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11 July 2018
Nampa Man Sentenced to Prison on Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
BOISE – Raul Efrain Lopez Jr., 36, of Nampa, was sentenced yesterday to 92 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for unlawful possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Lopez was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge at the federal courthouse in Boise. A federal grand jury indicted Lopez on January 9, 2018.
According to court records, in November 2017, law enforcement stopped Lopez while he was driving in Nampa, Idaho, and arrested him on an outstanding warrant. Officers could see firearms in the backseat of the car and subsequently located a shotgun, three rifles, a handgun, ammunition, and magazines. Lopez is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance.
This case was investigated by the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force. The Task Force is comprised of federal, state and local agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Boise Police Department; Ada County Sheriff’s Office; Caldwell Police Department; Nampa Police Department; Meridian Police Department; Canyon County Sheriff’s Office; and Idaho Department of Probation and Parole.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southwest Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. For more information, visit www.treasurevalleypartners.org.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
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Myrtle Beach Man Sentenced for Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that James Robert Fix, age 47, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Florence for Possession of Child Pornography, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(5)(B). United States District Judge Bryan Harwell, of Florence, sentenced Fix to 84 months’ imprisonment followed by supervised release for life and a restitution payment of $1,000.00. During his term of supervised release, Fix will be required to register as a sex offender, attend sex offender treatment, refrain from unsupervised contact with children or use of the internet without approval, and submit to polygraph examinations.
The evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that federal agents executed a search warrant at Fix’s Myrtle Beach residence on November 24, 2015, based on information that he was receiving child pornography via email. On that same day agents also interviewed Fix who admitted to possessing child pornography and surrendered his laptop computer and cellphone to the agents. During forensic analyses of the computer, cellphone and a thumb drive seized during the search, agents located numerous videos and images containing child pornography.
The case was investigated by agents with ICE-Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Midlothian Businessman Sentenced to Prison for FraudRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – The owner of Midlothian businesses Premier Consulting Services and Premier Credit Consultants was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for defrauding approximately 51 customers of more than $600,000.
According to court documents, Timothy Scott Wenk, 51, of Chesterfield County, operated several businesses, including of Premier Consulting Services, Capital Business Services and Premier Credit Consultants, which purported to offer a variety of financial services, including mortgage finance and credit repair services. Wenk offered to connect victims who had credit problems to private lenders and “hard money lenders” who would be sources of financing for mortgages for victims who would be unable to obtain more conventional financing. In many instances, Wenk claimed to be working on victims’ behalf to help them bring home sales to closing, rectify tax liens, and provide other real estate related financial consulting and services. While Wenk’s relationship with each victim and the misrepresentations he made to them was unique, the evidence in the case showed a recurrent theme where Wenk received thousands of dollars for which he did little to nothing in return. Wenk introduced himself to many of his victims as Timothy Scott so that they could not be able to research his criminal history, which included over 20 felony convictions, many of which for fraud-related offenses. In addition to the 12-year sentence imposed, the sentencing judge ordered Wenk to pay victims a total of $606,044.99 in restitution.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, and Colonel Jeffrey S. Katz, Chesterfield County Police Department, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian R. Hood prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:17-cr-85.
Middle River Heroin Dealer Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III, sentenced Lindell Robinson, age 46, of Middle River, Maryland, today to 13 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin. Judge Russell also ordered that Robinson must forfeit his vehicle and $16,000 in cash recovered during the investigation.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) - Washington Field Division; and Colonel Woodrow Jones, Chief of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police.
According to Robinson’s plea agreement, on February 6, 2018, co-defendant Stanley Rodgers took delivery of a bag containing 10 kilograms of heroin from two unidentified males in Howard County, Maryland. Rodgers returned to his residence and awaited the arrival of Robinson. A short time later, Robinson arrived at Rodgers’ residence, took the 10 kilograms of heroin, and drove to downtown Baltimore, where he was arrested by DEA agents. The 10 kilograms of heroin, which had a wholesale value of approximately $700,000, was recovered from Robinson’s vehicle.
On June 25, 2018, Judge Russell sentenced Rodgers, age 60, of Baltimore, Maryland to 14 years in prison for his role in the conspiracy.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised the DEA and the Maryland Transportation Authority Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys James G. Warwick and David Metcalf, who prosecuted the case.
Michigan Man Guilty of Kidnapping Suburban Chicago Woman and Attacking Federal Jail EmployeeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Michigan man has pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a suburban Chicago woman whose home he burglarized.
CARLEOUS CLAY admitted in a plea agreement that he broke into the woman’s home in Lansing, Ill., in September 2015, took several items of value and carried them away. When he returned later that night to steal more items, Clay encountered the woman, who was returning home with groceries, the plea agreement states. Clay abducted the woman and drove her car to an ATM in Munster, Ind., where he used her PIN to withdraw $140 from her bank account. Clay then drove to the parking lot of a vacant commercial business in Burns Harbor, Ind., and sexually assaulted the woman in the backseat of her car, the plea agreement states.
Afterwards, Clay strangled the woman and used lighter fluid and a lighter to set her on fire in an effort to kill her, his plea agreement states. The victim survived but suffered permanent and life-threatening bodily injuries.
Clay, 35, of Holland, Mich., pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of kidnapping, one count of attempted murder, and one count of using fire to commit a felony. The conviction is punishable by up to life in prison. U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Kendall set sentencing for Oct. 9, 2018, at 10:00 a.m.
The guilty plea was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by police departments in Lansing, Ill.; Burns Harbor, Ind.; Ogden Dunes, Ind.; Munster, Ind.; Porter County, Ind.; Holland, Mich.; and Ottawa County, Mich. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angel M. Krull and Ronald DeWald.
In addition to the kidnapping, Clay admitted in the plea agreement that he attacked a female case manager while jailed at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in downtown Chicago. The attack occurred in April 2017 in the case manager’s office on a residential floor of the MCC. Clay pretended to make a complaint about another inmate, but once inside the office he pushed the case manager to the floor and took her keys, which he used to lock himself inside the office with the victim, the plea agreement states. Clay admitted that he put a homemade knife to the case manager’s throat and threatened to kill her.
Multiple MCC staff members eventually entered the office, deployed pepper spray on Clay, and removed the case manager from the room.
Mexican National with Nine Prior Deportations Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Mexican national with nine prior deportations pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after being deported. The defendant, who violated federal pretrial release by testing positive for cocaine and buprenorphine, was released from custody pending sentencing. Defendant also has pending domestic assault and battery charges in state court. Prior convictions include: drug possession and illegal reentry in 2015 and 2016, respectively; escape in 2003; OUI in 2004; OUI in 2006; possession of a controlled substance in 2006; and OUI in 2007.
Bulmaro Enriquez, 32, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of illegal reentry of a deported alien and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 2, 2018. Following yesterday’s plea, the government moved to have Enriquez’s Order of Release revoked and have him remanded into federal custody while he awaits his sentencing. According to the government, Enriquez, while on release, provided a urinalysis sample that tested positive for cocaine and buprenorphine. Nevertheless, Enriquez was released on conditions, including a curfew, and the matter of detention was remanded to the Magistrate Judge for further proceedings.
According to court records, Enriquez was arrested in Framingham on Nov. 23, 2017, and charged with domestic assault and battery. On April 30, 2018, immigration officers located Enriquez and determined that he was illegally present in the United States. Enriquez was charged with illegal reentry in federal court and was ordered detained. However, on June 7, 2018, he was released from federal custody after agreeing to post the equity in his girlfriend’s home.
In 2015, Enriquez was arrested in Framingham and charged with distribution of a controlled substance following the execution of a state search warrant, which resulted in the seizure of one and a half pounds of marijuana, electric scales, and other drug distribution paraphernalia. In October 2015, Enriquez was convicted, sentenced, and upon completion of his sentence, transferred into federal custody and charged with illegal reentry of a previously deported alien. Enriquez was convicted and sentenced to time served. On Jan. 19, 2016, he was deported to Mexico.
Enriquez currently faces a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and will be subject to deportation proceedings. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Rebecca Adducci, Interim Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting this case.
Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Returning to the United States Following Six Previous RemovalsRead the Press Release
A Mexican man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported six times previously was sentenced today to four months in federal prison.
Anastacio Zamarripa-Vidales, age 36, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Muscatine, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 23, 2018, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States.
At the guilty plea, Zamarripa-Vidales admitted he had previously been deported from the United States on April 11, 2012 and again on September 14, 2012. He then illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Zamarripa-Vidales was also given voluntary returns to Mexico four times within one week in September 1998. In addition, on December 19, 2005, Zamarripa-Vidales was ordered to voluntarily depart from the United States but failed to do so. On April 1, 2018, Zamarripa-Vidales was found by immigration officers following an arrest in Benton County for driving while license under suspension and possession of a controlled substance and on an outstanding warrant from 2014 for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, second offense. Zamarripa-Vidales was previously convicted in February 2005 in Johnson County, Iowa, of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.
Zamarripa-Vidales was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Zamarripa-Vidales was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Zamarripa-Vidales is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-39-LTS.
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McNary Man Sentenced to Statutory Maximum for Killing Teenage GirlfriendRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Yesterday, Andre Hinton, 36, of McNary, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to eight years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Hinton had previously pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, which carries a maximum punishment of eight years in prison.
In November 2006, Hinton, who was 25 years old, and a member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, assaulted his then 16-year-old girl girlfriend, also a member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, on the Ft. Apache Indian Reservation, resulting in the victim’s death. He did not seek medical attention for her, but rather buried her in a shallow grave with the assistance of one of his friends, who was a juvenile at the time. Hinton and the other individual then disposed of the shovels they used to bury the victim’s body and burned their clothing. The young victim had been reported missing by her family since October 2006. Her body was discovered in December 2006 after the juvenile who helped bury her body led law enforcement to her grave.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with early assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the White Mountain Apache Tribal Police Department and other local agencies. The prosecution was handled by Dimitra Sampson and Anthony Church, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-16-8238-PCT-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-082_Hinton
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Massachusetts Man Agrees to Plead Guilty to his Role in Interstate Prostitution RingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lexington man agreed to plead guilty in connection with his role in a long-running interstate prostitution ring.
Kyung Song, 52, agreed to plead guilty yesterday to one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering. On March 15, 2018, Kim was charged and arrested with co-defendants Yoon I. Kim, 36, of Haymarket, Va.; Taehee Kim, a/k/a “Hyunsook Kim,” 46, of Haymarket, Va.; Susan Bashir, a/k/a “Susan Redmon,” a/k/a “Susan Redmond,” 41, of Stone Mountain, Ga.; and Jineok Kim, 38, of Watertown, Mass.
According to court documents, from December 2017 to March 2018, Song participated in an interstate prostitution network that maintained multiple brothels in high-end apartments in Cambridge, Mass.; Atlanta, Ga.; and eastern Virginia. They advertised appointments with Asian women primarily on three websites: www.bostonasiandolls.com, www.exoticasiansatlanta.com, and www.redhotflowers69.com. The women advertised on the websites were moved from city to city within the network, working as prostitutes for the organization.
Song transported women working from brothel locations in Cambridge. Song also retrieved cash proceeds from each of the Cambridge brothel locations and allegedly laundered the proceeds according to Taehee Kim’s instructions, which included depositing the money into accounts belonging to Taehee Kim or sending postal money orders to Taehee Kim.
In June 2018, Jineok Kim and Susan Bashir agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce individuals to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution and one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering.
The charge of conspiracy to engage in money laundering provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the laundered funds. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Andrew E. Lelling; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Delany De Leon-Colon, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Cambridge Police Commissioner Branville G. Bard Jr. made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. D’Addio and Amy Harman Burkart of Lelling’s Civil Rights Enforcement Team are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Traveling to the Philippines to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct and Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Reisterstown, Maryland man pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore, Maryland, for traveling from the United States to the Philippines and engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and to producing child pornography with the intent to transport the child pornography to the United States, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur of the District of Maryland; Acting Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the FBI, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police Department.
Martin Hall, 56, pleaded guilty to one count of traveling in foreign commerce from the United States to the Philippines between April 2016 and August 2016 to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a person under the age of 18 and one count of producing child pornography with the intent to transport the child pornography to the United States between July 2016 and August 2016. Hall pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Ellen L. Hollander of the District of Maryland who will sentence him on Oct. 12 at 2:00pm EDT.
According to admissions made in connection with his plea, Hall traveled to the Philippines for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual activity with minor females. Hall’s conduct included engaging in sexual acts with minors, producing images of the minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, and transporting the images back to Maryland. Additionally, Hall used sophisticated computer programs to download and store thousands of images and videos of child pornography.
The investigation was conducted by HSI Baltimore, the FBI and the Baltimore County Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Kaylynn Shoop of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Budlow of the District of Maryland.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Extended Deadline for NYCHA Monitor ApplicationsRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that the Office has extended the deadline for receiving applications from qualified individuals to serve as Court-appointed monitor in connection with a proposed consent decree submitted to the Court for approval in the case of United States v. New York City Housing Authority, 18 Civ. 5213 (WHP). Pursuant to the revised deadline, applications must be received by this Office by September 12, 2018.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis as they are submitted, and applicants are encouraged to submit applications as soon as possible. In addition, individuals who have already submitted applications are invited to supplement those applications as appropriate.
Pursuant to the terms of the consent decree, the Government will propose a monitor for approval by the Court. As set forth at greater length in the proposed consent decree, the monitor will be responsible for the remediation of extensive health and safety deficiencies in NYCHA housing, as well as oversight and reform of NYCHA management, controls, and operations.
The application and related materials, and instructions for submission, are available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/monitors-receivers-claims-administrators.
The consent decree remains subject to review and approval by the Court.
Man who Impersonated FBI Agent to Steal from Area Businesses Pleads Guilty to Robbery, Attempted Robbery and Impersonating a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
A Lake Stevens, Washington man who used fake credentials in the names of fictional characters or famous fraudsters to commit crimes pleaded guilty this week to seven federal felonies, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. STEVEN W. FISHER, 44, was charged federally in October 2017 with one count of robbery, five counts of impersonation of a federal officer, and one count of attempted robbery. Sentencing in front of U.S. District Judge James L. Robart is scheduled for October 1, 2018.
According to records filed in the case, on January 25, 2017, FISHER gained access to the secure area of a small money transmitting business in Seattle’s Central District by claiming he was a federal agent investigating a suspicious transaction. FISHER flashed a badge, and handed the owner a ‘search warrant’ signed by ‘Frank Abagnale’ -- a famous serial fraudster portrayed in the movie “Catch me if you can.” The warrant was purchased via the website Legalfakes.com. FISHER then pulled a weapon on the owner, demanded he open the safe and locked the owner in a back room. FISHER left with a large amount of cash and took computer equipment which contained surveillance photographs from the security system.
FISHER was identified as the suspect following a series of incidents in July and August, 2017 at a different money transmitting business in the Rainer Valley. In that incident, FISHER used the name “Jack Ryan,” a character in Tom Clancy novels. FISHER asked the manager of the money transmitting business to meet him at a nearby parking lot to discuss information that someone was planning on robbing his business. FISHER tried to get the manager to describe the surveillance cameras at the business and suggested he remove cash from the business. The manager instead called 9-1-1 and reported the suspicious conduct to police. One month later, when FISHER showed up at the money transmitting business, again claiming to be an FBI Agent, the manager hit the panic alarm and Seattle Police officers arrived to question FISHER. FISHER was taken into custody and court authorized searches of his car, storage locker, and briefcase turned up fake federal credentials, a realistic appearing airsoft pistol with silencer, and paperwork tying him to the earlier robbery.
In the plea agreement, FISHER admits that in June 2017, he went to two SeaTac businesses posing as a federal agent. One of the small businesses offers money transmitting services. The ‘agent’ claimed he was looking for surveillance footage because of a crime in the area. Because the store owner was suspicious about whether FISHER was actually an FBI agent, he simply said the surveillance cameras were not working. In the early morning hours following that encounter the store was burglarized and $2000 in cash, checks and phones were stolen. Some of the stolen items were later found in FISHER’s possession.
Robbery and attempted robbery are punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Impersonating a federal official is punishable by up to three years in prison.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Seattle Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Cohen.
Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Carjacking and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Kerry Caldwell was sentenced to 15 years in prison for carjacking and gun charges.
According to court documents, on October 27, 2017, a woman was sitting in her car at a Commerce Bank using the ATM machine when Kerry Caldwell approached her driver’s door. He pointed a firearm at her and ordered her out of the car. She exited the passenger side door and ran. When she looked back, she saw Caldwell driving her car off the lot.
While investigating the carjacking, a St. Louis Police Officer observed Caldwell driving the stolen car in a dangerous and reckless manner and began a pursuit. Shortly thereafter, the officer observed Caldwell walking and after recognizing him as the driver of the stolen car, detained him. The stolen car, containing items stolen from the woman, was found crashed into a tree.
“This sentence and the good work of the St. Louis Police Department has ended the criminal career of this longtime violent offender,” said Jeff Jensen, U.S. Attorney.
Caldwell, 55, of Florissant, MO, pleaded guilty on April 12, 2108, to one felony count of carjacking and one felony count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He appeared today for sentencing before United States District Judge Henry Autrey.
This case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.
Lowell Man Arrested for Gun Trafficking Including Sawed-Off ShotgunRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Lowell man was arrested today and charged in federal court in Boston with firearms trafficking related to five separate sales, including selling an illegal sawed-off shotgun.
Rathsomnang Neth, 22, was charged with one count of dealing in firearms without a license and two counts of possessing and transferring an unregistered shotgun with a shortened barrel.
According to the indictment, which was unsealed today, in five separate transactions in Lowell from December 2016 through April 2017, Neth engaged in the unlawful dealing of firearms, selling four handguns and a .20 gauge pump-action shotgun with a barrel that had been sawed-off below 18 inches.
The charge of unlawful dealing in firearms provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Each charge of possession and transfer of an unregistered firearm provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boson Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Theodore Merritt of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Locust Grove Man Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Attempted Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney R. Trent Shores announced today that District Judge Claire V. Eagan, sentenced Trevor James Thompson, 32, of Locust Grove to serve 41 months in federal prison for Attempted Possession of Child Pornography, Thompson must also pay a special monetary assessment totaling $100. After release from prison, Thompson was ordered to serve 20 years of supervised release.
Thompson attempted to possess child pornography by attempting to secretly film a minor female at a high school track meet in Catoosa and several minor females at a Locust Grove High School football game using a GoPro video camera.
“Thanks to the diligent efforts of federal and state justice officials, the public will be safe from this child predator while he is imprisoned. Thompson’s outrageous and exploitive conduct was unacceptable. My office will aggressively prosecute anyone who seeks to exploit children in our community.” United States Attorney Shores stated.
The prosecution resulted from an investigation conducted by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Rogers County Sheriff’s Office; and Tulsa Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey A. Gallant handled the prosecution of this case.
Lawrence Man and Dominican National Indicted for Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man and a Dominican national were charged today in federal court in Boston with fentanyl conspiracy.
Antonio Rivera, 28, of Lawrence, and Deuris Sierra, 24, a Dominican national most recently residing in Lawrence, were each indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl. Both defendants are currently in state custody.
From at least May 16, 2018, through June 7, 2018, Rivera distributed fentanyl in Lawrence and Methuen. During a law enforcement operation, investigators seized five kilograms of fentanyl from the defendants.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl carries a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, a minimum of five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey; Colonel Kerry Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Methuen Police Chief Joseph Solomon made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Kingsmen Member Pleads Guilty to RICO ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jason Williams, 44, of Kenmore, NY, pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph M. Tripi and Brendan T. Cullinane, who are handling the case, stated that the defendant, a/k/a Toop, was a member of the North Tonawanda Chapter and the West Side of Buffalo Chapter of the Kingsmen Motorcycle Club (KMC) between 2009 and 2016. Williams served in various capacities, including as the Vice President of the North Tonawanda Chapter.
KMC members and associates used marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and other controlled substances at the North Tonawanda and West Side of Buffalo KMC Chapter Clubhouses. At times, Williams obtained and supplied quantities of marijuana and cocaine to KMC members, and used and distributed cocaine and marijuana. The defendant used telephones and Facebook messaging to arrange drug transactions. KMC members also possessed, maintained, and sold firearms.
Williams is one of 20 KMC members and associates charged in this case. To date, 15 have been convicted, including National President David Pirk, who was recently convicted following a four month jury trial. Charges remain pending against five other defendants. The fact that the defendants have been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert. Assisting in the investigation: the FBI Knoxville, TN, and Jacksonville, FL Field Offices; Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations; the Erie County Sheriff’s Office; the Buffalo Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the New York State Police; the Olean Police Department; the Lancaster Police Department; the Amherst Police Department; the City of North Tonawanda Police Department; the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Police; the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Department; and the Hamburg Police Department.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 24, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. before Judge Wolford.
KC Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing nearly five kilograms of methamphetamine to distribute during a law enforcement operation in which another individual was fatally shot.
Michael J. Wilkins, 27, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 25 years in federal prison without parole.
Wilkins pleaded guilty on Feb. 6, 2018, to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Wilkins admitted that he was a leader of a major methamphetamine distribution operation. Wilkins, under surveillance by law enforcement, was seen entering a known methamphetamine stash house in the 3000 block of S. Bellefontaine Avenue in Kansas City, Mo., on June 8, 2016. When Wilkins left the house, he was carrying a box and a backpack, which he placed in his vehicle.
Law enforcement officers approached Wilkins while he was getting into his vehicle and attempted to detain him. Wilkins fled on foot and was subsequently taken into custody. In his path of flight, which was captured by the National Guard counterdrug helicopter surveillance, officers recovered one of his shoes, his cell phone and a handgun.
Officers executed a search warrant on Wilkins’s vehicle and found 4,764 grams of methamphetamine and $12,363 in the box and backpack he had carried from the stash house.
During the foot chase of Wilkins, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Bellefontaine residence. That operation led to an hours-long standoff when persons inside the house fired shots at law enforcement officers. Luis Carlos Garcia-Aguilar, also known as “Moe,” fired several shots at officers then ran from the house with his rifle aimed at the officers; he was fatally shot.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Moeder. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Illegal Alien Detained on Health Care and Welfare Fraud, ID Theft, Misuse Social Security Numbers, Illegal Reentry ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A series of ongoing Department of Justice led fraud and opioid investigations across the country has resulted in a Dominican National previously deported for trafficking significant quantities of heroin and cocaine, and most recently living in Pawtucket after allegedly reentering the country illegally, being detained on federal health care fraud, welfare fraud, aggravated identity theft, misuse of a social security number and illegal reentry charges.
In late June, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex M. Azar III, announced that more than 600 individuals in 58 districts have been charged for their participation in fraud schemes, particularly health care fraud schemes.
As a result of information developed during these ongoing investigations, Carlos José Portes-Ortiz, a.k.a. Juan Carlos Mendieta Vega, a.k.a. Anthony Clausell Rivera, a.k.a. Jose Jimenez Agosto, a.k.a. Willian Acevedo Gil, a.k.a. Allison Gabriel, 37, of Pawtucket, has been ordered detained on a federal criminal complaint charging him with health care fraud, welfare (SNAP) fraud, misuse of social security numbers, aggravated identity theft and illegal reentry.
According to court documents, it is alleged that Portes-Ortiz was deported from the United States in February 2009, after having been sentenced in June 2007 to 37 months in federal prison for conspiracy to import 100 grams or more of heroin and 500 grams or more of cocaine. Portes-Ortiz was arrested in June 2005 at Newark Liberty International Airport after arriving from the Dominican Republic.
According to court documents, in November 2015, Providence Police responded to a traffic accident and encountered Portes-Ortiz, who allegedly presented officers with a Dominican driver’s license in the name of another person. He was arrested on charges of driving under the influence and driving after denial, suspension or revocation of a driver’s license.
In March 2017, Portes-Ortiz was arrested in Dedham, MA, after allegedly attempting to purchase over $1,000 worth of iPhone equipment using a driver’s license depicting his photograph and a credit card both in the name of a female. At the time of his arrest, Portes-Ortiz was found to be in possession of a Rhode Island Neighborhood Health Plan card, a Rhode Island EBT card for SNAP benefits, a Rhode Island identification card, a Puerto Rican driver’s license and a bank debit card, some depicting his photograph but all in names other than his own. It was later determined through fingerprints that the person arrested was actually Portes-Ortiz.
According to court documents, an expansive investigation by local agents from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations determined that Portes-Ortiz allegedly used multiple names and stolen personal identifying information to gain Rhode Island driver’s licenses; Rhode Island ID cards; Medicare and health care benefits, to include medical, pharmaceutical and dental services; and EBT cards and SNAP benefits.
During the course of the investigation, agents determined that Portes-Ortiz was employed at a retail store while, at the same time, allegedly fraudulently obtaining federal programs and services using stolen identities and identifying information.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ly T. Chin Terrence P. Donnelly.
The matter is being investigated by agents from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations; Homeland Security Investigations - Immigration and Custom Enforcement; U.S. Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General; and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General.
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Honduran Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine-Trafficking Conspiracy and Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DELIO ALFREDO LOPEZ-LOPEZ, age 42, of Honduras, pled guilty yesterday to one count of conspiring to traffic 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Louisiana, and one count of possessing a firearm as an illegal alien. On the methamphetamine conspiracy count, LOPEZ-LOPEZ 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. On the firearm possession count, LOPEZ-LOPEZ faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and not more than 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan set sentencing for LOPEZ-LOPEZ on October 11, 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.
Greycliff Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Federal Prison for Selling Methamphetamine Out of a Billings Hotel RoomRead the Press Release
BILLINGS - The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that Donald Theodore Fuller, a 34 year-old resident of Greycliff, Montana was sentenced to 120 months in prison, 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Fuller was convicted of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1).
In May 2016, Billings Police received a tip about a male selling methamphetamine from a local hotel room. Based on the tip, officers were able to determine which room the male had rented. Eastern Montana HIDTA Task Force agents also assisted in the investigation and they eventually obtained a search warrant for the room. When agents executed the warrant, Fuller was in the room. During the search, agents seized 397.6 grams of pure methamphetamine, two firearms, $79,790 in United States Currency, and multiple items of drug paraphernalia. The 397.6 grams of pure methamphetamine converts to 3,176 individual doses.
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.
Georgia Couple Charged in Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – A federal indictment has been unsealed charging Geo Geovanni (49) and Elizabeth Longerbone (39), both of Moultrie, Georgia, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and four counts of bank fraud. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison for each count.
According to the indictment, Geovanni and Longerbone devised and executed a mortgage fraud scheme involving “The Landing,” a condominium conversion of a former apartment complex located in Altamonte Springs. The scheme involved providing the cash-to-close funds on behalf of the buyers, guarantying tenants and rental payments to the buyers, as well as paying post-closing kickbacks of mortgage proceeds to buyers and co-conspirators through entities that Geovanni and Longerbone controlled. None of the incentives or kickbacks were disclosed to the financial institutions that had approved and funded the mortgage loans.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General and the FBI. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
Former Reality Television Series “Bad Girl” Charged with Fraud and Identity Theft for Stealing and Using Debit Card InformationRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the arrest of SHANNADE CLERMONT on charges of wire fraud, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The Complaint charges that CLERMONT stole and fraudulently used the debit card information of a man she had visited for a prostitution date and who was found dead in his apartment the next morning from a drug overdose. CLERMONT will be presented today in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Sarah Netburn.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, Shannade Clermont, a former cast member of the ‘Bad Girls Club,’ lived up to her reality series reputation. She allegedly stole debit card information from a man found dead – the victim of a drug overdose – in his Manhattan apartment and used his identity to make tens of thousands of dollars in fraudulent purchases. Thanks to the skilled investigative work of the NYPD, Clermont’s new reality is federal prosecution for her alleged nefarious conduct.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint[1] unsealed today:
The NYPD and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York have been investigating the overdose death of a male individual (the “Victim”), who was found dead on the morning of February 1, 2017, in his apartment at 250 East 53rd Street in Manhattan, New York (the “Victim Apartment”). During the course of that investigation, law enforcement learned that CLERMONT visited the Victim for a prostitution date at the Victim Apartment the previous evening (January 31, 2017), and used the Victim’s debit card information to make or attempt to make more than $20,000 in fraudulent purchases during the months following the Victim’s death. Specifically, CLERMONT stole the information for two debit cards of the Victim found in his wallet in the Victim Apartment, and used that stolen debit card information for, among things, payments of her rent and phone bills, flight purchases, and several online purchases of thousands of dollars of clothing and other merchandise.
CLERMONT also created and used a fake email account in the Victim’s name to falsely represent to third parties that she was the Victim, in order to commit wire fraud using the Victim’s identity. Specifically, on or about April 3, 2017, approximately two months after the Victim’s death, the fake email account was used to register an account with Western Union in the name of the Victim and to initiate a fraudulent money transfer of $1,000 from the Victim to CLERMONT.
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CLERMONT, 24, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of access device fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years; and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive minimum sentence of two years. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Sagar K. Ravi is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Former Prisoner Transport Officer Indicted for Sexual Assault and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of His Sexual AssaultRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Riverside, California, returned a five-count indictment against Eric Scott Kindley, 50, a private prisoner transport officer, for crimes related to his sexual assaults of two different females in his custody during two different transports, and for brandishing his firearm during one of the sexual assaults.
Count One of the indictment charges Kindley with committing a civil rights offense on July 26, 2012, that included aggravated sexual abuse and kidnapping. Counts Two, Three, and Four charge Kindley with committing civil rights offenses on Jan. 26, 2017, against a second female that included aggravated sexual abuse. Count Two also alleges that Kindley’s crime resulted in bodily injury and included kidnapping and the use of a dangerous weapon. Count Five charges Kindley with knowingly brandishing and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Kindley was previously indicted on Sept. 12, 2017, in Little Rock, Arkansas, for committing similar offenses related to his sexual assault of a third female in his custody. That indictment also charges Kindley with possessing his firearm in furtherance of that sexual assault.
If convicted of the charges in the most recent indictment, Kindley faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison for brandishing his firearm, and a maximum sentence of life in prison. If convicted of the charges pending in Arkansas, Kindley faces a mandatory minimum of sentence of five years in prison for possession of the firearm, and a maximum sentence of life in prison. If Kindley is convicted of the firearms offenses in both indictments, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence he receives.
This investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to call the Phoenix Division of the FBI at (623) 466-1999, or email the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice at [email protected].
An indictment is merely a formal accusation of criminal conduct, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Phoenix Division of the Federal Bureau Investigation and is being prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold and Trial Attorney Maura White of the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Former Officials at Two Western Kentucky Mines Charged with Cheating on Safety and Lying to Regulators About Black Lung-Causing Risks to MinersRead the Press Release
OWENSBORO, Ky. – United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman announced that 8 former supervisory and safety officials at Armstrong Coal, formerly of Madisonville, KY, were charged by a Federal Grand Jury today with Conspiracy to Defraud an agency of the United States Government, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), by deceit, trickery and dishonest means of its lawful and legitimate function in enforcing the Mine Safety and Health Act (MSA).
The Indictment charges that the conspirators sought to deceive federal mine safety regulators as to the daily levels of breathable dust at both the Parkway Mine of Muhlenberg County, KY and Kronos Mine of Ohio County, KY. Breathable or “resparable” dust is the primary cause of pneumoconiosis or “Black Lung” in miners. The Federal Grand Jury also charges the eight Armstrong Coal officials with making false statements as to results of tests required to be conducted every 60 days to protect certain ““designated occupations,” that is the dustiest and most dangerous job assignments in a coal mine.
“The health of our miners matters; to Western Kentucky communities and those sworn to protect them” stated U. S. Attorney Russell Coleman “When companies and their senior officials are prepared to disregard the law and put miners at risk, they should also be prepared to face federal prosecutors.”
“Compliance with dust sampling programs is crucial to protecting miners against respiratory illness,” said MSHA Assistant Secretary David G. Zatezalo. “Deliberate disregard for the safety and health regulations that protect workers warrants the most severe penalties allowed under the law.”
The Grand Jury charges that contrary to regulations, Armstrong officials removed dust testing devices early in the miners’ shifts and placed the devices in less dusty or “clean air”; that during a testing period, officials replaced miners who ran the most dust-causing machines with miners who were not wearing the dust testing devices, so that the company would pass the tests; that Armstrong officials fabricated and submitted dust sampling test results on days the mine was shut down or otherwise not in operation; that officials ordered that testing devices be run in “clean air,” before and after shifts, to skew the test results toward passing; that a mine superintendent twice mandated to a safety official to take whatever action necessary to ensure that the company passed dust sampling tests.
Armstrong Coal, now bankrupt, is designated by the Indictment as an unindicted co-conspirator. Those former Armstrong supervisory and safety officials charged include:
- Charley Barber, age 63, of Madisonville, a former Superintendent of Parkway Mine;
- Brian Keith Casebier, age 60, of Earlington, a former Safety Director at Parkway Mine;
- Steven Demoss, age 48, of Nortonville, a former Assistant Safety Director at Parkway Mine;
- Billie Hearld, age 41, of Russellville, a former Section Foreman at Parkway Mine;
- Ron Ivy, age 49, of Manitou, a former Safety Director at Kronos Mine;
- John Ellis Scott, age 61, of South Carrollton, a former employee in the Safety Department at Parkway Mine;
- Dwight Fulkerson, age 40, of Drakesboro, a former Section Foreman who performed dust testing at Parkway Mine; and
- Jeremy Hackney, age 45, of White Plains, also a former Section Foremen who performed dust testing at Parkway Mine.
The Kronos Mine remains in operation under different ownership. The Parkway Mine is no longer open.
The MSA is an Act passed by Congress in 1977, and updated in 2006, to protect miners by preventing the scourges of pneumoconiosis, commonly known as “Black Lung.” MSHA, an agency of the U. S. Department of Labor, is the agency tasked with enforcing the MSA.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Randy Ream and Corinne Keel of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky and Special Assistant United States Attorneys Mary Sue Taylor and Jason Grover of MSHA. The investigation by the Mine Safety and Health Administration, United States Department of Labor.
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The indictment of a person by a Grand Jury is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Former El Paso Gun Dealer Indicted on Federal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
In El Paso today, a federal grand jury indicted 31-year-old Jacob Salgado, owner of Canutillo Gun Shop, for scheme to sell firearms and ammunition to prohibited persons, announced United States Attorney John F. Bash and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek, II, Dallas Division.
The eight-count indictment charges Salgado with two counts of sale of firearms or ammunition to a prohibited person, two counts of aiding and abetting the possession of firearms or ammunition by a felon, two counts of aiding and abetting providing false information on Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) records, and two counts of failure to keep proper records as a FFL.
The indictment alleges that on two occasions--May 29, 2018, and June 11, 2018--Salgado knowingly aided a firearms purchaser in making a false declaration on ATF Form 4473 that he was buying a gun for himself, when Salgado knew the buyer was making the purchase on behalf of someone else and too, that Salgado failed to note the actual buyer’s name in his required FFL records. The indictment further alleges that in June 2018, Salgado sold two handguns and transferred approximately 500 rounds of ammunition to a customer he had reasonable cause to suspect was a convicted felon, and aided another individual’s sale of a firearm to a convicted felon, thus enabling the felon to possess firearms and ammunition.
Salgado is currently on bond following his arrest last month. The Canutillo Gun Shop is no longer an FFL meaning individuals are prohibited from purchasing firearms from the business or having firearms shipped to the business for pick up.
Upon conviction, Salgado faces up to ten years in federal prison for sale of firearms to a prohibited person; up to ten years imprisonment for aiding and abetting the possession of firearms or ammunition by a felon; up to five years imprisonment for aiding and abetting providing false information on Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) records; and, up to ten years imprisonment for failure to keep proper records as a FFL.
The ATF is investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Mallory Rasmussen is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Former DuPont Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing Trade Secrets and Lying to the FBIRead the Press Release
Josh Harry Isler, age 55, from St. Ansgar, Iowa, pled guilty today in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids to one count of trade secret theft and one count of making a false statement or representation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
As part of his guilty plea, Isler admitted that during August 2013, while employed with DuPont, but after having accepted an offer of employment from a competitor, he stole trade secrets of DuPont. In a plea agreement, Isler admitted that after he accepted employment with a competitor of DuPont in the ethanol fuel enzyme business, he transferred hundreds of DuPont’s electronic files to an external device. Isler knew the files he downloaded contained proprietary information and trade secrets of DuPont. Many of the files also related to DuPont customers who were also customers of the competitor or whose business the competitor was seeking. Isler kept the files in his new job and also transferred some to his new employer. Isler also admitted that when he was interviewed by the FBI in November 2013, he falsely denied he had downloaded files containing proprietary information.
Isler faces a maximum combined sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $500,000, and eight years of supervised release after any imprisonment. Isler may also be ordered to pay restitution to DuPont.
Isler was released on bond. Sentencing will be set at a later date.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard L. Murphy and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-2032-LRR.
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Florida Man Indicted in $28 Million Solar Farm Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
Christopher B. Warren, 49, of Anthony, Florida, was arrested by FBI agents this morning after being charged in a 12-count indictment with mail fraud, wire fraud, securities fraud and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran of the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to the indictment, Warren was the founder and chief investment officer of Clean Energy Advisers, LLC (“CEA”), a company registered in Wyoming with offices in various locations, including Nashville, Tennessee and Orlando, Florida.
The indictment alleges that beginning in November 2013 and continuing through September 2017, Warren devised and operated a scheme to defraud investors by offering investment opportunities in solar farm projects purportedly owned by CEA. Warren made false misrepresentations to investors that CEA owned several solar farms and made millions of dollars selling solar energy to utility companies, knowing at the time that CEA had no earnings, no profits and had no contracts with utility companies. Warren also provided investors with a list of solar farms purportedly owned by CEA, many of which did not exist and others that were actually owned by other entities.
During the course of this scheme, the indictment alleges that Warren took several steps to conceal and disguise the scheme, including placing the seals of insurance companies on investor materials to represent that the solar farms were insured against disasters; creating bogus audit reports to be circulated to investors; and using payments from later investors to create distribution payments which falsely represented earnings from the solar projects.
Finally, the indictment alleges that Warren raised approximately $28 million from investors, misappropriated a significant portion of those funds, including using almost $7 million for the personal benefit of himself and family members, and caused investors to lose more than $15 million.
If convicted, Warren faces up to 20 years in prison on each fraud count and up to 10 years in prison for money laundering.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie N. Toussaint.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Florence Resident Sentenced in Federal Court for Manufacturing and Passing Counterfeit MoneyRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Shadrick Jarmarcus Jett, age 27, of Florence, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Florence for conspiracy to manufacture and pass counterfeit money, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. United States District Judge Bryan Harwell of Florence sentenced Jett to 18 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
The evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that Jett was involved in a conspiracy to manufacture and pass counterfeit $100 and $50 bills in multiple states including South Carolina and North Carolina. This conspiracy, which began in 2015, included at least nine codefendants who were responsible for making and passing over $100,000 in counterfeit money.
Jett was directly involved in making counterfeit. In fact, he was found in possession of a genuine $100 “parent note” used to print counterfeit $100 bills when his car was stopped and searched by the Florence County Sheriff’s Office after a short chase. During the search of Jett’s car deputies found the genuine parent note along with eleven completed counterfeit $100 bills and over 450 uncut partial images of counterfeit $100 bills all bearing the same serial number as the recovered parent note. Secret Service determined that 230 counterfeit $100 bills bearing this same serial number were passed beginning in June of 2017.
The case was investigated by agents of United States Secret Service with the assistance of the Florence County Sheriff’s Office and the Florence Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office prosecuted the case.
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Five Charged for Elder Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
Five U.S. individuals were charged today and yesterday for their roles in three separate elder fraud schemes. The schemes collectively defrauded tens of thousands of Americans, many of whom were elderly, out at least a hundred million dollars. Four defendants were charged in the Eastern District of New York, the other was charged in Southern District of Florida.
“Earlier this year, when we announced the largest elder fraud sweep in history, we sent a clear message: we will hold perpetrators of elder fraud schemes accountable wherever they are,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “When criminals steal the hard-earned life savings of older Americans, we will respond with all the tools at the Department’s disposal – criminal prosecutions to punish offenders, civil injunctions to shut the schemes down, and asset forfeiture to take back ill-gotten gains. Today’s indictment shows we are following through on this promise, and fraudsters everywhere should take note of it.”
Three Long Island Residents Indicted for Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Scheme
Three Long Island residents were charged with running a fraudulent mass-mailing scheme that tricked thousands of consumers into paying at least $30 million in fees for falsely promised prizes.
An indictment unsealed Wednesday charges Tully Lovisa, 55, of Huntington Station, New York; Shaun Sullivan, 37, of Merrick, New York; and Lorraine Chalavoutis, 61, of Greenlawn, New York, with mail fraud, money laundering, and conspiring to commit those offenses. The indictment also charges Lovisa with perjury and additional wire fraud and money laundering offenses. U.S. Postal Inspectors arrested all three defendants this morning.
“As alleged in the indictment, the defendants perpetrated a cruel hoax on their victims, many of them elderly and vulnerable, by sending promotional mailings that falsely claimed they would receive tens of thousands of dollars in prize money if they paid a fee,” said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Richard P. Donoghue. “In so doing, Lovisa violated prior court orders directing him to stop engaging in mass mailing operations and his co-conspirators were well aware of prior enforcement action to stop this conduct. Protecting the elderly from brazen predators like the defendants is a priority of this Office and the Department of Justice.”
The defendants’ prize-promotion mailings led recipients, many of whom were elderly and vulnerable, to believe that they could claim a large cash prize in exchange for a modest fee, according to the indictment. This was false; victims who submitted fees did not receive large sums of money, the indictment alleges.
The scheme alleged in the indictment began after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued Lovisa in 2010 for sending deceptive prize-promotion mailings. In response to that suit, a court enjoined Lovisa from any involvement with prize-promotion mailings. But, as alleged in the indictment, Lovisa did not stop. Rather, the indictment alleges that he worked with Sullivan and Chalavoutis to set up numerous prize-promotion companies using straw owners and aliases to continue defrauding hundreds of thousands of consumers. Chalavoutis, who provided various important operational services, allegedly helped conceal Lovisa’s and Sullivan’s control of the operation and misled others about the nature of the business.
The perjury charge against Lovisa relatedly stems from his submission to the FTC of a false compliance report, in which he claimed only to own a construction company and not be involved in prize-promotion mailings. The additional wire fraud and money laundering charges relate to Lovisa’s alleged further deception of the FTC related to the court-ordered sale of a home he owned in Las Vegas. According to the indictment, Lovisa arranged a sham sale of the house in September 2012 that allowed him to maintain control of the home and only disgorge $155,500 to the FTC. Lovisa then allegedly sold the house in April 2015 for $540,000.
“For far too long, fraudulent solicitations such as these have flooded seniors’ mailboxes. This indictment demonstrates a strong desire to end this conduct when administrative or civil remedies have been circumvented by these individuals at every opportunity,” said Chief Postal Inspector Guy Cottrell. “Today’s criminal charges show the continuing commitment by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to rid the mail system of these pernicious threats to the livelihoods of the most vulnerable Americans.”
The mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy charges each carry a statutory maximum sentence of twenty years in prison. The money laundering charges each carry a statutory maximum punishment of ten years in prison. The perjury charge carries a statutory maximum punishment of five years in prison. Each charge also carries a statutory maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss from the offense.
An indictment is an accusation by a federal grand jury and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants should be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Daniel Zytnick and Timothy Finley of the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles P. Kelly of the Eastern District of New York.
List Broker Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud
Steven Keats, of Bayside, New York, pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. In his plea allocution, Keats admitted that while working at a Connecticut-based list brokerage firm, he arranged for lists of consumers’ names and addresses to be provided to a fraudulent mailer. The mailer, a Swiss entity, mailed deceptive solicitations to vulnerable victims. The mailing pieces falsely informed recipients that they had won large cash prizes and could collect the winnings by paying the mailer of a $50 fee. In reality, there was no prize, and the Swiss mailer simply collected victims’ payments. Keats admitted knowing that the names and addresses that he supplied to the Swiss entity would be used to send these deceptive mailing pieces to victims across the United States.
As a participant in the conspiracy, Keats provided the names of tens of thousands of U.S. consumers to the Swiss-based fraudulent mailer. The charge against Keats carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a statutory maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss from the offense.
The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Ehren Reynolds and Alistair Reader of the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch.
Florida Resident Charged with Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud
Eugene Marotta, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was charged by information with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. The charging document alleges that Marotta was part of a conspiracy to defraud consumers by sending thousands of vulnerable victims deceptive mailing pieces that falsely promised prizes. The solicitations were from a shell company called Palm Beach Liquidation Gallery and were designed to deceive recipients into believing that they had won hundreds of thousands of dollars as well as an “exclusive liquidation asset.” To claim their winnings and the “asset,” recipients were directed to pay a total of $161.25 as a “liquidation fee.” In fact, there was no prize, and the “asset” was a cheap poster. Marotta and his co-conspirators pocketed the money sent by victims.
The scheme allegedly caused more $1 million in losses to at least 6,000 victims. The charge against Marotta carries a statutory maximum penalty of up to 5 years in prison and a statutory maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss from the offense.
A criminal information is an accusation and not evidence of guilt. The defendant should be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Ehren Reynolds of the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Eastern District of New York and Southern District of Florida visit their websites at www.justice.gov/usao-edny and www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Five Alleged Members and Associates of La Cosa Nostra Indicted for Racketeering and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
A 32-count indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging two inducted members and two associates of the Colombo organized crime family (the “Colombo family”) with racketeering, including predicate acts of extortion, extortionate collection, money laundering and illegal gambling. The indictment also charges one inducted member of the Gambino organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra (the “Gambino family”) with extortionate collection and a related conspiracy. The indictment relates to the defendants’ alleged criminal activities in Brooklyn, Staten Island and elsewhere between December 2010 and June 2018.
The defendants—Jerry Ciauri, also known as “Fat Jerry,” a member of the Colombo family, Vito Difalco, also known as “Victor” and “The Mask,” a member of the Colombo family, Salvatore Disano, also known as “Sal Heaven,” an associate of the Colombo family, Anthony Licata, also known as “Anthony Suits,” a member of the Gambino family, and Joseph Maratea, an associate of the Colombo family—were arrested today and are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr.
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), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the charges.
“This investigation shows that members of La Cosa Nostra continue to prey on members of our community, enriching themselves and their criminal network by making extortionate loans and using threats of violence to collect,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Rooting out traditional organized crime’s dangerous and corrupting influence continues to be a high priority for this Office and our law enforcement partners.”
“As alleged in the indictment, these defendants instilled fear in the hearts of their victims through threats of violence,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “These extortionate threats are the trademark of the mafia’s power, but in the end all it does is expose their weakness. While criminal organizations such as La Costa Nostra continue to work hard to imbed fear and danger within our communities, the FBI New York Joint Organized Crime Task Force is working even harder to ensure the public’s safety and security.”
“The mob is certainly diminished, but it is not dead,” stated NYPD Police Commissioner O’Neill. “These groups require our constant vigilance. By working in close collaboration with our law enforcement partners in the FBI and the Eastern District, the NYPD will continue to ensure public safety through aggressive investigation and the dismantling of these types of organized-crime organizations.”
As alleged in the indictment and court filings, Ciauri is charged with making extortionate loans and with using extortionate means to collect debts from six victims, as well as laundering the proceeds of his loansharking business in order to conceal his involvement.
Disano is charged with using extortionate means to collect debts from three victims and with assisting Ciauri in laundering the proceeds. On one occasion, Ciauri threatened to shoot a loansharking partner who had fallen behind making payments to Ciauri. He subsequently recruited another associate to stalk that partner. On another occasion, Ciauri enlisted an associate to slash a victim’s tires in the middle of the night.
Difalco is charged with making extortionate loans and with using extortionate means to collect debts from eight victims. In one conversation, Difalco threatened a loansharking victim by telling him that he had a past history of setting on fire the cars of those who failed to make timely payments; Difalco told the victim, “Good things happen to me when I stay calm see like I was by your house the other day…. Four years ago, I would have put the Benz on fire.”
Maratea is charged with using extortionate means to collect debts from five victims. To ensure that Maratea and Difalco could find their debtors, Difalco and Maratea required debtors to provide a copy of their driver’s licenses and contact information.
Each of the defendants faces a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment on the racketeering, money laundering and extortionate collection offenses. The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime & Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth A. Geddes and Mathew S. Miller are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
JERRY CIAURI (also known as “Fat Jerry”)
Age: 59
Brooklyn, New YorkVITO DIFALCO (also known as “Victor” and “The Mask”)
Age: 63
Brooklyn, New YorkSALVATORE DISANO (also known as “Sal Heaven”)
Age: 48
Brooklyn, New YorkANTHONY LICATA (also known as “Anthony Suits”)
Age: 49
Brooklyn, New YorkJOSEPH MARATEA
Age: 42
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-337 (KAM)
Firefighter Pleads Guilty to Mail FraudRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley firefighter pled guilty today to committing mail fraud, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Michael Cowger, 50, admitted that he fraudulently received over $20,000 from the City of Beckley, West Virginia University, and Beaver Volunteer Fire Department. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations and the Beckley Police Department.
“First responders – firefighters, policeman and others – are role models and heroes in our communities,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “It is disheartening when someone who should be a role model is responsible for fraud and deceit,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Although the resulting losses may seem minimal to some, no level of fraud is insignificant when committed by an individual in a position of trust.”
Cowger served as a firefighter at the Beckley Fire Department, worked as a part-time instructor for West Virginia University’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, and volunteered at the Beaver Fire Department, where he held the position of Fire Chief. Cowger admitted that he submitted reimbursement requests for supplies, travel, and training expenses to those entities, when he knew he had already sought reimbursements for the same expenses or another entity had already paid the expenses. For example, Cowger used his West Virginia University Purchasing Card (“P-Card”), a credit card that WVU paid directly, to purchase gas and rent a vehicle for certain trainings, yet also requested mileage from the City of Beckley for those same trainings, falsely indicating that he used his personal vehicle for the same travel, when in fact he had used a vehicle rented via the P-Card. Cowger also admitted that to complete his scheme, at times he created fictitious and duplicate receipts on his computer. He also admitted that he manipulated his hotel and training reservations and payments at times to ensure that he received two receipts with two different credit card numbers for the same events to conceal from the City of Beckley that he had used a WVU P-Card to pay for the events.
Cowger agreed to pay restitution in the following amounts: $15,638.28 to the City of Beckley; $5,099.64 to West Virginia University; and $204.85 to the Beaver Volunteer Fire Department.
Cowger faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on September 17, 2018.
Assistant United States Attorney Meredith George Thomas is in charge of the prosecution. United States District Judge Irene C. Burger presided over the hearing.
Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart
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Federal Inmate Guilty of Assaulting Prison Guard at Beaumont FacilityRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A jury has found a 31-year-old federal inmate guilty of assaulting a correctional officer in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Reginald Edward Green, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty of assault on a federal officer following a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield on July 10, 2018.
According to information presented in court, on Feb. 2, 2018, a federal correctional officer was performing his duties at the U.S. Penitentiary located in the Federal Correctional Complex in Beaumont, Texas. The officer brought Green in for a urinalysis, and, after filling out paperwork and handing a specimen cup to Green, Green became belligerent and then closed his fist and struck the officer in the face. The officer used his body alarm to alert others to the attack as he struggled to gain control of Green. During trial, two witnesses testified they aided in restraining Green. The officer suffered swelling and bruising to his left facial area around his eye which lasted for several days after the attack.
Under federal statutes, Green faces up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Hummert and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Craft.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Three for Defacing Federal PropertyRead the Press Release
In San Antonio, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging three individuals for allegedly defacing the San Antonio Mission National Historical Park Visitor’s Center last month, announced United States Attorney John F. Bash, San Antonio Missions National Historical Park Superintendent Mardi Arce and San Antonio Police Chief William McManus.
The indictment charges 20-year-old Gabriella Petra Fritz, 21-year-old Sydney Elizabeth Faris and 19-year-old Andres Castaneda with one count of depredation of Government property. The indictment alleges that from June 21-22, 2018, the defendants willfully used spray paint to deface the Visitor’s Center at Mission San Jose and signage resulting in damages exceeding $1,000.
The defendants face up to ten years in federal prison upon conviction. No court dates have been scheduled.
The National Park Service and the San Antonio Police Department conducted this investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Wannarka is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government in coordination with the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office concerning damage to both federal and non-federal property (Mission San Juan).
It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Federal Court and the U.S Attorney’s Office warn citizens about ongoing jury scamsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – The U.S. District Court and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia are issuing an alert to citizens concerning a scam that has cost victims thousands of dollars. Citizens continue to receive fraudulent phone calls from scammers falsely claiming to be with the U.S. District Court, the U.S. Marshals Service, or other government agencies. The scammers claim that the victim failed to appear for jury duty in federal court and threaten the victims with arrest unless they purchase a pre-paid credit card—such as a Green Dot card or gift card—and provide the card number to the scammers.
“These schemes are often carried out by state prisoners using contraband cellphones,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “While our office has prosecuted dozens of these cases, citizens should be vigilant and suspicious of anyone who claims to be from a federal agency and demands payment for failing to appear for a jury summons. In short, a representative from a federal agency or federal court will never call demanding money.”
“If you missed jury duty, the court will never call you on the phone and demand money or a gift card number,” said Lucy S. Moses, Jury Administrator for the U.S. District Court. “Everything related to jury duty is done through the U.S. Mail to the individual juror. Citizens who receive a call and question whether it is legitimate can verify by calling the jury office themselves.”
Based on reports received by the Northern District’s jury office, over the last two years, local citizens have given scammers anywhere from $400 to $13,000 out of fear that an arrest warrant had been issued due to their failure to appear for jury duty. Many of the victims took money out of their savings or retirement to pay the scammers. One elderly gentleman reported that he had given all he had - $5,000 - and was fearful of what might happen to his wife, who suffers from dementia. On another occasion, a local teacher reported that she gave a scammer $1,200 because she was going through an adoption process and did not want anything that would interfere with her ability to adopt.
Victims commonly report that the scammers sound convincing and speak authoritatively. The scammers may use real information about the victim and court addresses. They may also use the real names of law enforcement officers, court officials, and federal judges to make the scam appear more credible. They may even “spoof” the phone number on caller ID so that it falsely appears to be from the court or a government agency. In one reported instance, a scammer learned that a potential victim was getting married and threatened to cancel her wedding if she did not pay.
Citizens can protect themselves by knowing these facts about federal jury service:
●The court will always send a jury summons by U.S. Mail.
●The court and law enforcement will never demand payment over the phone.
●The court and law enforcement will never demand a gift card number to satisfy an obligation.
●A prospective juror who disregards a jury summons will be contacted through the mail by the court clerk’s office and may, in certain circumstances, be ordered to appear before a judge. Such an order will always be in writing and signed by the judge.
●A fine will never be imposed until after the individual has appeared in court and been given the opportunity to explain his or her failure to appear. If a fine is imposed, it will be in open court and reduced to writing (and will not be payable by gift card number).
Citizens who wish to verify whether they were summoned for federal jury duty may contact the Northern District of Georgia’s jury office at 404-215-1640. Citizens can report a scam phone call by contacting the FBI Atlanta Field Office at 770-216-3000.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced to over 3 Years in Federal Prison for Embezzlement of Government Funds and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas –Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that James Lewis Story (Jimmy), age 57 of Fayetteville, Arkansas, was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,282,966.00 in restitution to the City of Farmington Arkansas and $371,956.00 in restitution to the IRS on one count of Theft Concerning Programs that Receive Federal Funds and one count of Filing a False Income Tax Return. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court records, Story worked for the City of Farmington as the District Court Clerk from 1995 to 2016. Starting in at least January 2009, Story was the sole employee responsible for preparing and making deposits, reviewing bank statements and performing reconciliations, entering receipt information in the District Court’s case management system(System), and posting transactions to the financial accounting system. District Court offenders were required to pay their fines at the Farmington Court Clerk’s Office. Fines collected by City of Farmington staff were given to Story for data entry into the System and for deposit into the District Court bank account. Beginning in or about January 2009, Story made five types of fraudulent adjustments in the System to reduce the monetary balance due from defendants and conceal the funds not deposited. As the only employee with authorized security access to the system, Story used the fraudulent adjustments to fabricate reasons that fines, costs, and fees collected were not entered into the System. The fraudulent adjustments performed by Story included adjustments that indicated the District Court Judge dismissed the fines, fees, and costs owed by the offenders, adjustments that community service was served in lieu of payment of fines, fees, and costs, administrative activity adjustments, deleted or voided cases, and deletion of court automation fees. During the course of the investigation, agents identified individuals who paid their fines in cash and whose records were changed in the System to indicate that there was no court-ordered fine. In each case, Story altered the records, stole the cash, and used it for his own personal benefit.
Story was named in a two-count information and pleaded guilty in November 2017.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS Criminal Investigations and the Arkansas Legislative Audit. Assistant United States Attorney’s Brice R. White and Clay Fowlkes prosecuted the case for the United States.
Former Prisoner Transport Officer Indicted for Sexual Assault and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of His Sexual AssaultRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - A federal grand jury in Riverside, California, returned a five-count indictment against Eric Scott Kindley, 50, a private prisoner transport officer, for crimes related to his sexual assaults of two different females in his custody during two different transports, and for brandishing his firearm during one of the sexual assaults.
Count One of the indictment charges Kindley with committing a civil rights offense on July 26, 2012, that included aggravated sexual abuse and kidnapping. Counts Two, Three, and Four charge Kindley with committing civil rights offenses on Jan. 26, 2017, against a second female that included aggravated sexual abuse. Count Two also alleges that Kindley’s crime resulted in bodily injury and included kidnapping and the use of a dangerous weapon. Count Five charges Kindley with knowingly brandishing and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Kindley was previously indicted on Sept. 12, 2017, in Little Rock, Arkansas, for committing similar offenses related to his sexual assault of a third female in his custody. That indictment also charges Kindley with possessing his firearm in furtherance of that sexual assault.
If convicted of the charges in the most recent indictment, Kindley faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison for brandishing his firearm, and a maximum sentence of life in prison. If convicted of the charges pending in Arkansas, Kindley faces a mandatory minimum of sentence of five years in prison for possession of the firearm, and a maximum sentence of life in prison. If Kindley is convicted of the firearms offenses in both indictments, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence he receives.
This investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to call the Phoenix Division of the FBI at (623) 466-1999, or email the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice at [email protected].
An indictment is merely a formal accusation of criminal conduct, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Phoenix Division of the Federal Bureau Investigation and is being prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold and Trial Attorney Maura White of the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
FCI Danbury Inmate Admits to Possessing WeaponRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOHN FAUCHER, 41, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to one count of possession of contraband in a federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 12, 2018, FAUCHER, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury (FCI Danbury), possessed an object designed or intended to be used as a weapon.
FAUCHER is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill on October 3, 2018, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
FAUCHER is currently serving a 46-month sentence for robbing a bank in Manchester, New Hampshire, in October 2016, and attempting to rob a convenience store in Manchester in September 2016.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia E. King.
Dominican National Sentenced for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a drug trafficking organization that operated in Taunton and Boston.
Yeurys Tejeda, 29, a Dominican national formerly residing in Boston, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to time served (15 months in prison) and three years of supervised release. Tejeda will be subject to deportation proceedings. In April 2018, Tejeda pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. In February 2017, Tejeda was arrested and charged along with 22 co-defendants.
From mid-2016 through February 2017, there were investigations into two drug trafficking organizations who were operating in Taunton and Boston, one led by Jose Antonio Lugo-Guerrero, and the other led by Fernando Hernandez. Hernandez’s organization was based in Taunton and sold heroin and fentanyl to customers who re-distributed a portion of the drugs they obtained. It is alleged that Hernandez obtained drugs from a network of suppliers that included Lugo-Guerrero.
According to court documents, Lugo-Guerrero operated a drug trafficking organization in Fall River and Boston that allegedly obtained a significant quantity of illegal drugs by robbing other drug traffickers. Lugo-Guerrero was assisted by a number of co-defendants including Tejeda. In November of 2016, Tejeda helped Lugo-Guerrero plan and attempt to steal heroin and money from another drug dealer operating in New Bedford. The plan was revealed by wiretaps and surveillance and foiled by law enforcement.
Hernandez pleaded guilty and was sentenced in February 2018 to 188 months in prison. Lugo-Guerrero has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Fall River Police Chief Daniel S. Racine; New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro; Taunton Police Chief Edward James Walsh; Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans; and Bristol Country District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ted Heinrich of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dominican Man Sentenced to 78 Months Incarceration for His Role in a Conspiracy to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Kenneth James, 51, of Dominica, was sentenced before District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez, to 78 months incarceration for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced. In addition, Judge Gomez also ordered that James be sentenced to five years of supervised release, pay a $100 special assessment, and complete 400 hours community service.
According to the plea agreement filed with the Court, on August 15, 2017, James was arrested by Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) after he attempted to sell to an individual approximately 12 kilograms of cocaine. James attempted to sell each kilogram of cocaine for $13,500.
The case was investigated the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.
Dominica Native Pleads Guilty to Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Lester Gabriel Charles, 35, pleaded guilty before District Judge Curtis V. Gomez to possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, United States Attorney Gretchen Shappert announced. Charles sentencing is scheduled for November 15, 2018.
Virgin Islands Police Department responded to an altercation on April 5, 2018 involving Charles, who is in the United States illegally. Charles admitted that he possessed and later discarded the firearm, a Beretta Pierto Model CAT-5802, which Virgin Islands Police Officers recovered. The firearm contained 10 live rounds of ammunition—one in the chamber and one in the firearm’s magazine.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Virgin Islands Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David White.
Document Fraud Leads to Federal Prison for Guatemalan BrothersRead the Press Release
Two Guatemalan brothers who share the same name and who each unlawfully used a fraudulent identification document were sentenced today to more than two months apiece in federal prison.
Jacinto Raymundo-Rivera, age 22, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 23, 2018 guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of an identification document. At the guilty plea, Raymundo-Rivera, an illegal alien, admitted that on October 8, 2014, he used a fraudulent Green Card when completing employment forms to get a job in Cedar Rapids. The social security account number and the Green Card number used by Raymundo-Rivera belonged to other people.
Jacinto Raymundo-Rivera, age 28, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 24, 2018 guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of an identification document. At the guilty plea, Raymundo-Rivera, an illegal alien, admitted that on September 21, 2015, he used a fraudulent Green Card when completing employment forms to get a job in Cedar Rapids. The social security account number and the Green Card number used by Raymundo-Rivera belonged to other people.
Both brothers were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Each brother was sentenced to 77 days imprisonment. Each brother must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Both brothers are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 18-CR-35-LTS and 18-CR-36-LTS.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Department of Justice, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Trade Commission Announce Task Force on Market Integrity and Consumer FraudRead the Press Release
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein today announced the establishment of a new Task Force on Market Integrity and Consumer Fraud. The Task Force, which is formed pursuant to Presidential Executive Order, will provide guidance for the investigation and prosecution of cases involving fraud on the government, the financial markets, and consumers, including cyber-fraud and other fraud targeting the elderly, service members and veterans, and other members of the public; procurement and grant fraud; securities and commodities fraud, as well as other corporate fraud, with particular attention to fraud affecting the general public; digital currency fraud; money laundering, including the recovery of proceeds; health care fraud; tax fraud; and other financial crimes.
Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein was joined in the announcement by Acting Director Mick Mulvaney of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, Chairman Jay Clayton of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and Chairman Joe Simons of the Federal Trade Commission.
“Fraud committed by companies and their employees has a devastating impact on American citizens in the financial markets, the health care sector, and elsewhere,” said Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein. “The President’s order directs the Task Force to invite participation from our law enforcement partners at many departments and agencies. By working together, we can achieve more effective and efficient outcomes. Drawing on our pooled resources, including subject-matter expertise, data repositories, and analysts and investigators, we can identify and stop fraud on a wider scale than any one agency acting alone.”
“As Acting Director of the Bureau, one of my top priorities has been to go after bad actors,” said Acting Director Mick Mulvaney of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. “The Bureau takes its mandate to enforce the law seriously, and the Bureau will continue to apply the law to achieve this end of combatting fraud against Americans. The recent settlement with Wells Fargo is a great example of the Bureau coordinating closely with sister regulators to remedy legal violations. Interagency cooperation is incredibly important for these complex issues, as criminals do not stay neatly within state lines or even national borders. This task force is an example of the growing cooperation of the Bureau’s work with other federal and state authorities to combat a multitude of bad actors out there today.”
“At the SEC we work every day to protect Main Street investors,” said SEC Chairman Clayton. “This Task Force will allow us to build on the close partnerships we have with our fellow regulators and law enforcement agencies to deter and combat retail fraud.”
“Stopping fraud against consumers is at the heart of the FTC’s mission,” said FTC Chairman Joe Simons. “To combat these problems, the Commission has developed a multi-faceted strategy: we bring enforcement actions to protect consumers; and we engage in education initiatives to help the general public, the elderly and service members detect and avoid scams. The FTC looks forward to further collaboration with the Department of Justice and other agencies through participation in this Task Force, so we can leverage our skills and resources to protect as many consumers as possible.”
The Task Force will be led by the Deputy Attorney General, who serves as Chair, and the Associate Attorney General, who serves as Vice Chair. In the performance of its functions, the Task Force is directed to invite participation from the Departments of Treasury, Defense, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Energy, Education, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security, as well as the Small Business Administration, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Social Security Administration, the United States Agency for International Development, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, the Federal Trade Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the General Services Administration, the National Credit Union Administration, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Postal Inspection Service.
Department of Justice Announces Regulatory Steps to Address Opioid EpidemicRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced the finalization of an April proposal to improve the Drug Enforcement Administration’s ability to control the diversion of dangerous drugs in the midst of the national opioid crisis. Announced in April by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the final rule sent for publication today in the Federal Register establishes that DEA will take into consideration the extent that a drug is diverted for abuse when it sets its annual opioid production limits.
If DEA believes that that a particular opioid or a particular company’s opioids are being diverted for misuse, this allows DEA to reduce the amount that can be produced in a given year. These revised limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potentially addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for genuine medical, scientific, research and industrial needs.
"The opioid epidemic that we are facing today is the worst drug crisis in American history," Attorney General Sessions said. "To help end it, DEA must make sure that we prevent diversion and abuse of prescription opioids. Today's new rule, by taking diversion of these opioids into account, will allow the DEA to be more responsive to the facts on the ground. More importantly, it will help us stop and even prevent diversion from taking place. The American people can be confident that we are now better equipped to protect them from dangerous drugs and that this rule brings us one step closer to finally ending this unprecedented crisis."
“These common-sense actions directly respond to the national opioid epidemic by allowing DEA to use drug diversion as a basis to evaluate whether a drug’s production should be reduced,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This also opens the door for increased communication and better information sharing between DEA and individual states, as we work together to address the opioid problem plaguing our country.”
The final rule enhances the roles for the state attorneys general. It requires DEA to share notices of proposed aggregate production quotas, and final aggregate production quota orders, to the state attorneys general. It also allows for a hearing if necessary to resolve an issue of material fact raised by a state’s objection to a proposed aggregate production quota as excessive in relation to legitimate U.S. need.
DEA also announced that the final rule allows DEA to consider relevant information from the Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as well as relevant information from the states.
Following April’s announcement of the proposed rule changes, DEA received more than 1,600 public comments in response.
NOTE: To view the advance text of the final rule as approved by the Acting Administrator and submitted for publication in the Federal Register click here.
Delaware Man Admits Conspiring to Defraud the IRS by Filing False Corporate Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Wilmington, Delaware, man today admitted conspiring with his father to file false federal tax returns for shell companies, resulting in approximately $241,000 in fraudulent refunds, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Johnathan Crespo, 34, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiring with Jose Crespo to defraud the IRS by filing false corporate tax returns and cashing the resulting fraudulent refund checks.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Between 2011 and 2013, Johnathan Crespo and his father, Jose Crespo, filed numerous false federal corporate tax returns, IRS Forms 1120, for fake businesses, knowing that the businesses were not real and that the credits claimed on the tax returns were false. These false tax returns resulted in approximately $241,000 in fraudulent refunds being issued by the IRS.
In filing these false tax returns, Johnathan and Jose Crespo took advantage of fuel excise tax credits offered under federal tax law. The federal government taxes gasoline, diesel fuel, and certain other types of fuel, but certain commercial uses of these fuels are nontaxable. Businesses that purchase fuel for a nontaxable use can claim a tax credit by filing an IRS Form 4136, “Credit for Federal Tax Paid on Fuels.”
In one instance, Johnathan and Jose Crespo filed a federal corporate tax return for 2011 for Advanced Transportation Corp. that falsely claimed a fuel excise tax credit of $24,898 and a resulting refund of $20,767. Advanced Transportation Corp. was a shell company, and the fuel excise tax credit and other tax return numbers were false. Johnathan Crespo received and cashed the $20,767 refund check at a check-cashing facility in Guttenberg, New Jersey. He cashed many other refund checks for similar false tax returns at this same check-cashing facility.
Jose Crespo pleaded guilty on Sept. 11, 2017, before Judge Linares to engaging in the fuel excise tax credit scheme and another tax fraud scheme, which together claimed fraudulent refunds from the IRS of nearly $1.5 million. He was sentenced on Dec. 20, 2017, to three years in prison.
Marilyn Crespo, Jose Crespo’s wife, pleaded guilty March 1, 2018, before Judge Linares to engaging in the same fuel excise tax credit scheme and causing a loss to the IRS of $286,742. Marilyn Crespo was sentenced on June 27, 2018, to 12 months and one day in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $286,742.
Johnathan Crespo’s brother, Jason Crespo, pleaded guilty June 28, 2018, before Judge Linares to engaging in the same fuel excise tax credit scheme and causing a loss to the IRS of $191,953. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 4, 2018.
The count of conspiracy to defraud the IRS carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a potential fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. Johnathan Crespo’s sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 16, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bryant Jackson, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Agarwal, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division in Newark.Defendant Sentenced Today for Firearm and Drug Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JAMIRON BARNES, a/k/a “Miron,” a/k/a “Myron,” age 22, was sentenced today to 60 months imprisonment for one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking crime in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A). U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Barbier additionally sentenced BARNES to five years supervised release following his 60-month term of imprisonment and a $100.00 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the continued coordinated effort of federal and state law enforcement authorities, including the United States Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Orleans Gang Task Force, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Privitera is in charge of the prosecution.
Defendant Sentenced Today for Firearm and Drug Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SEAN BRIGGS, a/k/a “Big Sean,” a/k/a “Big C,”, age 33, was sentenced today to 60 months imprisonment for one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking crime in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A). U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Barbier additionally sentenced BRIGGS to five years supervised release following his 60-month term of imprisonment and a $100.00 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the continued coordinated effort of federal and state law enforcement authorities, including the United States Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Orleans Gang Task Force, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Privitera is in charge of the prosecution.
Crips East Terrance Gangstas Ringleader and Two Others Face Additional Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
In San Antonio, 40-year-old Crips East Terrance Gangstas ringleader Alvin Clark (aka “Ray Ray”) and two other gang members face additional federal charges stemming from their arrests last November on a federal “crack” cocaine distribution conspiracy charge, announced United States Attorney John F. Bash, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs and San Antonio Police Chief William McManus.
Today, the federal grand jury returned separate indictments against Clark, 35-year-old James Bilal Ali and 21-year-old Dai’Vonte E’Shaun Titus Ross. Clark and Ali are charged with one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Ross is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute “crack” cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On November 17, 2017, federal and state authorities arrested the trio based on a separate federal indictment alleging their involvement in a “crack” cocaine distribution conspiracy. According to the indictments returned today, Clark was in possession of a 12 gauge shotgun and a 9mm pistol while Ali was in possession of a 9mm pistol at the time of their arrests. At the same time, authorities discovered that Ross was in possession of 28 grams of “crack” cocaine as well as a 9mm pistol, a .45 pistol, a .22 rifle and a 12 gauge shotgun.
Clark and Ali face up to ten years in federal prison upon conviction of the firearm charge. Ross faces between five and 40 years in federal prison on the drug charge and no less than five years in federal prison on the firearms charge.
Each defendant remains in custody and is awaiting trial on the federal drug conspiracy charge (SA17cr874) scheduled for July 30, 2018. Upon conviction of that charge, the defendants face between ten years and life in federal prison.
This investigation, conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the San Antonio Police Department, focuses on drug trafficking and violent crime occurring on the city’s Eastside.
Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Wannarka is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Cranston Man Indicted, Arraigned for Alleged Possession and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Cranston man pleaded not guilty on Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Providence to a federal grand jury indictment charging him with possession and receipt of child pornography.
Steven Papazian, 31, of Cranston, was indicted on July 3, 2018, on one count each of possession of child pornography and receipt of child pornography.
Papazian was released on GPS electronic monitoring following his arraignment before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond.
According to information presented to the court, it alleged that Papazian was downloading and sharing child pornography over the internet using multiple peer-to-peer network file sharing software programs. Forensic analysis identified more than 40,000 images and videos of child pornography, including prepubescent images and sadomasochistic images.
The indictment and arraignment of Steven Papazian are announced by United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch; Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police; and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations.
An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Possession of child pornography is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 10 years in federal prison, lifetime supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Receipt of child pornography is punishable by statutory penalties of 5 to 20 years in federal prison, lifetime supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Homeland Security Investigations.
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Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Smuggle Opioids into Prison for InmateRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A corrections officer at the Massachusetts Correctional Institute facility in Norfolk (MCI-Norfolk) pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to a conspiracy to smuggle Suboxone strips into the facility for an inmate.
William Holts, 51, of Pawtucket, R.I., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Sept. 17, 2018. Holts, an employee of the Massachusetts Department of Correction, was charged and arrested on May 9, 2018.
Beginning around April 30, 2018, Holts advised an inmate, for whom he had smuggled other contraband, that he was willing to smuggle drugs into MCI-Norfolk in exchange for cash. In a series of recorded calls, Holts arranged to meet with a source outside the correctional facility to get the cash and obtain drugs to be smuggled in. Holts agreed to bring in over 100 Suboxone strips in exchange for $2,000 in cash.
According to court documents, Suboxone is a Class III controlled substance intended to treat heroin addiction, but some abuse the drug to get high. It is coveted contraband in prisons across the nation and particularly in New England. Suboxone strips, which dissolve under the tongue, may be tucked behind envelope seams and stamps.
The charge of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Commissioner Thomas A. Turco III of the Massachusetts Department of Correction made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris of Lelling’s Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.