Force and the FBI in Maine and South Carolina.
Missoula Men Sentenced to Federal Prison on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA - Allen Harwood, 41, and Dezmen Patron, 20, both of Missoula, were sentenced today to 138 months and 126 months in prison respectively to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. US District Judge Donald W. Molloy handed down the sentences.
Beginning in September of 2017 and continuing through February 6, 2018, Harwood and Patron distributed methamphetamine around the Missoula area. They would most often get the methamphetamine from Eastern Washington and return to Missoula to sell the methamphetamine out of Harwood’s residence. Harwood and Patron also carried firearms and exchanged firearms for methamphetamine on several occasions.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Elliott and investigated by the FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force.
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.
Mississippi Certified Public Accountant Indicted for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - A federal grand jury returned an indictment on June 27, which was unsealed today, charging Hattiesburg, Mississippi certified public accountant Carl Nicholson with one count of conspiring to defraud the United States, four counts of filing false tax returns, and six counts of aiding in the preparation of false tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman, U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst for the Southern District of Mississippi, and Mississippi State Auditor Shad White.
According to the indictment, Nicholson was a CPA doing business in Forest County, Mississippi. From 2012 to 2015, Nicholson is alleged to have conspired with a local attorney, who was a client of Nicholson, to defraud the Internal Revenue Service by falsely classifying the attorney’s personal expenses as deductible business expenses and filing false tax returns on the attorney’s behalf. On one occasion, Nicholson is alleged to have directed that a $250,000 payment to one of the attorney’s personal trusts be classified as a business expense. The indictment also alleges that Nicholson falsified his own tax returns for a four-year period by claiming bogus business expenses.
"Those who personally defraud taxpayers and help others to do the same for personal profit will face swift and certain justice in this district,” said U.S. Attorney Hurst. “I commend our agents and state investigators for their tenacity and their unflinching manner in following the evidence wherever it led and bringing this defendant to justice. Mr. Nicholson has skirted the law for too long, and today’s indictment proves that no one can hide from justice.”
If convicted, Nicholson faces a maximum of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge and three years for each charge of filing false tax returns and aiding in the preparation of false tax returns. He also faces supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and United States Attorney Hurst thanked special agents of Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and investigators with the Mississippi Auditor’s Office, who investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorneys Jay Golden and Fred Harper, as well at Trial Attorney Nathan Brooks, who are prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Mississippi Certified Public Accountant Indicted for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - A federal grand jury returned an indictment on June 27, which was unsealed today, charging Hattiesburg, Mississippi certified public accountant Carl Nicholson with one count of conspiring to defraud the United States, four counts of filing false tax returns, and six counts of aiding in the preparation of false tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman, U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst for the Southern District of Mississippi, and Mississippi State Auditor Shad White.
According to the indictment, Nicholson was a CPA doing business in Forest County, Mississippi. From 2012 to 2015, Nicholson is alleged to have conspired with a local attorney, who was a client of Nicholson, to defraud the Internal Revenue Service by falsely classifying the attorney’s personal expenses as deductible business expenses and filing false tax returns on the attorney’s behalf. On one occasion, Nicholson is alleged to have directed that a $250,000 payment to one of the attorney’s personal trusts be classified as a business expense. The indictment also alleges that Nicholson falsified his own tax returns for a four-year period by claiming bogus business expenses.
“Those who personally defraud taxpayers and help others to do the same for personal profit will face swift and certain justice in this district,” said U.S. Attorney Hurst. “I commend our agents and state investigators for their tenacity and their unflinching manner in following the evidence wherever it led and bringing this defendant to justice. Mr. Nicholson has skirted the law for too long, and today’s indictment proves that no one can hide from justice.”
If convicted, Nicholson faces a maximum of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge and three years for each charge of filing false tax returns and aiding in the preparation of false tax returns. He also faces supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and United States Attorney Hurst thanked special agents of Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and investigators with the Mississippi Auditor’s Office, who investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorneys Jay Golden and Fred Harper, as well at Trial Attorney Nathan Brooks, who are prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Middlesex County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Two Kilograms of Heroin in New JerseyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Parlin, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for delivering two kilograms of heroin to another individual in Harrison, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Pedro Rodriguez, 44, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an information charging him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Oct 19, 2017, law enforcement officers observed Pedro Rodriguez outside of a restaurant in Newark, where he met with another individual and retrieved a bag that was suspected of containing narcotics. Afterwards, Pedro Rodriguez drove to Harrison, met with Rafaelito Rodriguez (no relation), 43, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and provided him a bag containing approximately two kilograms of heroin. Rafaelito Rodriguez was arrested in Harrison shortly afterwards. Pedro Rodriguez was later arrested at his home in Parlin.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Rodriguez to five years of supervised release.
Rafaelito Rodriguez was sentenced July 17, 2018, to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Williams of the U.S. Attorney’s Office OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Valerie A. Nickerson, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
Defense counsel: Pedro Rodriguez is represented by Michael Pedicini Esq.
Michigan City Man Sentenced to 188 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Joseph Antonio Williams, 29 years old, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and having possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.
Williams was sentenced to 188 months in prison followed by 3 years supervised release.
According to documents in the case, a controlled buy was set up with Williams. During the buy, Joseph Williams was caught selling 1.7 grams of cocaine. After the buy, law enforcement saw Williams remove a screen from a window on the side of a house. As it was suspected that Williams was breaking and entering into a residence, officers drove to the scene, where Williams fled on foot. After a foot chase, police caught Williams and found a firearm in his pants pocket.
This case was investigated by ATF, Michigan City Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Luke N. Reilander.
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Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOEL MADRIGAL-SANCHEZ, age 20, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty to a one-count bill of information alleging illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8 United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the bill of information, JOEL MADRIGAL-SANCHEZ reentered the United States on or about March 8, 2018, after having been previously removed therefrom on or about December 8, 2015.
JOEL MADRIGAL-SANCHEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, one year of supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment. U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon set sentencing for September 13, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González is in charge of the prosecution.
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Mexican National Indicted for Marijuana Cultivation Near Sawmill Road in the Sequoia National ForestRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment Thursday against Saul Arreola-Cardenas, 27, of Mexico, charging him with conspiracy to grow marijuana with the intent to distribute it and damaging public lands and natural resources, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Arreola-Cardenas was apprehended near Sawmill Road in the Sequoia National Forest after the U.S. Forest Service received a tip regarding a suspected marijuana grow in the area. Law enforcement agents scouted the area in an attempt to locate the site, and they eventually spotted part of the grow site. At that time, they encountered Arreola‑Cardenas walking along a trail near the site while carrying buckets and speaking on a cellphone.
Upon further investigation, law enforcement agents found approximately 1,402 marijuana plants, thousands of pounds of trash, irrigation hose, camping equipment, fertilizer and pesticides at the grow site. Native trees, brush and other vegetation had been cut down at and near the grow site, and dead native wildlife were found at the site as well.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service with assistance from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Scott is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Arreola-Cardenas faces a minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. If convicted of the environmental crime, Arreola-Cardenas faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted, Arreola-Cardenas may also be liable for restitution to the U.S. Forest Service for damages stemming from the marijuana cultivation activities. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Mexican National Headed to Federal Prison for Possessing MethRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 31-year-old resident of Montemorelos, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, has been ordered to prison following his conviction of conspiracy with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Rolando Garcia-Fuentes pleaded guilty March 2, 2018.
Today, U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña ordered Garcia-Fuentes to serve 87 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face deportation proceedings following completion of his sentence.
On Dec. 9, 2017, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a northbound white Ford Freestar van Garcia-Fuentes was driving on IH-35 in La Salle County. At that time, he gave an implausible story regarding his travel.
A search of the vehicle revealed tampering and tool marks on the van’s stereo compartment and dashboard. Garcia-Fuentes agreed to return to the Border Patrol checkpoint where a canine gave a positive alert for the presence of narcotics and/or concealed humans. Authorities removed the stereo compartment and discovered signs of tampering with the vehicle’s air conditioning unit. They discovered a total of 16 bundles that tested positive for methamphetamine and had a net weight of nearly eight kilograms.
Garcia-Fuentes admitted he was getting paid to transport narcotics to the Dallas area and acknowledged he had done so on a previous occasion and was paid approximately $8,000.
Border Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Bukiewicz prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Charged with Possessing and Selling False Identification DocumentsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment today against Fernando Hernandez-Hernandez, 58, a Mexican citizen residing in Fresno, charging him with production and sales of false identification documents, possession of document‑making implements with intent to make false identification documents, fraud and misuse of visas and related documents, and being a previously deported alien found in the United States, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, in March and May 2018, Hernandez-Hernandez manufactured and sold false identification documents to buyers. He is also charged with possessing document-making implements primarily used to manufacture the false identification documents. These documents included social security cards and lawful permanent resident “green” cards. Hernandez‑Hernandez is also charged with being found in the United States following a prior deportation.
This case is the product of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Hernandez-Hernandez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Local Two-Time Felon Receives Lengthy Sentence for Robbery at GunpointRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 37-year-old Corpus Christi man has been ordered to federal prison for robbing a local convenience store at gunpoint and other various firearms offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Steven Moore pleaded guilty March 1, 2018, admitting to multiple firearms charges committed over a six-month period between summer 2016 and January 2017.
Today, visiting U.S. Circuit Judge Gregg Costa sentenced Moore to 144 months in federal prison.
Local police encountered Moore in August 2016 after he had picked up a friend who was caught stealing ammunition from a local sporting goods store. When police searched Moore’s vehicle, they found a .22 caliber rifle outfitted with an homemade silencer and a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol he had stolen from a licensed dealer two weeks prior.
Moore was arrested and charged by state authorities, but released on bond.
Several months later, while still on bond for the previous incident, Moore was identified as a suspect in a robbery. On Jan. 2, 2017, local police responded to a robbery at a local convenience store. The clerk indicated the robber had pointed a gun at him and took money from the register and several packs of cigarettes. Footage from the store surveillance cameras appeared to show the weapon as a possible 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
On Jan. 17, 2017, 15 days after the robbery, local police arrested Moore in a drug store parking lot where he was found sleeping in a car with the gun used during the robbery in the front pocket of his sweatshirt.
In all, Moore pleaded guilty to possessing three firearms, a silencer and more than 130 rounds of ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Jensen prosecuted the case.
Lewisburg Man Sentenced to 25 Years’ Imprisonment for Sexual Exploitation of A MinorRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Tony A. Vonneida, age 63, of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment and 20 years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Brann for sexual exploitation of a minor.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, in 2014, Vonneida coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. Vonneida committed the acts while he was required to register as a sex offender under Pennsylvania law. Vonneida also knowingly possessed digital images that contained images of child pornography including minors who had not attained 12 years of age that had been mailed, or shipped or transported in interstate commerce.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Buffalo Valley Regional Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
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Leader of Queens-Based Methamphetamine Distribution Organization ArrestedRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Anthony “Ant” Pineda was arrested on charges related to methamphetamine distribution in Queens, New York, and California. Pineda was arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollak and ordered detained pending trial. Fourteen additional defendants were previously arrested and arraigned on four indictments unsealed last month in federal court in Brooklyn.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), and Thomas Decker, Field Office Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), announced the indictments.
“Drug dealers are trying to turn New York into the next methamphetamine wasteland,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “The Eastern District will work tirelessly with our partners on long-term investigations such as this to prosecute those who poison our communities with this highly addictive and dangerous drug.” Mr. Donoghue expressed his thanks to ICE Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Postal Inspection Service for their assistance during the investigation.
“Using his illegal gambling business as a foundation, Pineda allegedly orchestrated an illicit methamphetamine enterprise,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “Distributing on both a large scale and street level, Pineda and his co-defendants carelessly endangered our communities. These individuals operated on opposite sides of the nation – but with the help of our fellow law enforcement agencies, today’s arrests show that expansiveness never inhibits justice.”
“The indictments show law enforcement’s resolve to arrest those involved in dealing drugs in our city,” said ERO Field Office Director Decker in New York. “We will continue to assist our law enforcement partners in providing any information that will lead to an eventual criminal arrest.”
“The behavior outlined in these indictments, and the violence so often associated with such acts, will never be tolerated by the NYPD or any of our law enforcement partners,” stated NYPD Commissioner O'Neill. “As we demonstrate time and again, we are patient and our collaborative forces have a long reach. We will be relentless in removing these criminals from our streets, because New Yorkers expect and deserve nothing less than our very best efforts to not only keep them safe, but to ensure they feel safe too.”
According to the indictments, court documents and statements made in court, Anthony Pineda led a methamphetamine distribution organization from his illegal gambling parlors located in Flushing, Queens. Pineda obtained large quantities of methamphetamine in California and transported the drugs to New York for wholesale and retail distribution. His co-defendants include large-scale and street-level methamphetamine distributors, as well as Pineda’s partners in the illegal gambling operation.
Pineda allegedly protected his illegal operations with threats and violence. For example, in 2017, he threatened a competing gambling parlor owner with a gun and referred to a “high voltage cattle prod” that a co-conspirator could use to collect a debt. When Pineda was arrested today at an apartment where he was staying, law enforcement officers recovered one pound of methamphetamine and approximately $27,000 in cash.
Pineda, Yunfeng Gao, Ting “Ting Ting” Li, Ivan Kaleda, Marco Rescino, Guanghua “Mao Mao” Shen, Jin Wang, Joung Hwa Yun, Lu “Chinese Ivan” Zhai and Nan Zhang are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and methamphetamine distribution. Min Li and Steven Torres are charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Davoud Haghighy is charged with methamphetamine distribution and firearms trafficking. Si En Li is charged with operating an illegal gambling parlor. Yuan Li is charged with extortion. In addition, Pineda and Rescino are charged with money laundering conspiracy.
The charges in the indictments are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the maximum sentences range from five years’ to life imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nadia E. Moore and Drew Rolle are in charge of the prosecution with assistance provided by Assistant United States Attorney Claire Kedeshian of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Unit.
The Defendants:
ANTHONY PINEDA
Age: 36
Queens, New York/San Francisco, CaliforniaYUNFENG GAO
Age: 33
Queens, New YorkIVAN KALEDA
Age: 28
Queens, New YorkSI EN LI
Age: 45
Brooklyn, New YorkTING LI
Age: 30
Queens, New YorkYUAN LI
Age: 34
Queens, New YorkMARCO RESCINO
Age: 22
San Francisco, CaliforniaGUANGHUA SHEN
Queens, New York
Age: 45JIN WANG
Age: 33
Queens, New York
JOUNG HWA YUN
Age: 40
Queens, New YorkLU ZHAI
Age: 30
Queens, New YorkNAN ZHANG
Age: 32
Queens, New York – E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-302 (MKB)MIN LI
Age: 40
Queens, New York – E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-292 (MKB)DAVOUD HAGHIGHY
Age: 33
Queens, New York – E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-301 (ILG)STEVEN TORRES
Age: 28
Queens, New York – E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-300 (MKB)Las Vegas Felon Convicted of Unlawful Possession of A Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Following a three-day jury trial, a Las Vegas felon was convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada.
Jacqueline Moore, 38, was found guilty of one count of felon in possession of a firearm and one count of felon in possession of ammunition. United States District Judge Kent J. Dawson presided over the hearing. Sentencing is scheduled for October 17, 2018. At the time of sentencing, Moore faces the maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, during a barbeque on the afternoon of October 27, 2017, Moore got into an altercation with a woman who became a victim of violence at the hands of Moore. The altercation happened at a residence near “B” Street and Monroe Street in Las Vegas. The victim left the barbecue and went to the Elk’s Lodge located at 600 West Owens Avenue. Almost immediately thereafter, Moore drove to the Elk’s Lodge and confronted the victim in the parking lot. During the altercation, Moore broke the victim’s car window and a tail light. Moore also threatened to shoot her with a .25 caliber pistol. After Moore fled the scene, an eyewitness called the police. Responding police officers located Moore a short time later and took her into custody near the residence at “B” and Monroe. A search of Moore’s vehicle revealed a .25 caliber pistol and a search of the purse Moore was carrying when she was apprehended yielded a single round of .25 caliber ammunition. Moore is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition due to her prior felony convictions in Clark County for assault with a deadly weapon and attempted battery with substantial bodily harm.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Allison Reese and Phillip N. Smith, Jr. are prosecuting the case.
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. For more information about PSN, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv
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La Crescent Man Sentenced to 75 Months in Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of BRYAN SCOTT ERICKSON, 40, to 75 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release for receiving child pornography. ERICKSON, who pleaded guilty on March 19, 2018, was sentenced earlier today before U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
“This case is the product of outstanding investigative work by dedicated law enforcement professionals,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Katharine Buzicky. “I am proud to work alongside individuals who are committed to tackling some of the most difficult cases in pursuit of justice for vulnerable, young victims of exploitation.”
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, ERICKSON used an online application called Kik to trade child pornography in groups dedicated to sharing images of child sexual abuse. In 2016, Homeland Security agents conducted an undercover investigation of child pornography trading on Kik and identified ERICKSON as a Kik user that was sharing child pornography. Homeland Security agents executed a search warrant at ERICKSON’S home and seized numerous computers and electronic devices. The forensic investigation revealed that ERICKSON had approximately 600 online chats with a man who claimed to have sex with his own children. ERICKSON asked the man for “advice” about when to start molesting children, and what sexual acts to engage in with children of various ages.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, with support from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant United States Attorney Katharine T. Buzicky prosecuted this case.
Defendant Information:
BRYAN SCOTT ERICKSON, 40
La Crescent, Minn.
Convicted:
- Receipt of child pornography, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 75 months in prison
- 10 years of supervised release
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Kewa Pueblo Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Assault ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Ruben Cheykaychi, 29, an enrolled member and resident of Kewa Pueblo, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 28 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction on an assault charge.
The BIA arrested Cheykaychi in May 2017, on an indictment charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm. According to the indictment, Cheykaychi committed the crime on April 20, 2016, on the Kewa Pueblo Indian Reservation in Sandoval County, N.M.
On Feb. 27, 2018, Cheykaychi pled guilty to the indictment and admitted assaulting his former girlfriend on April 20, 2016, after seeing her vehicle parked in an area of Kewa Pueblo. In his plea agreement, Cheykaychi stated that, after a failed attempt to engage the victim in conversation, he became upset and began yelling at her. Cheykaychi admitted retrieving a BB gun, which resembled a real handgun, from his vehicle and holding it to the victim’s head while threatening to shoot her. He also admitted putting the BB gun in the victim’s mouth while continuing to yell at her and threatening her, and attempting to take her car keys from her to prevent her from escaping.
This case was investigated by Southern Pueblos Agency of the BIA, Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall prosecuted the case as part of the Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (Tribal SAUSA) Pilot Project in the District of New Mexico which is sponsored by the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women under a grant administered by the Pueblo of Laguna. The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project seeks to train tribal prosecutors in federal law, procedure and investigative techniques to increase the likelihood that every viable violent offense against Native women is prosecuted in either federal court or tribal court, or both. The Tribal SAUSA Pilot Project was largely driven by input gathered from annual tribal consultations on violence against women, and is another step in the Justice Department's on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in tribal communities.
Judge Sentences Pittsburgh Man to 13 Years Imprisonment on Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 13 years’ imprisonment, followed by 8 years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating the federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on George Scott, 33, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, from in and around January 2016, and continuing until in and around July 2016, Scott conspired with others to distribute more than 400 grams of heroin. Scott has several prior felony state court drug trafficking convictions, and he has a previous federal conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) responsible for the successful prosecution of Scott. That task force was comprised of members drawn from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Department, the Baldwin Borough Police Department, the Duquesne Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Munhall Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, the City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Scott Township Police Department, and the West Homestead Police Department, along with assistance from the Borough of McKees Rocks Police Department, the Borough of Ambridge Police Department, the Borough of Sewickley Police Department, the Crescent Township Police Department, the City of Aliquippa Police Department, the Borough of New Brighton Police Department, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Jackson Man Sentenced to Almost 6 Years in Federal Prison under Project EJECTRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Jermaine Lockett, 45, of Jackson, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Tom S. Lee to 70 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing controlled substances, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Dana Nichols, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives. Lockett was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $4,520.
On December 17, 2017, officers with the Jackson Police Department were on patrol in the area of East Frontage Road and Canton Mart Road. An officer observed a vehicle driving erratically in the area and attempted a traffic stop. The driver failed to stop and instead increased speed and fled. The vehicle hit another vehicle before coming to a stop. Lockett ran from the vehicle and was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and fentanyl. A firearm was also recovered from the vehicle. Lockett was arrested and charged.
On March 30, 2018, a criminal information was filed charging Lockett on two counts – being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. He had been previously convicted of felony evasion and possession of stolen property on April 7, 2011, in Madison County Circuit Court, and being a felon in possession of a firearm on November 6, 2008, in Hinds County Circuit Court.
Lockett pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl on April 19, 2018.
Project EJECT is an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime in Jackson through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Jackson Expel Crime Together." PSN is program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
U.S. Attorney Hurst commended the work of the Jackson Police Department and their cooperation with ATF agents and Project EJECT task force members. AUSA Erin Chalk is prosecuting the case.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Multiple DrugsRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Ance Payton, 42, of Jackson, pled guilty today before United States District Judge Tom S. Lee, to possessing several illegal drugs with the intent to distribute them, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
In 2017, the Jackson Police Department received several complaints from Crime Stoppers and concerned citizens about a home on Plantation Boulevard in Jackson, Mississippi. Law enforcement began an investigation that included physical surveillance. During that time, they saw hand-to-hand transactions and other indicators of drug dealing. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant. When executing that warrant, investigators found hundreds of grams of marijuana, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, and hydrocodone pills. They also found a digital scale and other evidence of drug-distribution activities.
In their search, detectives recovered a revolver, which Payton illegally possessed. They also found evidence of illegal dog fighting, including twelve pit bulls.
Payton will be sentenced in Jackson by Judge Tom S. Lee on October 18, 2018, and faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a $1,250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Jackson Police Department.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Willie Joe Mason, 43, of Memphis, Tennessee, pled guilty today before Senior United States District Judge William H. Barbour, Jr. for his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst.
On June 27, 2017, agents served a federal arrest warrant on a co-defendant for outstanding federal drug charges and Mason was found in the home in Jackson. Following a search of the home, Mason was found to be in possession of approximately 7 kilograms of cocaine.
On September 7, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted Mason for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride and possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms of more of cocaine hydrochloride.
Mason will be sentenced by Judge Barbour on October 16, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $10 million fine.
This case is the result of an extensive Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, dubbed AOperation Pipeline,@ which began as an operation targeting illegal narcotics distribution in central Mississippi involving cocaine and marijuana. The distribution network encompasses the states of California, Texas and Mississippi.
The OCDETF program is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
The OCDETF operation was a joint investigation by the United States Immigration, Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, with assistance from US Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives, Mississippi Highway Patrol, Jackson Police Department, and the Hinds County Sheriff’s Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Chalk.
Irving, Texas, Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Miguel Leon Bejarano, age 25, of Irving, Texas pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349, punishable by not more than 30 years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000.00 fine, or both.
The Indictment alleged that in or about November, 2017, to on or about March 27, 2018, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendant, did knowingly and wilfully conspire, with other persons known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit an offense, that is, to transmit or cause to be transmitted by means of a wire communication, in interstate commerce, writings, signs, signals, pictures, and sounds in order to obtain money by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.The charges arose from an investigation by the Lighthorse Police Department, the Waxahachie Police Department, and the United States Secret Service.
The Honorable Steven P. Shreder, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Henson represented the United States.
Idaho Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Threat and Assault of Federal Law Enforcement During 2014 Armed Standoff in BunkervilleRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – An Idaho man was sentenced today to 168 months in federal prison for his involvement in the armed assault against federal law enforcement officers that occurred in April 2014, in the Bunkerville, Nevada, area, during the removal and impoundment of Cliven Bundy’s cattle that were trespassing on federal public lands, announced U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada
Todd C. Engel, 51, was found guilty by a jury in April 2017, of obstruction of justice and interstate travel in aid of extortion. He was indicted by a grand jury in March 2016. United States District Chief Judge Gloria M. Navarro presided over the trial and sentencing hearing.
During a 32-day jury trial, evidence showed, that in April 2014, Engel traveled to Bunkerville with the intent to commit a crime of violence against federal law enforcement officers who were executing a federal court order. Engel, brandishing a loaded AR-15 assault rifle with extra ammunition in his tactical vest, hid behind concrete barriers on the I-15 overpass. He brandished his firearm at law enforcement to impede, intimidate, and to threaten to assault federal law enforcement officers involved in the impoundment operations.
The case was investigated by the FBI and BLM. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven W. Myhre, Daniel R. Schiess, and Nadia J. Ahmed prosecuted the case.
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Four Men Sentenced in Connection with Gems and Gold Corner Jewelry Store Armed Robbery and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Ron Delano Kuntz, 44, of St. Thomas, and Shawn McIntosh, 25, and Keon Wilson, 23, of St. Croix, were sentenced today for their roles in the armed robbery of the Gems and Gold Corner jewelry store, located on the St. Thomas waterfront, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced. "The flagrant actions of gun-toting robbers will not be tolerated in the Territory," said U.S. Attorney Shappert. "In the United States Attorney’s Office, our primary focus is public safety. We intend to target violent criminals for federal prosecution. Today’s sentences are the result of constructive relationships between law-abiding citizens, hard-working law enforcement officers, and dedicated federal prosecutors."
District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez sentenced Kuntz to 78 months in prison for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, and 78 months for Hobbs Act robbery, both sentences to run concurrent, with a consecutive sentence of 84 months’ imprisonment for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence: a total term of imprisonment of 162 months. He sentenced McIntosh to 67 months in prison for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and 67 months for Hobbs Act robbery, both sentences to run concurrent, with a consecutive sentence of 84 months’ imprisonment for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence: a total term of imprisonment of 151 months. He sentenced Wilson to 51 months in prison for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and 51 months for Hobbs Act robbery, both sentences to run concurrent, with a consecutive sentence of 84 months’ imprisonment for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence: a total term of imprisonment of 135 months. Judge Gomez also sentenced each defendant to three years of supervised release on counts one and two of the indictment and five years on count three. Judge Gomez ordered each defendant to pay a $300 special assessment, and perform 400 hours of community service.
After a two-day trial in January of 2018, a federal jury convicted Kuntz, McIntosh and Wilson of conspiring to commit and committing a Hobbs Act robbery of Gems and Gold Corner Jewelry Store on St. Thomas, on September 16, 2013. According to the trial evidence, these individuals and others, conspired to rob the store and brandish weapons to threaten and intimidate store employees, and four of the individuals fled the store with merchandise.
Prior to trial, four defendants entered guilty pleas. Earlier this month, Jarmaine Ayala pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and on July 11, 2018, Judge Gomez sentenced Ayala, age 37, to 67 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Judge Gomez also ordered Ayala to perform 400 hours of community service.
Kuntz, McIntosh, Wilson and Ayala were ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $31,027.81 to Gems and Gold Corner and $130,322.12 to Dorchester Insurance.
This case is a result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Virgin Islands Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim L. Chisholm.
Four Individuals Including Two Illegal Aliens Facing Federal Charges in Deadly Fentanyl & Heroin Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Four individuals, including two who are illegally in the United States, are facing federal drug distribution charges following drug overdoses last March in Columbia, Tennessee, announced Don Cochran, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
A federal grand jury sitting in Nashville, yesterday, returned a nine-count superseding indictment against the following persons: Juan Manuel Morales-Rodriguez, aka “Jimmy,” aka “Antonio Sanchez-Mundo,” 39, of Tepic, Mexico; Juan Samudio-Castro, aka “Carlos,” 26, of Michoaacan, Mexico; Austin Chase Sneed, 23, and Jacob Allen Beaver, 22, both of Columbia, Tennessee. Rodriguez, Castro and Sneed were originally charged with the heroin distribution conspiracy in a criminal complaint on March 27, 2018, and all defendants are in custody.
“As long as it takes, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local, state and federal law enforcement will continue our pursuit against those who insist on contributing to the opioid epidemic facing this nation by supplying their deadly fentanyl-laced drugs and exploiting a vulnerable and addicted population, said U.S. Attorney Cochran. “This is yet another tragic example of the consequences of a long un-checked immigration system and the ease in which these illegal drugs enter our country.”
Count one of the indictment charges all four with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, the use of which resulted in death and serious bodily injury. Morales-Rodriguez and Samudio-Castro are charged with an additional six counts of distributing heroin/fentanyl. Sneed is charged with two additional counts of distributing heroin/fentanyl and Beaver is charged with one additional count of distributing heroin/fentanyl. In addition, Morales-Rodriguez, who is illegally in the United States, is charged with aggravated illegal reentry.
According to the indictment, on March 21, 2018, at least two individuals in Maury County, Tennessee died as a result of ingesting and overdosing on heroin and/or fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid commonly prescribed for pain management and relief.
Charging documents also allege that the defendants were involved in a conspiracy where individuals would call a telephone number and place an order for illicit drugs, in this case heroin. The drugs were later delivered to the customer by a third-party courier who works for the same drug organization. After a customer called and placed an order for heroin, the person answering the phone instructed the customer to meet a drug courier inside various public restrooms in the Franklin, Cool Springs, and Brentwood areas near Interstate 65 in Williamson County, Tennessee. Charging documents allege that the drug transactions occurred in the public restrooms of retail establishments in that area..
If convicted, the defendants face a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison, up to life and up to a $5,000,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Columbia Police Dept; the Maury County Sheriff’s Office; the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department; the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office; and the 21st Judicial District Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Siji Moore.
An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Former baggage handler sentenced for smuggling loaded firearms onto aircraftRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Eugene Harvey, a former baggage handler for Delta Air Lines at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, has been sentenced to federal prison for conspiring to carry hundreds or weapons onto passenger planes, as a part of a scheme to traffic firearms from Georgia to New York.
“Harvey breached airport security at one of the nation’s busiest airports in the world, when he smuggled illegal weapons - some of which were loaded - onto passenger airplanes,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “We take airline safety seriously and we will continue to prosecute individuals who threaten the safety of our airline travelers.”
“There is no telling how many homicides were prevented by stopping Harvey and his accomplices from continuing to smuggle guns, not to mention the airline safety factor the guns posed,” said Ricardo Grave de Peralta, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This case is another example of our determination to make our neighborhoods safer by keeping illegal firearms off our streets.”
“Firearms trafficking puts guns into the hands of violent criminals,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Arthur Peralta. “Mr. Harvey was not concerned with the safety of airline passengers or with the fact that his actions promoted violence on the streets of New York City. We must all work together to ensure that people like Mr. Harvey are identified, arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Throughout 2014, Harvey used his security badge to smuggle firearms through airport-controlled security checkpoints at Hartsfield-Jackson, while working as a baggage handler for Delta Air Lines. He then transferred the firearms to his accomplice, another former Delta employee. The accomplice concealed the firearms in his carry-on luggage and took them into the passenger cabins of flights traveling between Atlanta and New York’s JFK and LaGuardia Airports. The transfer of the firearms would take place in locations past the Transportation Security Administration’s checkpoints - such as a men’s restrooms or food court areas. The transfer locations were agreed upon through text messages prior to the handoff. Harvey’s accomplice then flew to New York with the guns, where they were illegally sold by a third accomplice.
A federal investigation into Harvey began when the New York Police Department (NYPD) and the Kings County, New York, District Attorney’s Office notified the FBI that an unidentified individual was helping a gun trafficker move firearms illegally from Georgia to New York. The NYPD identified and arrested the New York seller of the illegal firearms, and worked with the Atlanta FBI Office to investigate how the guns were being smuggled into New York. Upon learning the firearms were being smuggled on passenger planes, Delta Air Lines worked closely with law enforcement to identify Harvey as the inside smuggler and immediately terminated his employment.
In total, Harvey trafficked 135 firearms between Georgia and New York. The last shipment on December 10, 2014, contained 18 firearms, seven of which were loaded.
Eugene Harvey, 34 of College Park, Georgia and his co-conspirators were recently convicted and sentenced in New York for state firearms violations. Harvey was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. to 30 months in prison to run concurrent with the five year sentence he is currently serving in New York, to be followed by three years supervised release for conspiring to carry guns onto an aircraft as part of a scheme to traffic firearms to New York. Harvey was arrested on the federal charges on December 20, 2014 and he pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge on December 8, 2017.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Air Marshals, with assistance from the Transportation Security Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim S. Dammers, Chief of the Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Skye Davis 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 St. Louis Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Accept BribesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Cauncenet Brown, 42, of Perris, CA, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to accept bribes in connection with a scheme to obtain un-redacted accident reports for use in Dr. Mitchell Davis’ Chiropractic Clinic.
According to court documents, former Police Officer Cauncenet Brown received payments from Galina Davis, the wife of Dr. Mitchell Davis – a St. Louis chiropractor, for providing accident reports and information. Brown was a St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) police officer from about 2003 to November 2011 and again from 2013 until she left the SLMPD for the last time in 2015. While at the SLMPD, Brown knew and worked with Police Officer Marlon Caldwell and Police Officer Terri Owens. For a time, Caldwell provided the accident reports or information to Galina Davis; later both Caldwell and Brown provided the reports and information. Before Brown left the SLMPD in 2011, she told Owens that she could make some money by providing information contained in the un-redacted accident reports to Galina Davis. Brown told Owens that she should contact Galina Davis, if she was willing to provide the information to Galina Davis. When Brown returned to the department in 2013, she again received payments from Galina Davis in return for disclosing un-redacted accident reports or information from those reports.
Marlon Caldwell and Mark Taylor are awaiting trial on conspiracy and bribery charges.
Co-conspirators Terri Owens, Dr. Mitchell Davis, and Galina Davis have pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Brown faces up to 5 years in prison and a fine of not more than $250,000 or both. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Dorothy McMurtry and Reginald Harris are handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Former Mail Handler Admits Stealing Parcels Containing DrugsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A former U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail handler today admitted stealing approximately 16 packages containing marijuana, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Akeem Cauthen, 30, of Newark, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of theft of mail. He was released on $40,000 unsecured bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Cauthen was a mail handler at the Northern New Jersey Metro Processing and Distribution Center in Teterboro, New Jersey. From May to November 2017, Cauthen looked for parcels from Arizona, California, or Colorado, and then smelled, opened or poked holes in the packages to search for marijuana. Upon finding marijuana, Cauthen stole the parcels by replacing the original mailing labels with labels containing addresses in Paterson where he later picked them up. Overall, Cauthen obtained approximately $32,000 worth of marijuana.
The theft of mail charge is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 24, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents with USPS-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, Northeast Area Field Office, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jihee G. Suh of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: Kevin Carlucci Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark
Former Lawrence Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today that Yomar Maldonado, 22, formerly of Lawrence, Massachusetts, was sentenced serve 60 months in federal prison for participating in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy.
Court documents and statements in court showed that from December of 2016 through February of 2017, Maldonado conspired with others to sell approximately 95 grams of fentanyl to an undercover New Hampshire State Police detective inside the Rockingham Mall in Salem, New Hampshire.
Maldonado pleaded guilty on April 10, 2018. After serving his prison sentence, he will be on supervised release for four years. He also faces potential deportation to Spain after serving his sentence.
“Fentanyl is a deadly drug that continues to cause grave damage to the people of the Granite State,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “In order to protect the safety of our community, we will use every resource at our disposal to investigate and prosecute drug dealers who sell fentanyl in New Hampshire.”
This investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the New Hampshire State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis is prosecuting the case.
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Former Executive Director of Non-Profit Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy with Unnamed State Senator and Convicted LobbyistRead the Press Release
A Former Executive Director of a non-profit pleaded guilty today to conspiring to unlawfully divert over $380,000 from South Arkansas Youth Services (SAYS), without the authority of the non-profit’s Board of Directors. According to plea documents, the scheme involved steering the non-profit’s funds to an Arkansas state senator and the lobbying firm of convicted lobbyist Milton “Rusty” Cranford, in exchange for the state senator agreeing to influence Arkansas officials regarding state contracts.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Duane (DAK) Kees for the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
Jerry Walsh, 72, of Magnolia, Arkansas, who served as the Executive Director of SAYS pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan O. Hickey to an information charging him with conspiracy to misapply the non-profit’s funds without authority from the Board of Directors.
As part of his plea, Walsh admitted that beginning in 2013, while serving as Executive Director for SAYS, he agreed to divert SAYS funds to Rusty Cranford and an unnamed Arkansas state senator in exchange for the state senator’s influence in protecting the non-profit’s state contracts with the Arkansas Department Health Services (DHS) and DHS’ Division of Youth Services (DYS). As part of that agreement, Walsh was to provide a monthly “legal retainer” to the Arkansas state senator without the expectation that the senator ever provide any legal work. Instead, the purpose of the payment was to obtain the senator’s assistance in preserving the contracts by influencing DHS and DYS officials. According to the plea, the amount paid to the senator was negotiated by convicted lobbyist Rusty Cranford and amounted to over $120,000.
Additionally, as part of the agreement, Walsh locked SAYS into a more expensive contract with Cranford’s lobbying firms and employed a relative of Cranford who would have a “no-show” job with SAYS. Between the new contract with the Cranford lobbying firm and the payment for the no-show job, the non-profit paid out an additional $262,000 in diverted funds. As part of his plea, Walsh admitted that these payments and those to the state senator were not authorized by the SAYS Board of Directors.
“Jerry Walsh diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars intended to help vulnerable children in southern Arkansas as a part of a corrupt scheme to influence the award of state contracts,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “Walsh’s actions ultimately risked destroying the non-profit he helped lead and undermining the public’s confidence in its elected officials. The Criminal Division and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the integrity of charitable programs, rooting out corruption, and ensuring that individuals like Walsh are held accountable for their actions.”
“This plea exposes the depths to which ‘pay to play’ politics has corrupted a non-profit organization which was formed with the best of intentions, to help children,” said U.S. Attorney Kees. “Unfortunately, there are many victims in a scheme like this. The people of this state were deprived of the uncorrupted functioning of their government agencies, the non-profit was stripped of funds, and now that the non-profit has been shuttered, the community is deprived of a non-profit dedicated to providing services to their most vulnerable children, those who are incarcerated and in state custody. I look forward to a day when all politicians exercising influence do so based upon the best interests of the children in their communities and not on who is paying them for no-show jobs.”
The FBI investigated this case along with the assistance of the Magnolia Police Department and the 13th Judicial District of Arkansas Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Wulff of the Western District of Arkansas and Trial Attorney Marco A. Palmieri of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Deputy Prosecutor Ryan Phillips with the 13th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. This is a combined investigation with the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice, the Eastern District of Arkansas, Western District of Arkansas, and the Western District of Missouri.
Former Executive Director of Non-Profit Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy with Unnamed State Senator and Convicted LobbyistRead the Press Release
El Dorado, Arkansas – Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Jerry Kennedy Walsh, age 72, of Magnolia, Arkansas pleaded guilty today to conspiring to misapply over $380,000 from South Arkansas Youth Services without the authority of the non-profit’s Board of Directors. According to plea documents, the scheme involved steering the non-profit’s funds to an Arkansas state senator, to the lobbying firm of convicted lobbyist Milton “Rusty” Cranford, and to a relative of Cranford.
U.S. Attorney Duane (DAK) Kees for the Western District of Arkansas and Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
Walsh of Magnolia, Arkansas, who served as the Executive Director of South Arkansas Youth Services (SAYS) pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan O. Hickey to an information charging him with conspiracy to misapply the non-profit’s funds without authority from the Board of Directors.
As part of his plea, Walsh admitted that beginning in 2013, while serving as Executive Director for SAYS, he agreed to divert SAYS funds to Rusty Cranford and an unnamed Arkansas state senator in exchange for the state senator’s influence in protecting the non-profit’s state contracts with DHS and DYS. As part of that agreement, Walsh was to provide a monthly “legal retainer” to the Arkansas state senator without the expectation that the senator ever provide any legal work. Instead, the purpose of the payment was to obtain the senator’s assistance in preserving the contracts in his official capacity. According to the plea, the amount paid to the senator was negotiated by convicted lobbyist Rusty Cranford and amounted to over $120,000.
Additionally, as part of the agreement, Walsh was to lock SAYS into a more expensive contract with Cranford’s lobbying firms and employ a relative of Cranford who would have a “no-show” job with SAYS. Between the new contract with the Cranford lobbying firm and the payment for the no-show job, the non-profit paid out an additional $262,000. As part of his plea, Walsh admitted that these payments and those to the state senator were not authorized by the SAYS Board of Directors.
“This plea exposes the depths to which ‘pay to play’ politics has corrupted a non-profit organization which was formed with the best of intentions, to help children,” said U.S. Attorney Kees. “Unfortunately, there are many victims in a scheme like this. The people of this state were deprived of the uncorrupted functioning of their government agencies, the non-profit was stripped of funds, and now that the non-profit has been shuttered, the community is deprived of a non-profit dedicated to providing services to their most vulnerable children, those who are incarcerated and in state custody. I look forward to a day when all politicians exercising influence do so based upon the best interests of the children in their communities and not on who is paying them for no-show jobs.”
“Jerry Walsh diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars intended to help vulnerable children in southern Arkansas as a part of a corrupt scheme to influence the award of state contracts,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “Walsh’s actions ultimately risked destroying the non-profit he helped lead and undermining the public’s confidence in its elected officials. The Criminal Division and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the integrity of charitable programs, rooting out corruption, and ensuring that individuals like Walsh are held accountable for their actions.”
The FBI investigated this case along with the assistance of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (Sheriff Mike Loe) and the 13th Judicial District of Arkansas Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (Prosecuting Attorney John Shepherd). Assistant United States Attorney Ben Wulff of the Western District of Arkansas and Trial Attorney Marco A. Palmieri of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Deputy Prosecutor Ryan Phillips with the 13th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. This is a combined investigation with the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice, the Eastern District of Arkansas, Western District of Arkansas, and the Western District of Missouri.
Former DMV Employee Sentenced to over 3 Years in Prison for Bank Fraud and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley sentenced Sarah Laray Sandoval, 40, of West Sacramento, today to three years and three months in prison for her participation in a scheme that involved stealing U.S. Mail and DMV data to commit bank fraud and identity theft, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
San Francisco Division Inspector in Charge Rafael Nunez of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service stated, “Postal Inspectors work closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners in law enforcement to arrest and prosecute those individuals responsible for fraud schemes committed against the public.”
On May 10, 2018, Sandoval pleaded guilty to three counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. According to court documents, between December 2016 and June 2, 2017, Sandoval and co-defendant Anthony Andrew Zamarron, 38, of Elk Grove, and others, stole mail throughout Sacramento and Yolo Counties, including neighborhoods in West Sacramento, Elk Grove, and Sacramento. Then Sandoval and her associates cataloged the stolen mail, profiled victims for identity theft, and researched victims using DMV databases. Sandoval and her associates opened bank and credit accounts in the name of mail theft victims. They forged signatures and deposited the forged checks into accounts in Sandoval's name or into fraudulently opened accounts in victim names. They caused financial institutions to send debit and credit cards and related items to U.S. mail boxes under their control or to which they had access, including Sandoval's own residence.
Sandoval worked at the California DMV starting on June 26, 2000, and was in the DMV “Mandatory Actions Unit” from 2005 to July 14, 2017. She was responsible for making final decisions on reinstating the driving privileges for, among other offenses, driving under the influence. As a senior technician, Sandoval had access to statewide DMV records for license holders and databases containing license holders’ assigned driver license number and personal information, including name, date of birth, business, or residence mailing address. Sandoval accessed DMV data to assist the bank fraud and identity theft scheme.
Sandoval and her associates’ bank fraud and identity theft scheme involved over 100 different victims and intended loss of over $77,000.
Charges are pending against Zamarron, and he has not yet appeared in federal court on these charges. He is presently in custody in the state of Nevada for unrelated charges. The charges against Zamarron are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the California DMV Special Investigations Unit and the Elk Grove Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.
Former Background Investigator for Federal Government Pleads Guilty to Making a False StatementRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rose Gross, 62, a former background investigator who did work under contract for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), pled guilty today to a charge stemming from her falsification of work on background investigations of federal employees and contractors, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Norbert E. Vint, Acting Inspector General for the Office of Personnel Management.
Gross, of District Heights, Md., pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to making a false statement. The Honorable Rudolph Contreras scheduled sentencing for Oct. 22, 2018. The charge carries a statutory penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Gross faces a range of 12 to 18 months in prison. She also has agreed to pay $189,042 in restitution to the federal government.
According to a statement of offense submitted to the Court, Gross was employed by USIS and KeyPoint Government Solutions as an investigator under contract to conduct background investigations on behalf of OPM’s Federal Investigative Services, which now is known as OPM’s National Background Investigations Bureau. All of the criminal conduct in this case took place while Gross worked under contract on behalf of Federal Investigative Services.
Between April 2014 and February 2015, in more than two dozen Reports of Investigations on background investigations, Gross represented that she had interviewed a source or reviewed a record regarding the subject of the background investigation. In fact, she had not conducted the interviews or obtained the records of interest. These reports were utilized and relied upon by the agencies requesting the background investigations to determine whether the subjects were suitable for positions having access to classified information, for positions impacting national security, for receiving or retaining security clearances, or for positions of public trust.
The false representations by Gross have required OPM to reopen and rework numerous background investigations that were assigned to her during the time period of her falsifications, at an estimated cost of at least $189,092 to the U.S. government.
OPM has a robust integrity assurance program which utilizes a variety of methods to ensure the accuracy of reported information. The falsification of investigative case work by the defendant was detected through the program.
This is one of numerous cases prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia since 2008 involving false representations by background investigators and record checkers working on federal background investigations. In addition to Gross, 24 other background investigators and two record checkers have been convicted of charges.
With a staff of more than 9,900 federal and contract employees, the National Background Investigations Bureau (NBIB) conducts approximately 95 percent of all personnel background investigations for the federal government. NBIB processed over 2.5 million background investigations in the 2017 fiscal year.
In performing background investigations, the investigators conduct interviews of individuals who have information about the person who is the subject of the review. In addition, the investigators seek out, obtain, and review documentary evidence, such as employment records, to verify and corroborate information provided by either the subject of the background investigation or by persons interviewed during the investigation. After conducting interviews and obtaining documentary evidence, the investigators prepare a Report of Investigation containing the results of the interviews and document reviews, and electronically submit the material to OPM in Washington, D.C. OPM then provides a copy of the investigative file to the requesting agency, which can use the information to determine an individual’s eligibility for employment or a security clearance.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu and Acting Inspector General Vint praised the efforts of Special Agent Christopher J. Sulhoff, OPM, Office of the Inspector General, and Philip Kroop and Kevin Cassidy, OPM, NBIB. They also acknowledged the work of Paralegal Specialists Aisha Keys and Joshua Fein of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Chubin Epstein, who investigated and prosecuted this matter.
Five Crew Members Sentenced for Smuggling 1,205 Pounds of Cocaine on the High Seas; Captain of Low-Profile Vessel Sentenced to 210 monthsRead the Press Release
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Fitzwater (619) 546-8756, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Gibbons (619) 546-8419, Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Wu
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – July 19, 2018
SAN DIEGO – Five crew members were sentenced in federal court this week for smuggling 1,205 pounds of cocaine across the ocean in low-profile vessels, including a captain who received a 17-year term.
Two of the defendants had previously been convicted of similar crimes in the Middle District of Florida. United States District Judge Roger T. Benitez sentenced the defendants to spend between 84-210 months in prison.
On September 17, 2017, captain Jorge Ortiz-Salazar and crewmembers Elpidio Enriquez and Laureano Benitez-Montano were spotted traveling in the Eastern Pacific Ocean aboard a low-profile vessel loaded with cocaine. Meanwhile, another boat captain, defendant Luis Alberto Corado-Polanco, and crew member Juan Jose Valiente-Tomes, were traveling in a go-fast vessel intending to rendezvous with the other crew onboard the low-profile vessel. United States Coast Guard Cutter JAMES launched a helicopter to intercept the defendants’ vessels.
When the Coast Guard helicopter intercepted the low profile vessel, Ortiz-Salazar abandoned it by jumping onto Corado-Polanco’s go-fast vessel. Corado-Polanco then attempted to outrun the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard helicopter issued orders to stop, and then issued warning shots, both of which were ignored. Ultimately the go-fast vessel was stopped when the Coast Guard fired disabling shots at its engines. The Coast Guard later recovered approximately 1,205 pounds of cocaine from the low profile vessel.
Three defendants are Colombian nationals and two defendants are Guatemalan nationals. Three defendants admitted to conspiring to distribute the cocaine. Of those three defendants, Laureano Benitez-Montano was sentenced to 84 months in custody; Luis Alberto Corado-Polanco was sentenced to 96 months in custody; and Juan Jose Valiente-Tomes was sentenced to 84 months in custody. The Court found that Corado-Polanco, as captain of the go-fast vessel, created a potentially dangerous situation by fleeing from law enforcement. The other two defendants admitted to possession with intent to distribute the cocaine while onboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Of those defendants, Elpidio Enriquez was sentenced to 180 months in custody and Jorge Ortiz-Salazar was sentenced to 210 months in custody.
“As we see more and more smugglers taking to the ocean, hoping to go undetected in the vast territory of the Eastern Pacific Ocean, we have redoubled our efforts and committed more resources to this problem,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Braverman. “We are at the forefront of our nation’s war against drugs and will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners at the Coast Guard and the DEA to dismantle violent and dangerous transnational organized crime networks that are using the high seas as a Narco expressway.”
“The Coast Guard’s mission of interdicting drug smugglers in the Eastern Pacific Ocean is extraordinarily challenging, but it is essential to protect our nation from the international flow of illegal drugs and the transnational organized criminals that thrive from the drug trade,” said Rear Adm. Peter Gautier, Commander of the 11th Coast Guard District. “The Coast Guard will be steadfast in our role to dismantle transnational drug trafficking networks by intercepting their vessels, seizing their drugs and bringing the traffickers to court to answer for their crimes.”
“These men were brazen in fleeing from the U.S. Coast Guard, but today they were acquainted with Lady Justice,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Karen Flowers. “As she stands in judgement, let those who threaten our nation be reminded that when law enforcement joins forces, they face no greater enemy.”
This case is the result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.
DEFENDANTS
Case Number 17cr3293
Elpidio Enriquez Age: 62 Colombia
Laureano Benitez-Montano Age: 43 Colombia
Case Number 17cr3328
Luis Alberto Corado-Polanco Age: 39 Guatemala
Juan Jose Valiente-Tomes Age: 49 Guatemala
Jorge Ortiz-Salazar Age: 42 Colombia
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Onboard a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States – Title 46, U.S.C., Section 70503
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10,000,000 fine
Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Intended for Unlawful Importation – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 959, 960, and 963
Maximum penalty: Life in prison and $10,000,000 fine
AGENCY
Drug Enforcement Administration
United States Coast Guard
Felon with over 50 Prior Convictions Sentenced to 225 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine announces the conviction and sentence of John Jordan, Jr. (52), of Bloomingdale, Georgia. Today, United States District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood sentenced John Jordan, Jr. to 225 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Earlier this year, a jury deliberated less than an hour before finding him guilty of the charge. When he is released from prison, he will be on Court supervision for three years. There is no parole in the federal system.
As outlined at the sentencing hearing and trial, on April 28, 2016, Savannah Chatham Police Officers responded to the scene of a one vehicle crash in Savannah, Georgia. Upon arrival, they found John Jordan, Jr., trapped in the vehicle. After first responders cut him loose from the vehicle, paramedics transported him to the hospital. During transport, one of the paramedics observed a firearm tucked into Jordan’s waistband. A paramedic secured it; and police later collected it as evidence. Jordan was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he was a convicted felon.
At sentencing, federal prosecutors argued for a significant sentence based on the serious nature of the offense and the defendant’s criminal history that included over fifty prior convictions, including over 20 felony state convictions, over 33 misdemeanor state convictions, and multiple violations of parole and probation. Among Mr. Jordan’s many crimes, he previously fought a female police officer and bent her finger back breaking the bone and tendons, rendering it useless.
In sentencing Mr. Jordan, Judge Wood emphasized that in her eleven years on the bench, Mr. Jordan had the second most extensive criminal history she had ever encountered.
United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine states: “For decades Mr. Jordan has been a menace. He has burglarized a home, stole vehicles, drove while intoxicated, threatened citizens and police officers, escaped from custody, beat people, obstructed justice, committed arson, and possessed a firearm in violation of the law. Today, his decades of criminal activity have caught up with him; and now he has almost two decades of prison time to reflect on the life he has lived. Let this sentence serve as a message to other menaces in our community: Gun Crime Equals Jail Time.”
ATF Resident Agent in Charge Tim Graden states: “John Jordan Jr. has made a career out of breaking the law. The sentence that Jordan received represents the seriousness of his crimes. ATF’s mission is to bring criminals like Jordan to justice. We will continue to collaborate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Savannah Police Department in order to reduce violent crime in our community.”
This case was investigated by the Savannah Police Department (previously Savannah Chatham Metropolitan Police Department), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Josephson and Greg Gilluly. For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Felon from Belen Sentenced to Eight Years for Unlawful Possession of Body Armor and Oxycodone TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Barry Romero, 38, of Belen, N.M, was sentenced today in Albuquerque, N.M., to eight years in federal prison for his conviction on unlawfully possessing body armor and oxycodone trafficking charges. Romero will be on supervised release for three years after completing his prison sentence.
Romero was prosecuted as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets violent, repeat offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders primarily based on their prior criminal convictions for federal prosecution offenders with the goal of making communities in New Mexico safer places for people to live and work.
Romero was arrested on Sept. 28, 2016, on a two-count indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of body armor by a felon who had been convicted of a crime of violence. Romero committed the crimes on Nov. 10, 2015, in Valencia County, N.M. At the time, Romero was prohibited from possessing firearms, ammunition or body armor because of his prior felony convictions.
On Jan. 12, 2018, Romero pled guilty to a felony information charging him with possession of body armor by a felon who has been convicted of a crime of violence and possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute. In entering the guilty plea, Romero admitted that on Nov. 10, 2015, he was arrested at his residence in Belen, by Deputy U.S. Marshals who had a warrant for Romero’s arrest on a parole violation. During the execution of a search warrant on Romero’s residence incident to his arrest, law enforcement agents located body armor, two handgun cases, ammunition, oxycodone, and drug paraphernalia. Romero also admitted possessing the oxycodone with the intention of distributing it to others. Romero acknowledged that he was convicted of armed robbery in 2005, prior to unlawfully obtaining the body armor.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman Cairns is prosecuting the case as part of the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in New Mexico.
The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. HOPE’s law enforcement component is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. Targeting members of major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative.