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22 June 2018
Former Virginia Software Company Vice President Sentenced to Prison for Employment Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A former officer of a software company in Sterling, Virginia, was sentenced to 15 months in prison today for conspiring to defraud the government by failing to pay over employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), announced Principal Deputy Assistant General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia.
According to court documents, Kristie Lynn McDonald was the Vice President of Finance and Administration of a software company in Sterling, Virginia. From January 2011 to February 2013, McDonald conspired with the company’s Chief Executive Officer Robert Lewis to defraud the United States by failing to pay over to the IRS more than $1.8 million in payroll taxes withheld from employee paychecks.
As part of their scheme, McDonald and Lewis circumvented the company’s normal payroll and accounting procedures by paying some employees with manual paychecks. The employees still received the correct pay after withholdings, but by bypassing the accounting system, McDonald and Lewis were able to hide the fact that the withholdings were not being paid over to the IRS. The practical effect of their scheme was to conceal the company’s failing financial condition from its Board of Directors. They also caused the company to file false quarterly employment tax returns with the IRS that underreported the amount of tax due.
During this same period, McDonald and Lewis failed to remit the full amount of employee retirement contributions to the company’s retirement plan. Through their actions, the company failed to transfer nearly $225,000 in voluntary employee retirement withholdings. McDonald and Lewis used the misappropriated money to pay the operating expenses of the company, which included their own six figure salaries and salary raises for other employees.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III ordered McDonald to serve three years of supervised release and to pay restitution in the amount of $1,812,706 million. McDonald and Lewis previously plead guilty on March 23. Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced on June 29.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Terwilliger thanked agents of IRS Criminal Investigation and the Department of Labor who conducted the investigation, and Tax Division Trial Attorneys Kevin Schneider and Charles M. Edgar, Jr. and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Faulconer, who are prosecuting the case.
Former Postal Employee Sentenced for Embezzlement of Mail MatterRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – YVONNE WILSON, age 37, of Kenner, Louisiana, was sentenced yesterday after previously pleading guilty to embezzlement of mail matter by a postal service employee, announced U. S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon sentenced WILSON to three (3) years’ probation and ordered her to pay restitution in the amount of $1,402.99.
According to court documents, the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) received information regarding complaints of theft of mail. After further investigation, it was determined that YVONNE WILSON (WILSON), a U.S. Postal Service City Carrier Assistant during this relevant time period, was the postal service employee who might have been involved in the thefts.
On July 14, 2016, a USPS-OIG agent prepared two decoy letters, one being a first class letter addressed to W.P. in Metairie, Louisiana, containing cash in the amount of $115.00, and another first class letter addressed to M.H. in Metairie, Louisiana, containing cash in the amount of $100.00. The agent placed them in the mail stream at the Metairie Main Post Office located at 3301 17th Street, Metairie, Louisiana. Both letters were to be handled and delivered by WILSON as the letters were on her assigned route. USPS-OIG agents maintained surveillance of WILSON as she serviced her assigned route. After they determined that WILSON had opened the decoy letters, the agents approached her, identified themselves, and explained why they had approached her. They also observed a plastic Wal-Mart bag in her postal vehicle containing the two open decoy letters. WILSON admitted that she had opened the decoy letters, took the cash from the letters, and placed the $215.00 cash in her wallet.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service- Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Loan AMimi@ Nguyen.
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Former Mafia Boss and Associate Convicted of 1993 MurderRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Francis “Cadillac” Salemme, a former boss of the New England Family of La Cosa Nostra (NELCN), and former NELCN associate Paul Weadick, were convicted today by a federal jury in connection with the 1993 murder of Steven A. DiSarro.
Francis P. Salemme, 84, and Paul M. Weadick, 63, were convicted of one count of murder of a federal witness. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Sept. 13, 2018.
“Today, one of the last New England mafia bosses, Frank “Cadillac” Salemme along with an accomplice, Paul Weadick, have been brought to justice, ending a long, dark chapter in our city’s history,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “After many years of pain, we hope that this verdict gives Mr. DiSarro’s family some peace, knowing that the defendants have been held accountable. I would like to acknowledge the commitment of the prosecutors and investigators for bringing this case – and the other organized crimes cases that preceded it – to a successful conclusion.”
“Tragically, this case demonstrates the savagery of organized crime and the extent Salemme and Weadick were willing to go for their own self-preservation,” said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division. “Today’s verdict ensures that both men will finally pay the price for killing Steven DiSarro in cold blood. They took his life in order to ensure his silence. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to use every available resource to pursue criminals who attack, intimidate, retaliate, and even go as far as murdering, witnesses.”
In the early 1990s, Salemme was the boss of the NELCN. At the time, DiSarro managed a South Boston night club, known as “The Channel,” in which Salemme and his son, Francis P. Salemme, Jr. had a financial interest. As a federal investigation was narrowing in on the Salemmes, DiSarro’s connection to the mafia boss was discovered and he was approached by federal investigators to cooperate. Knowing this, Salemme had DiSarro murdered on May 10, 1993, in Salemme’s Sharon residence. Salemme, who had ordered the murder to prevent DiSarro from cooperating with law enforcement, watched as Salemme Jr. and Weadick strangled DiSarro. Salemme then ordered DiSarro’s body transported to Providence, R.I. and buried. In March 2016, DiSarro’s remains were recovered by federal authorities behind a mill in Providence, R.I.
In 1995 Salemme was indicted on federal racketeering charges and convicted in 1999. He was subsequently convicted of obstruction of justice in 2008 for lying to federal authorities about the murder of DiSarro. Salemme Jr. died in 1995.
The charge of murder of a federal witness provides for a sentence of life in prison. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Lelling; Interim United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch for the District of Rhode Island; FBI SAC Shaw; Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police, made the announcement today. Assistance was also provided by the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office and the Providence, R.I. Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fred M. Wyshak, Jr., Chief of Lelling’s Public Corruption Unit and William J. Ferland of Dambruch’s Office are prosecuting the case.
Former Lincoln Resident Sentenced to over 4 Years in Prison for Her Participation in a $22 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Today, U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. sentenced Mary Sue Weaver, 65, currently of Scottsdale, Arizona and formerly of Lincoln, California, to four years and two months in prison and ordered to pay $15,387,945 in restitution for her participation in a $22 million fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
On December 15, 2017, Weaver pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of bank fraud. On June 1, 2018, co-defendant Abolghasseni “Abe” Alizadeh, 59, of Granite Bay, was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison and ordered to pay $15,879,945 in restitution to the victims of his crimes.
According to court documents, Weaver was employed at a local title company and assisted Alizadeh, a Sacramento-area commercial real estate developer, restauranteur and owner of Kobra Properties, in a scheme to fraudulently purchase land that he planned to develop.
According to court documents, Alizadeh would write checks for the down payment on a commercial property, but because he lacked funds to cover the checks, he would call Weaver and ask her to delay depositing the checks until after escrow closed. Once escrow closed, Weaver disbursed funds from the title company’s escrow trust account to Kobra Properties. Kobra Properties then used those funds to cover its down payment and other costs. In this way, it appeared as though Alizadeh was making a substantial down payment when in fact he was not. Alizadeh’s entire scheme, involving no fewer than six properties in the Sacramento area, resulted in a loss to various financial institutions of over $22 million.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Anderson and Heiko P. Coppola are prosecuting the case.
Former Leader of New York Chapter of United Gamefowl Breeders Association Convicted for Animal Welfare Offense for Cockfighting VentureRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that THOMAS CARRANO was convicted today by a unanimous Manhattan jury of conspiring to possess, sell, and transport roosters for purposes of participation in animal fights around the United States. The defendant was convicted after a five day trial before the Honorable Sidney H. Stein.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Thomas Carrano, the leader of an association that claimed to ‘not promote cockfighting in any way,’ was convicted of that very thing. Carrano cared not a whit for the welfare of the roosters he raised, sold, and transported for participation in the cruel and inhumane ‘sport’ of cockfighting. Thanks to the ASPCA and our law enforcement counterparts, justice has come home to roost for Thomas Carrano.”
The evidence at trial showed, among other things, the following:
Cockfighting is an activity in which two roosters are put forward to fight one another for sport and entertainment. The roosters typically have metal spurs, known as gaffs, or plastic spurs, known as “postiza,” affixed to their legs for use in the fight. The fights between roosters are ended when one rooster is dead or refuses to continue to fight. If not killed during the fight, the losing rooster is typically killed afterwards. Roosters involved in cockfighting will often be mutilated in preparation for fights, typically by cutting off the rooster’s comb and wattle and shaping the rooster’s spur.
From January 2012 up June 2017, THOMAS CARRANO, a member and former president of the New York chapter of the United Gamefowl Breeders Association (“NYUGBA”), conspired with others – including a co-conspirator in the Bronx, New York – to buy, sell, transport, and receive roosters for cockfighting and to buy, sell, and transport cockfighting weapons. CARRANO used two social media accounts – one in his own name, and one in NYUGBA’s name – to communicate with co-conspirators, including members of NYUGBA and others who were located in the Southern District of New York. The NYUGBA claimed to be devoted solely to breeding rare gamefowl for poultry shows. Yet in messages sent through these social media accounts, CARRANO discussed breeding and training roosters for cockfighting, the sale and purchase of gaffs and postizas for cockfighting, and CARRANO’s personal participation in cockfighting.
On May 23, 2017, law enforcement personnel executed a search warrant at CARRANO’s gamefowl farm in Ontario, New York. During the search, law enforcement officers discovered, among other things, gaffs, postizas, shears for dubbing roosters, a rooster sparring dummy, a specialized ladder used to train fighting roosters, cockfighting supplements, and videos of roosters being trained for cockfights. In addition, law enforcement officers recovered approximately 104 chickens, including 19 adult roosters and 12 adolescent roosters, many of which had their natural spurs, combs, wattles, and/or earlobes removed.
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CARRANO, 44, of Ontario, New York, is convicted of one count of conspiring to sell, possess, and transport animals for purposes of participating in an animal fight, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is 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 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and the New York City Police Department’s Animal Cruelty Investigations Squad, and thanked them for their ongoing support and assistance with the case. Mr. Berman also thanked the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this case.
The prosecution of this case is being overseen by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alison G. Moe and Michael C. McGinnis are in charge of the case.
Former Duval County High School Teacher Pleads Guilty to Transporting Child Pornography over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Jeremy Scott Clark (44, Ponte Vedra) today pleaded guilty to transporting images depicting child sexual abuse over the internet. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, and up to 20 years in federal prison, and a potential life term of supervision. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Clark has been detained since his arrest on March 8, 2018. He was employed as a teacher at First Coast High School in Jacksonville.
According to court documents, on February 22, 2018, an individual using the screen name “LLCoolJack1973” responded to a message posted by an undercover FBI agent on an internet bulletin board frequented by individuals with a sexual interest in children. The user, later identified as Clark, began an online conversation with the undercover agent. After engaging in conversations about sexual activity with children, Clark sent an explicit photo of himself to the agent, along with a link to an online storage account containing images of young children being sexually abused. Further investigation traced the internet protocol address to Clark’s Ponte Vedra residence.
On March 8, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Clark’s home and seized his cellphone. FBI agents were able to confirm that the picture of the naked male sent to the undercover agent was that of Clark on his bed in his home. A forensic examination of Clark’s phone revealed that it contained the link to the online storage account previously sent to the agent.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Director of the Program Management Office in the Secretary of Defense Communications Office Pleads Guilty to Conflicts of Interest Law Prohibiting Acts Affecting Personal Financial InterestRead the Press Release
The former Director of the Program Management Office in the Secretary of Defense Communications Office (SDC) pleaded guilty today to a criminal conflicts of interest charge for using her federal employment to participate in acts that financially benefited her and her husband’s company. Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
Kimberly S. Brewer, 37, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge John F. Anderson of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to a one-count information charging her with violating a criminal conflicts of interest law that prohibits federal employees from using their federal employment to personally and financially benefit themselves or certain immediate family members, including spouses.
According to the plea documents, the SDC is the office within the U.S. Department of Defense responsible for, among other things, operating and maintaining the communications systems supporting the U.S. Secretary of Defense. During the relevant time period, Brewer served as SDC’s Director of the Program Management Office at the same time that her husband’s company, Insight Technology Group LLC (ITG), was a subcontractor for a company that had a $4.68 million contract with the SDC. Even though Brewer signed a disqualification statement in which she agreed to refrain from participating in any matters that would affect ITG, Brewer repeatedly personally and substantially participated in matters that affected the company’s financial interests, including advocating with her superiors on behalf of ITG and interfering in personnel matters affecting the company. These acts directly impacted financial matters affecting ITG’s financial interests and, indirectly, her own.
The case was investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service of the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Victor R. Salgado of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha P. Bateman of the Eastern District of Virginia.
Former Baltimore Police Department Detective Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal Prison for Racketeering, Including Robberies, Overtime Fraud, and Submitting False ReportsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced former Detective Daniel Thomas Hersl, age 48, of Joppa, Maryland to 18 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for racketeering conspiracy and racketeering offenses, including overtime fraud, and robbery. A federal jury convicted Hersl on February 12, 2018.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler of the Harford County Sheriff’s Department.
According to evidence presented at the three-week trial, during 2015 and 2016--the time of the racketeering conspiracy--Hersl stole money, property, and narcotics by detaining victims, entering residences, conducting traffic stops, and swearing out false search warrant affidavits. In addition, Hersl and his co-defendants prepared and submitted false official incident and arrest reports, reports of property seized from arrestees, and charging documents.
In some cases, there was no evidence of criminal conduct by the victims; Hersl and his co-defendant officers stole money that had been earned lawfully. In other instances, narcotics and firearms were recovered from arrestees. In several instances, Hersl and his co-defendants did not file any police reports. The amounts stolen ranged from $200 to $200,000.
Seven co-defendants have all previously been convicted of federal racketeering charges. Of those, five have been sentenced to between seven and 25 years in prison.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, the DEA, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Harford County Sheriff’s Department for their work in the investigation. U.S. Attorney Hur also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo J. Wise and Derek E. Hines, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
Former Anne Arundel County Man Indicted Federally for Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Glen Ranger, age 49, formerly of Severn, Maryland, for production and possession of child pornography. The indictment was returned on June 21, 2018.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Acting Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Chief David A. Spencer of the Easton Police Department; Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Wes Adams.
According to the 12-count indictment, from approximately 2002 through 2007, Ranger knowingly persuaded, enticed, and coerced a prepubescent male to engage in sexually explicit conduct in order to produce videos and images of that conduct. In addition, the indictment alleges that from at least May 2, 2014, to March 13, 2018, Ranger accessed, viewed, stored, and possessed an external hard drive containing visual depictions of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Ranger faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years in prison, followed by up to lifetime of supervised release, for each of five counts of production of child pornography; and a maximum of 20 years in prison for each of seven counts of possession of child pornography. Ranger is expected to have an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge A. David Copperthite on June 28, 2018 in U.S. District Court in Baltimore. Ranger is currently detained on related state charges.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended HSI-Baltimore, the Maryland State Police, the Easton Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who is prosecuting the federal case.
Federal Jury Finds Brevard County Doctor Guilty of Illegal Distribution of OxycodoneRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – A federal jury today found John M. Gayden, Jr. (64, West Melbourne) guilty of seven counts of distributing oxycodone outside the course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical reason. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 7, 2018. Gayden was indicted on September 28, 2016.
According to evidence presented at trial, between 2009, and continuing through 2011, Gayden ran a cash-only pain management clinic in Indialantic, Florida. He charged $200-$400 per visit for appointments, during which patients received prescriptions for high dosages of oxycodone, with little to no medical evaluation. Gayden issued these prescriptions bi-monthly or monthly for years, without consulting with the patients about their health, or properly verifying these patients’ needs for long-term high dosage oxycodone. Further, Gayden ignored clear signals from patients that they were seeking oxycodone to support their opioid addictions, as opposed to managing pain. Expert testimony indicated that Gayden prescribed hospice-level oxycodone dosages to young patients with relatively minor health issues.
This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Melbourne Police Department, the Brevard County Sheriff's Office, and the Florida Department of Health. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent S. Chiu.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Sixteen in Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On June 12, 2018, a federal grand jury in Greeneville returned a 38-count indictment against the following individuals for their roles in the distribution of methamphetamine:
- Leonard Wayne Mullinax, 48, of Gaffney, South Carolina
- Jamie Nicole Wilson, 41, of Surgoinsville, Tennessee
- Edward Ray Walters, 47, of Surgoinsville, Tennessee
- Michael James Walters, 44, of Church Hill, Tennessee
- Corey Aaron Morelock, 29, of Surgoinsville, Tennessee
- Amber Lynn Hall, 29, of Surgoinsville, Tennessee
- Matthew Glenn Russell, 26, of Rogersville, Tennessee
- Christopher Lee Pyles, 43, of Rogersville, Tennessee
- Destiny Lashay Lawson, 25, of Rogersville, Tennessee
- Megan Rose Moore, 39, of Rogersville, Tennessee
- Matthew Jacob Keirsey, 23, of Rogersville, Tennessee
- Jason Ronald Burchfield, 39, of Rogersville, Tennessee
- Beverly Ann Brooks, 33, of Kingsport, Tennessee
- Jimmy Lee Gray, 35, of Kingsport, Tennessee
- Jacob Donald Meyers, 25, of Church Hill, Tennessee
- Jeannie Michelle Bowman, 45, of Surgoinsville, Tennessee
A trial date before the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, U.S. District Court Judge, has not yet been set.
The indictment, on file with the U.S. District Court, alleges that each of these individuals was involved in a conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Tennessee and elsewhere. Edward Walters, Morelock, Hall, Russell, Bowman, Wilson, Meyers, and Michael Walters are also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Edward Walters, Russell, and Bowman are each charged with an additional count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The indictment also alleges other charges related to the distribution and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine as well as the unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering.
If convicted of the methamphetamine conspiracy charge, each faces a minimum mandatory prison term of at least 10 years and up to life, at least five years of supervised release, a fine of up to $10,000,000, any applicable forfeiture, and a $100 special assessment. The punishment for the firearm charges returned against Edward Walters, Morelock, Hall, Russell, Bowman, Wilson, Meyers, and Michael Walters is a minimum mandatory term of at least five years and up to life in prison, which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed, up to five years supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 special assessment. Edward Walters, Russell, and Bowman, on the second firearms charge returned against them, face a minimum mandatory 25 years imprisonment up to life imprisonment, which must be served consecutively to any other prison term.
The ongoing investigation leading to the indictment was the product of a partnership between the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Department, Hamblen County Sherriff’s Department, Jefferson County Sherriff’s Department, Third Judicial Drug Task Force, Cherokee County Sherriff’s Department, U.S. Marshal Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Postal Inspector, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Wayne Taylor will represent the United States in court proceedings.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until his or her guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation is a result of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
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Eureka Resident Pleads Guilty to Drug Dealing and Possessing Loaded Gun to Further His Drug DealingRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Judson Allen Stiglich pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute the drug and possession of a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Alex G. Tse and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. The guilty plea was accepted by the Honorable Susan Illston, U.S. District Judge.
According to his plea agreement, Stiglich, 36, of Eureka, admitted he was a methamphetamine dealer. Further, on December 7, 2017, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his home and found over 200 grams of 100% pure ice methamphetamine; Stiglich acknowledged he intended to sell the drugs. During the search of his residence, the law enforcement officers also found $2409.00 in cash and drug distribution paraphernalia, including a digital scale with methamphetamine residue. Stiglich acknowledged he knowingly possessed all the items and further admitted that in the weeks leading up to December 7, 2017, he sent text messages from his phone both to set up drug transactions and to discuss his debt to a drug supplier.
Further, Stiglich admitted he possessed a .357 revolver loaded with four rounds of ammunition to further his drug dealing. Stiglich admitted that among the reasons he possessed the weapon were to protect himself, his drugs, and his money.
On March 1, 2018, a federal grand jury indicted Stiglich charging him with one count each of possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B); possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c); and being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). Pursuant to today’s plea agreement, Stiglich pleaded guilty to the first two charges. The felon in possession charge will be dismissed at the time of sentencing if Stiglich complies with the terms of the plea agreement.
Stiglich was arrested on December 7, 2017, and has been in custody since that time. Judge Illston scheduled his sentencing for November 2, 2018. Stiglich faces a statutory maximum of 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000,000 for the drug distribution charge. In addition, Stiglich faces a mandatory minimum statutory sentence of 5 years in prison for the drug distribution charge as well as an additional consecutive 5-year minimum prison term for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug distribution. The court may also order additional fines and supervised release. However, any sentence following conviction will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi T. Narayan is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kimberly Richardson. The prosecution is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Humboldt County Drug Task Force.
Eleven people indicted for being in Ohio after having been previously deported and/or convicted of crimes in the U.S.Read the Press Release
Eleven people who were found to be in Ohio after having been deported were indicted for illegally reentering the United States.
Eight of those indicted were found to be in Ohio on June 5. They are: Maurilio Perez-Morales, 47; Omar Rovelero-Morales, 37, ; Cutberto Gallardo-Trujillo, 49; Epigmenio Sifuentes-Cabrera (aka Jose Fernandez-Cabrerra), 35; Josefino Alvaro Leon-Herrera, 52; Bersain Alvarez-Lopez, 30; Dalila Molina-Vazquez, 29, and Isias Roblero-Perez, 39. All are Mexican citizens.
Perez-Morales, Rovelero-Morales, Sifuentes-Cabrera, Alvarez-Lopez, Roblero-Perez and Molina-Vazquez were found in Ohio on June 5 after having been previously deported.
Gallardo-Trujillo was found in Ohio on June 5 after having previously been deported and previously convicted of delivery of cocaine. Leon-Herrera was found in Ohio on June 5 after having been deported and previously convicted of trafficking marijuana.
Edgar Samuel Palomino-Sanchez, 25, of Mexico, was found to be in Ohio on May 28 after having been previously deported.
Miguel Sanchez Ceto, of Guatemala, would found to be in Ohio on May 21 after having been previously deported.
Pedro Luis Martinez-Navarro, of Honduras, was found to be in Ohio on May 26 after having been previously deported.
These cases were investigated U.S. Customs and Border Patrol andImmigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is a charge 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.
Dove Springs Gangstas Member Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Racketeering Offenses Resulting in MurderRead the Press Release
In Austin today, a federal judge sentenced Brian Aguayo, a member of the Dove Springs Gangstas (aka “DSG”), to ten years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for racketeering charges associated with the kidnapping and murder of Darian Longoria in December 2015, announced United States Attorney John F. Bash, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division, and Austin Police Chief Brian Manley.
Last November, Aguayo pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping in aid of racketeering and one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping in aid of racketeering. By pleading guilty, Aguayo admitted to membership in a criminal enterprise that engaged in acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, robbery and narcotics distribution primarily in and around Austin. Aguayo also admitted that he and others kidnapped 16-year-old Darian Longoria on or about December 7, 2015, in furtherance of their criminal enterprise. During the kidnapping, they shot and killed Longoria. On January 3, 2016, Longoria’s body was discovered along Onion Creek.
To date, eight individuals have been sentenced in connection with the investigation into this criminal enterprise. Sentences handed down previously include: Richard Ortega—30 years imprisonment; Orlando Arroyo (aka “Orly”)—20 years imprisonment; Jorge Avliez-Mondragon (aka “Bunny”, “Conejo”) —42 months imprisonment; Norma Luis-Frias—12 months imprisonment; Jacob Guzman—30 months imprisonment; Leslie Mendez-Munoz—21 months imprisonment; and Kathia Gomez—one year probation. In addition to the prison terms, United States District Judge Sam Sparks ordered that Aguayo, Ortega and Arroyo pay, jointly and severally, $10,551.73 restitution to the Estate of Darian Longoria for funeral expenses.
The FBI Safe Streets Task Force and the Austin Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Matt Harding and Dan Guess prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government. The FBI Safe Streets Task Force is comprised of investigators from the Austin Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety and Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO).
District Man Sentenced to Prison Term for Sexually Assaulting Woman in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Windell Barnes, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a 32-month prison term on charges stemming from a sexual assault he committed against a woman who works at a gas station in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Barnes was found guilty by a jury in April 2017 of one count of third-degree sexual abuse and one count of indecent exposure. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Craig Iscoe. Following his prison term, Barnes will be placed on 10 years of supervised release. He also must register as a sex offender for a 10-year period upon his release from prison.
According to the government’s evidence, on Dec. 12, 2017, at approximately noon Barnes attacked the victim after she dropped off supplies at her workplace. He grabbed the woman when no one was around and told her he wanted to have sex with her. He pulled down her pants, exposing her buttocks, and he tried to sexually assault her. The victim was eventually able to escape Barnes’s grasp and run to her car. Barnes, however, chased after her, attempted to get into her car, and then further tried to humiliate her, kissing the car window and exposing his genitalia to her in public.
The victim called police. The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) quickly responded to the scene and Barnes was arrested a short time later. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department Sexual Assault Unit. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney John Mannarino; Paralegal Specialists T.J. McPhail, Angelina Slagle, and Ethel Noble; Victim/Witness Advocate Tracey Hawkins; Victim/Witness Services Coordinators Katina Adams-Washington and LaJune Thames, and Litigation Technology Specialist Anisha Bhatia.
Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessi Brooks and Kristina Wolf, who together investigated, indicted and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Robbery and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Joseph N. Davenport, 47, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to nine years in prison on charges of robbery and obstruction of justice for beating and robbing an acquaintance at her apartment, and then trying to get his girlfriend to lie about his whereabouts at the time of the attack, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Davenport pled guilty in March 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon sentence of nine years in prison. The Honorable Zoe Bush accepted the plea and sentenced the defendant accordingly. Following his prison term, Davenport will be on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours of May 1, 2014, Davenport went to the Southeast Washington apartment of a female acquaintance who lived in the same complex as Davenport’s then-girlfriend. He told the woman that his girlfriend had put him out of her apartment and that he needed a place to stay. He asked whether he could spend the night sleeping on the victim’s couch. When the victim told Davenport “no,” he became enraged, punched her in the face, and knocked her onto a glass-topped table, which shattered as she fell through it. He then grabbed her debit card and other property and fled.
An arrest warrant was issued and Davenport was arrested on May 6, 2014. A few days later, he called his then-girlfriend from the District of Columbia Jail, where all such calls are recorded. During that call, Davenport tried to get his girlfriend to create a false alibi for him for the time during which he was beating and robbing the other woman. She refused to do so. Prosecutors subpoenaed Davenport’s jail calls and this call became the basis of the obstruction of justice charge to which Davenport pleaded.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu praised the work of officers from the Seventh District of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and from a joint task force comprised of members of the MPD and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). She also expressed appreciation for the work of the Special Police Officers from the apartment complex, who assisted in the investigation of the case.
She acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Colleen M. Kennedy, Special Counsel for Mental Health Litigation; Assistant U.S. Attorney Silvia Gonzalez Roman; Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation; Paralegal Specialists D’Yvonne Key, Donhue Troy Griffith and Brenda C. Williams; Victim/Witness Advocate Lezlie Richardson; Criminal Investigators Melissa Matthews and Nelson Rhone; Investigative Analysts Shannon Alexis, William Hamann, and Sharon Johnson, and Information Technology Specialist Aneela Bhatia. Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Aziz, Kenechukwu Okocha and Peter V. Taylor, who investigated and prosecuted this case.
District Man Sentenced to Four-Year Prison Term for Armed Robbery in Northwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ashton Hinds, 18, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a four-year prison term for robbing a man last year in a residential neighborhood of Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Hinds pled guilty in September 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of armed robbery. He was sentenced by the Honorable Anthony C. Epstein. Following his prison term, he is to be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on April 28, 2017, at approximately 7:25 p.m., Hinds and an accomplice approached a man in front of a residence in the 3100 block of Jocelyn Street NW. One of the robbers demanded the victim hand over his property, and the victim handed over a book bag, containing his personal property and computer. The same assailant reached into the victim’s pants pocket and took the victim’s cell phone. The two robbers demanded to be let inside the house, but the victim refused. The two then fled the area in a gold-colored sedan, and the victim notified the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
At the time of the crime, Hinds was wearing a GPS monitoring device. Law enforcement determined that he was within close proximity to the scene of the armed robbery and also determined a possible location of the vehicle he was using at the time. Police located the vehicle later that evening in the 1300 block of Seventh Street NW. They then obtained an arrest warrant for Hinds. On April 29, officers approached Hinds, who fled the scene and discarded a loaded, semiautomatic handgun. Hinds subsequently was arrested; police recovered the victim’s cellphone from Hinds and other stolen items inside the vehicle. No one else has been arrested.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Vivien Cockburn, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
District Man Sentenced to 47 Years in Prison for Killing Man in Alley on Christmas Eve 2014Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Joseph Minor, 27, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 47 years in prison for killing a man on Christmas Eve of 2014 in an alley in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Minor was found guilty by a jury in April 2018 of first-degree murder while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and related firearms offenses, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Judith Bartnoff.
According to the government’s evidence, Minor and the victim, Gregory Lee, knew one another from the Barry Farm area in in Southeast Washington. Despite that relationship, in mid-December, Minor stole Mr. Lee’s jacket from him at gunpoint. Then, a short time later, Mr. Lee saw Minor with his jacket, and he took it back, angering Minor for days.
Five days later – shortly before 9 p.m. on Dec. 24, 2014, a misty Christmas Eve – Minor and a co-defendant, Maurice Blakey, went looking for Mr. Lee and confronted him in an alley near the 1300 block of Stevens Road SE, in the Barry Farm area. After a short verbal confrontation, both Minor and Blakey began firing weapons. Minor shot the unarmed Mr. Lee multiple times as Mr. Lee tried to flee, killing him. Blakey, meanwhile, pulled out a pump-action shotgun during the confrontation and fired at a person who was with Mr. Lee; that person was not hit and fled. One of the bullets from Minor’s .380 semiautomatic handgun had pierced multiple major organs and vessels in Mr. Lee’s chest, and he bled to death in a yard, just off the alley. By the time first responders arrived, he was completely unresponsive, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Minor and Blakey, 26, were arrested a week after the murder and have been in custody ever since. Blakey, also of Washington, D.C., admitted his role in the shooting. Blakey now is serving a 22-year prison term for a separate murder.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences, the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the U.S. Park Police. They acknowledged the work of those who assisted with the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Mannarino, Lauren Bates, and Magdalena Acevedo; former Assistant U.S. Attorney Natalia Medina; Paralegal Specialists Stephanie Siegerist, Lornce Applewhite, and Alesha Matthews-Yette; Liaison and Operations Manager Linda McDonald; Litigation Technology Specialists Anisha Bhatia, William Henderson, Leif Hickling, and Paul Howell; Criminal Investigator Zachary McMenamin; Victim/Witness Service Coordinators La June Thames and Katina Adams-Washington; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Forensic Operation/Program Specialist Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie, and former Intern James Haynes.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Bruckmann and Lindsey Merikas, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 45 Years Prison for 2014 Murder in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –James Young, 25, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 45 years in prison on murder and other charges stemming from the slaying of a man in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Young and a co-defendant, Tyrone Michael Hight, were found guilty in April 2018 of first-degree felony murder while armed, second-degree murder while armed, armed robbery, first-degree burglary while armed, tampering with evidence, obstruction of justice, and related weapons offenses. The verdicts followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Young was sentenced by the Honorable Milton C. Lee.
Hight, 26, also of Washington, D.C., is awaiting sentencing.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 7 a.m. on Aug. 31, 2014, the victim, Willard Carlos Shelton, drove to the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road SE to purchase narcotics. About10 minutes after Mr. Shelton arrived, Hight and Young produced firearms, attempted to rob him, and then pistol-whipped him. Hight and Young then fired several shots at Mr. Shelton, who attempted to escape the onslaught of bullets.
One of the bullets struck Mr. Shelton in the abdomen, knocking him to the ground. Once the gunshots ended, Young went over to Mr. Shelton and took his personal effects, including his wallet and keys. Young then pointed a gun at Mr. Shelton’s head, but this time he did not fire. Mr. Shelton, 38, of Alexandria, Va., later died from his injuries.
Following the shooting, Hight and Young fled the scene, broke into a nearby apartment, and hid the firearms used to shoot Mr. Shelton. Young later attempted to obstruct justice by making threatening statements directed at a government witness. Hight later attempted to obstruct justice by convincing someone who was not a witness to the shooting to make false statements to law enforcement about the murder.
Hight and Young were arrested in September 2014 and have been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Liaison and Operations Manager Linda McDonald; Paralegal Specialists Debra Joyner, Sharon Newman, and Kelly Blakeley; Criminal Investigators John Marsh and Zachary McMenamin; Litigation Technology Specialists Leif Hickling, Anisha Bhatia, and Jeanie Latimore-Brown; Victim/Witness Services Coordinators La June Thames and Katina Adams-Washington; Witness Security Specialists M. Laverne Perry, Wanda Queen, and Tanya Via, and Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker.
Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Barker and Laura Crane, who investigated and prosecuted the case, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kendra Briggs, Jeffrey Nestler, Thomas Saunders, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Eckert, who investigated and indicted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for 2017 Slaying in Southwest WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Martel Hall, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a 12-year prison term on a charge stemming from the stabbing death of a man in Southwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
Hall pled guilty in April 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a sentencing range of 10 ½ to 12 years in prison. The Honorable Danya A. Dayson accepted the plea today and sentenced Hall to 12 years. Following his prison term, Hall will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on the night of Sept. 11, 2017, the victim, David Neal, and a relative went to the 7-Eleven in the 3900 block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SW. As Mr. Neal was waiting in line to purchase food, Hall came into the 7-Eleven and told Mr. Neal to come outside. Moments later, Mr. Neal walked out of the 7-Eleven and into the parking lot. Surveillance footage shows Hall follow Mr. Neal into the parking lot, where a physical altercation ensued. Mr. Neal sustained wounds and lacerations to his head, body and hands. These included two stab wounds to the chest, a stab wound stretching approximately five to six inches across Mr. Neal’s abdomen, a stab wound above his left eye, and a laceration in the inner left elbow. There were defense wounds to his hands and an additional stab wound to the backside of Mr. Neal’s left shoulder. Mr. Neal, 31, died from injuries that night.
According to eyewitnesses, and corroborated by surveillance video, Mr. Neal and Hall began tussling with one another in the 7-Eleven parking lot. During the struggle, Mr. Neal began gushing blood and collapsed. Hall, who sustained a single cut to his face, then fled the scene, discarding a knife in the 7-Eleven parking lot. As he was leaving the scene, Hall took off his shirt, which was covered in blood, and left it in the 7-Eleven parking lot. Hall was arrested on Sept. 27, 2017 and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She also expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Barker, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Des Moines Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa-- On June 21, 2018, Timothy Ray Kain, age 30, of Des Moines, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 210 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Kain was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term.
Kain pleaded guilty to the charges on February 6, 2018, and admitted to conspiring with others to distribute in excess of five kilograms of pure methamphetamine and he possessed a firearm during his drug trafficking activities.
This investigation was conducted by the Des Moines Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Deputy Attorney General Recognizes South Dakota Prosecutor for Superior Performance in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Timothy M. Maher, Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota, was one of 58 individuals or group prosecution teams or administrative teams recognized at the Department of Justice by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director James Crowell, IV at the 34th Director’s Awards Ceremony in Washington D.C. on June 15, 2018.
The District of South Dakota was one of 35 districts represented at the ceremony, which was held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
In addressing the award recipients and guests, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said, “Today’s honorees earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, they earned the gratitude of our fellow citizens — the people whose communities you made safer, whose lives you improved, and whose trust you rewarded. Today, we pause to honor and recognize a small portion of your work.”
Maher has been the Supervisor in the Pierre branch of the U.S. Attorney’s office since March 2015. He has been an AUSA since the Fall of 2008. Throughout, he has provided exceptional contributions to the Department of Justice’s efforts in Indian country, in his case handling, his leadership, training conducted, and in his outreach to our tribal partners.
As branch supervisor, Maher currently leads a team of six prosecutors and four support staff covering the Central third of the State. The majority of the case load consists of the prosecution of offenses involving murder, manslaughter, aggravated sexual abuse, felony assault, burglary, robbery and other offenses occurring on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation, the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, the Crow Creek Indian Reservation, the Lower Brule Indian Reservation, and the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. The remainder of the caseload consists of cases involving illegal narcotics, firearms, wildlife offenses, fraud, and sex offender noncompliance. In 2016, there were 566 Indian country defendants charged (including juveniles) in the District of South Dakota, and Maher oversaw about 64 percent of the District’s Indian country work.
From 2008 to 2015, as a line AUSA, Maher prosecuted a wide variety of murders, manslaughters, child pornography, child sexual abuse, assaults upon law enforcement officers, and firearm offenses. Where needed, he defended those convictions on appeal. During his time as a line prosecutor, he conducted numerous meetings involving child abuse multi-disciplinary teams, proper sexual abuse response team procedures, domestic violence protocols, and supported the Department's efforts to pursue predators who use the internet to sexually offend. A former state prosecutor and Hughes County State’s Attorney from 2004 to 2008, Maher helped conduct evaluations of tribal court systems and other prosecutor offices. Over the years, Maher has routinely instructed law enforcement officers on search and seizure, report writing, photography, criminal law, criminal procedure, and has helped secure hundreds of search warrants involving tribal communities.
“The Department of Justice has chosen wisely in honoring our friend and colleague Tim Maher with this prestigious national award,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “Tim has spent his career building relationships and working together with our Tribal government partners every day to help keep their communities safe. We could not be more proud of him.”
EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao.
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Davi Bailey Arrested for Witness RetaliationRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — Davi Sarah Bailey, 28, of Battle Creek, was arrested on a federal criminal complaint that alleges she threatened the sister of a 16-year-old identified only by the initials K.P.
K.P. testified at a federal trial last week that she was sexually exploited by a Michael Clayton. Clayton is the father of Bailey’s child. K.P.’s sister attended the court proceedings as support for K.P. The jury ultimately found Clayton guilty of sex trafficking a minor and producing child pornography using three girls, one of whom was K.P. The jury also found Clayton guilty of conspiring to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The complaint against Bailey includes a copy of the following message Bailey allegedly sent K.P.’s sister through Facebook:
It is a federal crime to threaten any person for the attendance of a witness at an official proceeding or the testimony given by that witness at the proceeding. In this case, the complaint alleges Bailey threatened K.P.’s sister for K.P. having attended and testified at Clayton’s trial. This charge is punishable by up to life in prison.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, June 26. The charges in a criminal complaint are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Dark Web Gun Trafficker from Nevada County Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Dealing in FirearmsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Michael Paul Grisham Smith, 44, of Grass Valley, pleaded guilty today to unlawful dealing and manufacturing in firearms, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Smith contacted a firearms vendor on the dark web seeking to sell AR-15-style “ghost” guns that have no serial number. The firearms vendor was in fact an undercover law enforcement agent working for the Homeland Security Investigations. Between October 5, 2017, and February 15, 2018, Smith manufactured and sold eight AR‑15‑style firearms without serial numbers to the undercover agent in exchange for payment in bitcoin.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Quinn Hochhalter and Justin Lee are prosecuting the case.
Smith is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. on September 7, 2018. Smith faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Crown Point Man Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison and Ordered to Pay over $1 Million Dollars in RestitutionRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Walter Woldt, 55, of Crown Point, Indiana, was sentenced before District Court Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen on his plea of guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.
Woldt was sentenced to 14 months in prison followed by 24 months of home detention and ordered to pay $1,004,991 in restitution. He was ordered to report to the Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”) on August 3, 2018.
According to documents in this case, in 2006 and 2007 Woldt worked with Al Rodenburg, a mortgage broker based in Texas, to purchase 14 residential properties in Northwest Indiana in the span of 30 days with no money down. Defendants Rodenburg and Woldt worked out an arrangement where Woldt obtained mortgages that Rodenburg found for him on multiple properties beginning on January 3, 2007. They continued the process of closing on multiple properties roughly twice a week up through February 1, 2007. They knew that by closing on the properties so quickly mortgages Woldt obtained in early January 2007 would not hit his credit report for at least 30 days thereby depriving subsequent lenders, including lenders who purchased these mortgages in the secondary market, of material information they would want and need to know about Woldt’s debts for purposes of evaluating credit worthiness. Defendant Rodenburg did this for the commission he received on the mortgages Woldt obtained. Defendant Rodenberg was sentenced on February 22, 2018 to a 14 month prison term, two years of supervised release and ordered to pay $1, 004,991 in restitution.
This case was investigated by the FDIC-Office of Inspector General and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Berkowitz.
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Court of Appeals Upholds Conviction and Sentence of Rwandan Refugee Who Actively Participated in the Rwandan GenocideRead the Press Release
In an opinion issued today, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction and sentence of a man who actively participated in the Rwandan genocide and then committed naturalization fraud.
Ken Ngombwa, 57, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted by a federal jury in January 2016 of one count of naturalization fraud; one count of conspiracy to unlawfully procure citizenship; and one count of making a materially false statement to agents of the Department of Homeland Security.
On March 2, 2017, United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade sentenced Ngombwa to serve 15 years’ imprisonment. Judge Reade also revoked Ngombwa’s citizenship.
On appeal, Ngombwa challenged the denial of his motion for new trial claiming his trial counsel provided constitutionally ineffective assistance at trial. Ngombwa also claimed the district court erred at sentencing by relying upon statements of genocide victims given to United States investigators in Rwanda; his two prior convictions for genocide in the local Gacaca (“grass courts”) of Rwanda; and the testimony of an expert on the Rwandan genocide who testified via video link at the sentencing.
The Court of Appeals rejected each of Ngombwa’s challenges. The Court noted Ngombwa “told a number of lies” in the course of gaining entry into the United States and eventual citizenship. Most prominent of these lies was Ngombwa’s claim that he was the brother of Faustin Twagiramungu, a moderate Hutu and former Prime Minister of Rwanda. Ngombwa also lied about certain other family relationships and about having previously been beaten in the Rwandan capital. The Court found trial counsel made strategic decisions as to how to limit the impact of adverse evidence concerning the Ngombwa’s false claims regarding his family relationships.
The Court of Appeals also found the district court properly applied the sentencing guidelines and did not error in considering evidence concerning Ngombwa’s participation in the Rwandan genocide. At the sentencing hearing, the government presented testimony about the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which hundreds of thousands of people from the Tutsi ethnic group were killed. The evidence showed that Ngombwa was charged and convicted in two Gacaca courts in that country for his involvement in the Rwandan genocide. He was also named in an Indictment brought in 2010 against Jean Uwinkindi by the United Nations Joint Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, as a co-participant in a “joint criminal enterprise whose common purpose was the commission of genocide against the Tutsi racial or ethnic group and persons identified as Tutsi or presumed to support the Tutsi[.]” Uwinkindi was convicted of the charge in the Indictment and sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2015.
Further, the evidence presented at sentencing showed that Ngombwa is currently under Indictment in the Republic of Rwanda. That Indictment was brought by the country’s Prosecutor General in 2014. An international arrest warrant remains outstanding on that Indictment. The Rwandan Indictment charges Ngombwa in Count 1 with “Genocide” and alleges, in part, that Ngombwa “is individually liable for having, between 7th April 1994 and July 1994 ordered and committed crimes perpetrated with the intent to destroy in whole the Tutsi ethnic group.” The Indictment alleges Ngombwa drove members of the Interahamwe to the Catholic church “in order to attack and kill Tutsi who had sought refuge there.” Further, it alleges that Ngombwa transported members of the Interahamwe to the Kanzene communal office to kill Tutsi seeking refuge there. It also alleged Ngombwa and the Interahamwe militia, armed with guns and traditional weapons, “such as machetes, spears clubs and other traditional tools, attacked the Tutsi who had sought refuge in the premises of priests” at the Catholic Church, and attacked and killed them. There are additional allegations in Count 1. Moreover, Count 2 charges Ngombwa with “extermination as a crime against humanity.” Count 3 charges Ngombwa with “murder as a crime against humanity.”
Department of Homeland Security agents testified at sentencing that as part of their investigation, they personally interviewed multiple witnesses in Rwanda who saw Ngombwa commit acts of violence during the Rwandan genocide. For instance, many witnesses stated that Ngombwa drove members of the Interahamwe (a youth militia group) and the military – killers – to locations where they conducted mass killings of Tutsi. According to the witnesses, Ngombwa made derogatory statements concerning the Tutsi; he encouraged others to kill Tutsi; and he personally participated in the killings. According to the witnesses, Ngombwa also participated in the theft or looting of property belonging to Tutsi.
In addition, evidence was presented at sentencing about Ngombwa setting fire to his Habitat for Humanity home in Cedar Rapids in 2013.
“Today’s decision marks the successful conclusion of a remarkable case; one that helped bring a measure of justice to a criminal participant in a horrible chapter in modern human history,” said United States Attorney Deegan. “This case also is an important example of why our nation’s immigration laws must be respected and why those who violate them must be held accountable.”
The case was originally referred to the Department of Homeland Security in 2011 by the Prosecutor General of Rwanda. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Richard L. Murphy and Ravi T. Narayan, and was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
The opinion and order of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals is available at http://media.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/18/06/171688P.pdf.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 14-CR-00123.
Follow the office on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Clovis Man Sentenced for Unlawfully Possessing Unregistered Sawed-Off ShotgunRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alan William Weber, 37, of Clovis, N.M., was sentenced yesterday afternoon in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to the 49 days of time he has already served in custody to be followed by three years of supervised release for violating the federal firearms laws by possessing an unregistered sawed-off shotgun. Weber’s term of supervised release will include 15 months of home detention under electronic monitoring during which time Weber will be required to comply with a curfew. Weber also was ordered to forfeit the eight firearms seized from his residence in Jan. 2017.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) arrested Weber on Feb. 23, 2017, on a criminal complaint charging him with firearms offenses. According to the complaint, Weber pointed a firearm at an EMS crewmember on Jan. 30, 2017, during a call for service at Weber’s residence. Law enforcement agents subsequently found a large gun safe in Weber’s residence containing multiple firearms and ammunition while executing a search warrant incident to Weber’s arrest on local charges. Subsequent investigation in Feb. 2017 by ATF revealed that Weber did not have any firearms registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR) and that Weber previously had been convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence offense.
Weber was indicted on July 27, 2017, and was charged with being a person previously convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence offense in possession of a firearm, and possession of an unregistered firearm on Jan. 30, 2017, in Curry County, N.M.
On Nov. 17, 2017, Weber pled guilty possession of an unregistered firearm. In entering the guilty plea, Weber admitted that on Jan. 30, 2017, he possessed a sawed-off shotgun that was not registered to him in the NFRTR.
This case was investigated by the ATF office in Albuquerque and the Clovis Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Brawley.
Cleveland man indicted for armed robberies of credit unions in Willoughby and Shaker HeightsRead the Press Release
A Cleveland man was indicted in federal court for his role in armed robberies of credit unions in Shaker Heights and Willoughby on the same day last year.
Richode Meredith-Hill, 20, was indicted on two counts of armed credit union robbery and two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence.
Meredith-Hill attempted to rob the Buckeye State Credit Union on Chagrin Boulevard in Shaker Heights and robbed the Cardinal Community Credit Union on Euclid Avenue in Willoughby. Both took place on April 3, 2017, according to the indictment.
Meredith-Hill aided and abetted another who used a firearm during these crimes of violence, according to the indictment.
This case is being prosecuted as part of "Project Safe Neighborhoods," a gun violence reduction program administered by the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio. The program targets armed criminals for federal prosecution.
This case was investigated by the FBI and police departments in Cleveland, Shaker Heights, Euclid and Willoughby. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Zarzycki.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is a charge 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.
Cincinnati Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Cincinnati man was convicted today by a federal jury in Covington for conspiring to distribute carfentanil in the Boone County Jail Work Camp resulting in death.
After slightly under three hours of deliberations following a five day trial, the jury convicted 41 year old Johnny L. Shelton of conspiracy to distribute carfentanil resulting in death.
According to testimony at trial, Shelton led a conspiracy to smuggle carfentanil, an extremely powerful opioid, into the Boone County Jail Work Camp on or about October 15, 2016. Evidence revealed that Timothy Marcum, a fellow inmate, consumed some of the carfentanil and died. Jailers found Marcum’s deceased body in the work camp during the early morning hours of October 16, 2016.
Shelton and others were indicted in March of 2017. Two other members of the conspiracy, Chad Prodoehl and Gordon Wanser have been convicted in connection with this conspiracy. Prodoehl was sentenced to 25 years in prison on May 29, 2018. Wanser is still awaiting sentencing.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Timothy J. Plancon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA and the Boone County Sheriff’s Department. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Bracke and Wade Napier.
Shelton will appear for sentencing on October 18, 2018. He faces a term of life imprisonment due to prior felony drug trafficking convictions. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal statutes before imposing a sentence.
Carter Lake Woman Sentenced in Fentanyl Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
Amalia Pandis sentenced for role in drug-related overdoses
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – On June 20, 2018, Amalia Pandis, age 24, of Carter Lake, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Court Senior Judge James E. Gritzner for Conspiracy to Distribute a Fentanyl Analogue that caused death or serious bodily injury, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum.
Pandis was part of a drug trafficking organization responsible for receiving and distributing fentanyl analogues obtained from a source in China to individuals in Western Iowa and Eastern Nebraska. The investigation began on June 28, 2015, when law enforcement officers were called to a Carter Lake residence regarding an unresponsive male. Law enforcement found the body of a 20-year old deceased male at the home. Law enforcement also discovered a second male had been transported to a local hospital, and placed on life support, from the same location prior to law enforcement’s arrival.
Subsequent investigation revealed Pandis’ co-defendant Charles Beuterbaugh provided acetyl fentanyl to both victims, which was determined to be the cause of death and the reason for the hospitalization. Beuterbaugh had obtained the acetyl fentanyl from Pandis. She obtained the acetyl fentanyl through an organization that began distributing fentanyl, or an analogue of fentanyl, in November of 2014 and continued to distribute into April of 2016.
All members involved in the distribution of the acetyl fentanyl entered guilty pleas. On August 23, 2017, Senior Judge Gritzner sentenced Michael David Redmond, Jr. to 120 months in prison. On October 26, 2017, Dustin C. Sullivan was sentenced to 162 months inprisonment and Cody Jay Lanus was sentenced to 144 months. Charles J. Beuterbaugh was sentenced November 7, 2017, to 240 months in prison, and Walter J. O’Donohue was sentenced February 28, 2018 to 180 months imprisonment.
This investigation was conducted by the Carter Lake Police Department, Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, Council Bluffs Police Department, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Omaha Police Department, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa Division of Narcotic Enforcement, United States Postal Inspection Service and United States Drug Enforcement Administration-Nebraska. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Canton woman charged with theft of government fundsRead the Press Release
A Canton woman was charged today with theft of government funds, said Justin E. Herdman, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
For over 12 years, Michelle L. Cyrus, 41, falsely reported to the Social Security Administration that her husband did not live with her in the family home. As a result, she received more Social Security benefits that she was entitled to receive.
Special Agent Kelly Clark from the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation. Special Assistant United States Attorney Payum Doroodian is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the Court will determine the defendant’s sentence after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum. In most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
An information is only a charge 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.
Camden, New Jersey Woman Charged with Theft of Public FundsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced than an indictment was unsealed today charging Concepcion Cedano, 48, of Camden, New Jersey with one count of criminal conspiracy to commit theft of public funds and one count of theft of public funds.
According to the indictment, Cedano and her co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to steal public money by obtaining federal refund checks fraudulently caused to be issued by the United States Treasury. Cedano deposited at least 60 fraudulent refund checks into five bank accounts under her control, resulting in a theft of $298,779.52 from the United States government.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 15 years of imprisonment, two years of supervised release, a fine of $500,000, and a special assessment of $200.
The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Priya De Souza.
Bedford man arrested, charged with having firearms while trafficking cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamineRead the Press Release
A Bedford man was charged in federal court with drug and firearms crimes.
Lamont Colvin, 32, was charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, being a felon in possession of a firearm, distribution of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Colvin was arrested on Feb. 7 when DEA agents found him with approximately 25 grams of methamphetamine, 28 grams of fentanyl and 84 grams of cocaine, as well as four loaded firearms, according to the indictment.
Colvin on Feb. 7 had a Glock 45-caliber pistol, a Glock 40-caliber pistol, a Taurus 40-caliber pistol, a Palmetto State Armory PA-15 rifle and ammunition, despite numerous prior convictions for drug trafficking that made it illegal for him to possess firearms, according to the indictment.
Colvin also sold nearly 300 grams of cocaine on two dates prior to his arrest, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated jointly by members of the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Sweeney.
An indictment is only a charge 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.
Anderson Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Matthew Vinson Leopard, age 40, of Anderson, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Anderson, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c). United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain, of Anderson, sentenced Leopard to 120 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Leopard had been dealing in both methamphetamine and firearms. Specifically, Leopard was arrested, on November 22, 2016, in possession of 166 grams of methamphetamine, a Kel-Tec 9mm handgun, an SKS sawed off rifle, a 16-guage shotgun, and a .22 Long Rifle.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney D. Josev Brewer of the Greenville office handled the case.
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Aliquippa Woman Admits Role in Heroin and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A Beaver County resident pleaded guilty in federal court in Pittsburgh to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and one count of conspiracy to launder money, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Britny Beaver, 25, of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from January 2015 to February 2016, Beaver conspired with others to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute kilogram quantities of heroin. She also conspired to launder $60,000 of the proceeds of the heroin trafficking.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for October 22, 2018. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life, a fine of $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued the defendant’s detention.
Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Hopewell Township Police Department, Beaver County District Attorney’s Office, Aliquippa Police Department, and the Beaver County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Beaver.
20 Individuals Charged in a West Texas Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LUBBOCK, Texas — In a collaborative effort spearheaded by the Caprock HIDTA (Hi-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) Task Force, and the Texas (Lubbock) Anti-Gang Center (TAG), 20 individuals are in federal custody on a federal criminal indictment for a drug trafficking conspiracy, announced Erin Nealy Cox, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas. Those defendants arrested yesterday or in custody on other charges are:
Jose Garcia-Lizanaga, also known as “Chepe”, 43, Lubbock
Jorge Luis Lizarraga-Tirado, also known as “Luis” or “Barba”, 30, Mexican citizen
Antonio Alvarez, Jr., also known as “Tony”, 42, Lubbock
Eduardo Agustin Cruz, also known as “Lalo”, 41, Lubbock
Robert Lee Melendez, also known as “Roberto”, 26, Meadow
Jesus Marcus Franco, also known as “Jesse”, 34, Brownfield
Juana Sanchez, also known as “Juana Salazar” or “Jaime”, 41, Littlefield
Richard David Hupper, also known as “Piraton”, 42, Pennsylvania
Andrew Doyal Pugh, 29, Alabama
Gregory Holleman, also known as “G”, 50, Lubbock
Saul Chavira-Molina, 25, Kansas
Jermaine Edgar Garmon, 40, Lubbock
Shad Everett Evans, 42, Brownfield
Arturo Sanchez, 39, Lubbock
Petra Maria Sauceda-Perez, also known as “Aunt” or “Tia”, 38, Fabens, Texas
Kim Herrera, 27, Lubbock
Jessica Angel Deleon, 34, Lubbock
Broderick Bradley, 35, Lubbock
Ambrosio Garcia, Jr., also known as “Bocho”, 33, Lubbock
Ambrosio Garcia-Rodriguez, Sr., 58, Mexican citizen
“This is just an example of the amazing results that have come, and will come, by uniting federal, state, and local law enforcement in fighting drug trafficking in West Texas. By adopting the ‘one mission, one team’ approach to narcotics, violent crime, and gang enforcement, the HIDTA and TAG will produce exceptional results for the people of the South Plains,” stated U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox.
The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in Lubbock, Texas earlier this month, and unsealed yesterday, charging 20 individuals in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana; distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, cocaine base, and marijuana; unlawful use of a communications facility; and bulk cash smuggling. Fifteen of those defendants were arrested yesterday, five were already in custody at the Lubbock County Detention Center on related state charges.
As a result of this operation, law enforcement seized approximately one pound of cocaine, five pounds of hydroponic marijuana, five firearms, twelve vehicles, and a recreational vehicle.
Most of the defendants arrested will make their initial appearances in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge D. Gordon Bryant, Jr.
According to the indictment, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and other illegal narcotics throughout West Texas and elsewhere. The indictment further alleges that from approximately January 2018 through June 2018, the defendants conspired together, and with others, to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; five kilograms or more of cocaine, and marijuana.
A federal criminal indictment is a written statement of the essential facts of the offense charged. A defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after a review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.
The Caprock HIDTA Task Force and TAG are comprised of agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lubbock Police Department. The United States Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations-Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Hockley County Sheriff’s Office, the Terry County Sheriff’s Office, the Brownfield Police Department, and the Levelland Police Department rendered invaluable assistance in the operation. The Drug Enforcement Administration offices in Midland and El Paso, and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office were instrumental in assisting with those individuals located in other jurisdictions.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Long.
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21 June 2018
Wheeling man sentenced for firearms violationRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Eban Joseph Keith Beyah, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 51 months incarceration for unlawful possession of a firearm, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Beyah, age 45, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm” in February 2018. Beyah, having previously been convicted of burglary and several drug-related charges in Commons Pleas Court in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, admitted to possessing a 9mm pistol in Ohio County on June 2017.
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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen L. Vogrin prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wheeling Police Department investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Wheeling man sentenced for failing to register as sex offenderRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Joseph J. Weidman, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced today to three years probation for failing to register as a sex offender, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Weidman, 51, failed to register and update his registration as a sex offender in Ohio County, West Virginia, after having moved from Massachusetts in May, 2016. Weidman is required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act by reason of a conviction under state law.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven L. Vogrin prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The United States Marshals Service and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
West Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Thomas Owen Haynes II, 46, of Bluefield, West Virginia, pled guilty to one count of Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography and one count of Possession of Child Pornography. The Receipt and Distribution count is punishable by a minimum five years imprisonment and a maximum of twenty years imprisonment. The Possession count is punishable by up to twenty years imprisonment.
Facts at Haynes’ guilty plea indicated that the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) sent a lead to the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). HSI used the ICAC lead to obtain a search warrant for Haynes’ home where they obtained evidence that Haynes’ had been using his cell phone to view, receive and distribute child pornography images and videos. Haynes’ plea was accepted by United States District Court Judge David C. Norton, who will sentence Haynes at a later date.
The conviction is the result of an investigation conducted by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Nathan Williams is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Waterloo Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Child Sex OffensesRead the Press Release
A man who engaged in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and distributed child pornography was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in federal prison.
Juan Rangel, age 36, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the sentence after a December 27, 2017 guilty plea to one count of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place and one count of distribution of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Rangel admitted that, between 2014 and 2016, he traveled from the United States to Mexico and engaged in sex acts with a minor. He also admitted that he distributed visual depictions of child pornography using the Internet.
Rangel was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Rangel was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $10,200 was imposed, and Rangel must also serve a 7-year term of supervised release. He must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Waterloo Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 17-2085.
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Two Prattville Men Sentenced for Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Two Prattville men were sentenced today to more than 16 years in prison for the sex trafficking of minors, announced United States Attorney Louis Franklin, Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan, Prattville Police Chief Mark Thompson, Special Agent in Charge Jere T. Miles of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans, and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall.
Michael Graham Lowe, 25, was sentenced to serve 220 months in prison for the sex trafficking of a minor and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor. Joshua David Rose, 30, was sentenced to serve 200 months for the sex trafficking of a minor. There is no parole in the federal system. Both Lowe and Rose were also ordered to serve 15 years of supervised release upon the completion of their prison sentences. In addition, they were both ordered to pay restitution to their victims.
Rose had previously pled guilty in August 2017 and Lowe was found guilty after a four-day trial in February 2018.
The investigation was initiated by the Prattville Police Department and showed that in May 2016, Lowe, along with Rose, trafficked a minor victim out of a motel in Montgomery. Evidence presented at trial showed that Rose, with the assistance of Lowe, advertised the victim on the classified advertising website Backpage.com, arranged meetings for the victim to engage in commercial sex acts, and stood watch outside of the motel room while the victim engaged in commercial sex acts. Testimony showed that Lowe also transported the minor victim to another location to engage in a commercial sex act and that Lowe and Rose used the profits to purchase illegal narcotics.
“There is no place in our community for those who prey on children,” stated U.S. Attorney Franklin. “I hope that these sentences send a clear message that exploiting and prostituting a child will not be tolerated. I am grateful for the hard work of everyone involved in this case, but I would like to extend a special thank you to the Prattville Police Department, who initiated this investigation. I pledge that my office will continue to work with all of our law enforcement partners to bring predators like these to justice.”
“Michael Lowe and Joshua Rose preyed on and trafficked a minor girl, using Backpage.com to arrange meetings for the victim to engage in sex for money that the defendants used to purchase illegal narcotics,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Cronan. “Thanks to the outstanding efforts of the prosecutors and agents who worked on this very important case, Rose and Lowe will be held accountable for their reprehensible crimes, and some measure of justice has been achieved for the victim they so cruelly exploited.”
“The Prattville Police Department is grateful for the relationship we have with the U.S Attorney’s Office and all the agencies involved in this case,” stated Prattville Police Chief Mark Thompson. “These sentences should send a strong message to anyone committing these types of crimes that we will work hard to find you and send you to prison. We are very proud of our Criminal Intelligent Unit for the effort they put into this case. It shows that Prattville PD is very proactive and we will continue to develop better ways to combat crime.”
“Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery, and the threats and abuse inflicted on these particular victims only adds to the heinous nature of the crime,” said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security New Orleans Jere T. Miles. “HSI is committed to working with our federal, state and local partners to find and prosecute criminal traffickers while ensuring the victims of this terrible crime are rescued and get the care they need.”
“These men cruelly exploited the vulnerability of their young victim and the severity of their crimes more than warrants the long prison sentences they have received,” said Attorney General Steve Marshall. “Human trafficking is a horrific crime that traps its victims in a life of misery and abuse. This prosecution was the result of a long and painstaking investigation by many agents and officers. I applaud the diligence of the Prattville Police Department, which initiated these cases, working with agents of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and assisted by the Montgomery Police Department. I also want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its successful prosecution to bring these criminals to justice. As Alabama’s Attorney General, I am committed to continue this kind of cooperative and dedicated teamwork among agencies, which is the key to making our state a safer place.”
This case was jointly investigated by the Prattville Police Department, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, with assistance from the United States Marshal’s Service and Montgomery Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hollie Worley Reed of the Middle District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Leslie Williams Fisher of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Two Buffalo Men Charged in A Second Superseding Indictment with Drug Distribution Which Resulted in Two Overdoses and an Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051Buffalo, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a second superseding indictment charging Dontrell Wise, 32, and Lamario Jones, 31, both of Buffalo, NY, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, butyryl fentanyl, fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine; possession with intent to distribute butyryl fentanyl; distribution of fentanyl causing death; and distribution of a controlled substance causing serious bodily injury.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who is handling the case, the indictment alleges that the conspiracy generally, and Wise specifically, between mid-November of 2017 and November 23, 2017, distributed fentanyl which caused the death of an individual identified as A.J. The “death results” charge is punishable by a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison, a maximum of life and a $1,000,000 fine. In addition, Jones is accused of distributing a controlled substance which resulted in two overdose incidents causing “serious bodily injury” to individuals identified as K.M. and K.P. The “serious bodily injury” charges are also punishable by a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison, a maximum of life and a $1,000,000 fine.
“To date, our office has charged nearly a dozen defendants with causing the overdose deaths of 19 people,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “Those lives represented 19 of our brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, and friends. Yet, for the first time ever in this District, this indictment also includes charges against two defendants for causing serious bodily injury by putting potentially deadly opiates into the hands of individuals who are struggling with addiction. That offense, like the death results offense, carries a 20 year mandatory minimum sentence and a maximum sentence of life in prison. As this charge highlights, these drugs not only kill but they cause serious injury to many in our community. To date, our efforts have rightfully been focused on saving lives, and that ongoing effort—thanks to law enforcement working with treatment providers, prevention specialists, and concerned citizens—seems to be working, as we are beginning to see a downward trend in the number of families losing loved ones to these deadly drugs. But our responsibility is greater than just saving lives. We must also work to ensure the quality of life and to protect our citizens from harm. It is something that the dedicated men and women of this Office do every day through their unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law and creatively utilizing all of the tools given to us by Congress to fight our battle on behalf of all of our brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, and friends.”
The defendants will be arraigned on June 25, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy.
A third co-defendant, Jerell Weathersby, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute butyryl fentanyl and is awaiting sentencing.
The second superseding indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt.Two Alabama Men Sentenced to Prison for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
Two Alabama men were sentenced today to more than 16 years in prison for the sex trafficking of minors, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin Sr. of the Middle District of Alabama, Prattville Police Chief Mark Thompson, Special Agent in Charge Jere T. Miles of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall.
Michael Graham Lowe, 25, of Prattville, Alabama, was sentenced to serve 220 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release for the sex trafficking of a minor and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor. Joshua David Rose, 30, also of Prattville, Alabama, was sentenced to serve 200 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release for the sex trafficking of a minor. The defendants were sentenced by U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler of the Northern District of Alabama, who ordered both Lowe and Rose to pay restitution in the amount of $560 to one victim and ordered Rose to pay an additional $7,140 in restitution to two victims.
Rose pleaded guilty in August 2017. Lowe was found guilty after a four-day trial in February 2018. According to evidence presented at trial, in May 2016, Lowe, along with Rose, trafficked a minor victim out of a motel in Montgomery, Alabama. Evidence presented at trial showed that Rose, with the assistance of Lowe, advertised the victim on Backpage.com, arranged meetings for the victim to engage in commercial sex acts, and stood watch outside of the motel room while the victim engaged in commercial sex acts. Testimony showed that Lowe also transported the minor victim to another location to engage in a commercial sex act. Testimony at trial showed that Lowe and Rose used the profits made from the victim’s commercial sex acts to purchase illegal narcotics.
“Michael Lowe and Joshua Rose preyed on and trafficked a minor girl, using Backpage.com to arrange meetings for the victim to engage in sex for money that the defendants used to purchase illegal narcotics,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Cronan. “Thanks to the outstanding efforts of the prosecutors and agents who worked on this very important case, Rose and Lowe will be held accountable for their reprehensible crimes, and some measure of justice has been achieved for the victim they so cruelly exploited.”
“There is no place in our community for those who prey on children,” said U.S. Attorney Franklin. “I hope that these lengthy sentences send a clear message that exploiting and prostituting a child will not be tolerated. I am grateful for the hard work of everyone involved in this case, but I would like to extend a special thank you to the Prattville Police Department, who initiated this investigation. I pledge that my office will continue to work with all of our law enforcement partners to bring predators like these to justice.”
“The Prattville Police Department is grateful for the relationship we have with the U.S Attorney’s Office and all the agencies involved in this case,” said Prattville Police Chief Thompson. “These sentences should send a strong message to anyone committing these types of crimes that we will work hard to find you and send you to prison. We are very proud of our Criminal Intelligent Unit for the effort they put into this case. It shows that Prattville PD is very proactive and we will continue to develop better ways to combat crime.”
“Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery, and the threats and abuse inflicted on these particular victims only adds to the heinous nature of the crime,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Miles. “HSI is committed to working with our federal, state and local partners to find and prosecute criminal traffickers while ensuring the victims of this terrible crime are rescued and get the care they need.”
“These men cruelly exploited the vulnerability of their young victim and the severity of their crimes more than warrants the long prison sentences they have received,” said Alabama Attorney General Marshall. “Human trafficking is a horrific crime that traps its victims in a life of misery and abuse. This prosecution was the result of a long and painstaking investigation by many agents and officers. I applaud the diligence of the Prattville Police Department, which initiated these cases, working with agents of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and assisted by the Montgomery Police Department. I also want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its successful prosecution to bring these criminals to justice. As Alabama’s Attorney General, I am committed to continue this kind of cooperative and dedicated teamwork among agencies, which is the key to making our state a safer place.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Prattville, Alabama Police Department, with assistance from the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, the Montgomery, Alabama Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service. The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Leslie Williams Fisher of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Hollie Worley Reed of the Middle District of Alabama.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Three Individuals Convicted and Sentenced to Prison for Alien SmugglingRead the Press Release
Boat Captain Assaulted During Smuggling Venture
Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Miami Field Office, announce the conviction and sentencing of three individuals who injured a man while smuggling aliens by sea.
According to the court docket, in September of 2016, Giorgi Abrakhamia, 37, Giorgi Kokuashvili, 41, and Mikheil Gogiashvili, 30, all from the Republic of Georgia, smuggled two Brazilian nationals by boat into South Florida from Freeport, Bahamas. During the course of the alien smuggling venture, Abrakhamia and Kokuashvili stabbed a Bahamian charter boat captain with a knife and pushed him overboard in the Straits of Florida before comandeering his vessel to transport the aliens. The captain survived the attack.
On February 21, 2018, Kokuashvili pled guilty to alien smuggling. On March 27, 2018, Abrakhamia and Gogiashvili also pled guilty to alien smuggling. On June 20, 2018, U.S. District Judge Kennetth A. Marra sentenced Abrakhamia and Kokuashvili to 78 months in prison, and Gogiashvili to 36 months in prison (Case No. 17-CR-80112).
Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI in this matter. Mr. Greenberg also thanked the Royal Bahamiam Police Force for their assistance. This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Rose and Philip Jones and United States Attorney Adrienne Rabinowitz.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Three Illinois Men Indicted on Federal Civil Rights and Hate Crimes Charges in the Bombing of Bloomington, Minnesota, Islamic CenterRead the Press Release
Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore, United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald, and Jill Sanborn, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Minneapolis Division, today announced a five-count federal indictment charging Michael Hari, 47, Michael McWhorter, 29, and Joe Morris, 22, with charges including federal civil rights and hate crime violations, in connection with an explosion at the Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center (DAF) in Bloomington, Minnesota, on Aug. 5, 2017. McWhorter, Morris, and Hari were previously named in a criminal complaint filed on March 13, 2018, in the District of Minnesota, charging them with arson.
The three defendants are currently being held in custody in Urbana, Illinois, on separate charges.
“All people – regardless of where they worship – have the right under federal law to live free from the threat of violence and discrimination,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore. “This Justice Department will hold accountable under the law anyone who attempts to commit violent acts of hate by threat or action.”
“These three defendants allegedly plotted and executed a plan designed specifically to spread fear and threaten a fundamental right afforded to all, the freedom of religion,” said U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald. “In spite of the destructive and violent act alleged in the indictment, our communities have found strength in taking a unified stand against the attack. My office and our law enforcement partners are committed to upholding the laws that protect the civil rights of all Americans.”
“Last year's bombing was more than just an attack against a single structure, it was an attack on the very religious freedoms we enjoy as Americans,” said Jill Sanborn, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Minneapolis Division. “The ability to worship how and where we want is a cornerstone of our country's foundation, and the FBI stands ready to work with the community and our law enforcement partners whenever those freedoms are attacked.”
The indictment returned by a federal grand jury alleges that Hari constructed a pipe bomb and rented a pickup truck in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. Hari, McWhorter, and Morris drove from Illinois to Bloomington, Minnesota, in the pickup truck, stopping along the way to purchase diesel fuel and gasoline. The defendants mixed these ingredients together in a plastic container.
The indictment alleges that, in the early morning of Aug. 5, 2017, Morris broke a window at DAF and threw the plastic container containing the diesel fuel and gasoline mixture into the building. It is alleged that McWhorter then lit the fuse and threw the pipe bomb in the broken window at DAF. According to the court documents, the window that was broken was part of the Imam’s office. When the pipe bomb exploded, it ignited the mixture in the plastic container, causing extensive damage in the Imam’s office. McWhorter and Morris returned to the pickup truck, where Hari was waiting, and sped off, driving back to Illinois.
The charges allege that the defendants targeted the mosque with intent to damage the mosque because of its religious character and with intent to obstruct Muslims from worshipping there. DAF serves as a religious center as well as a religious school for children. As described in the complaint previously filed with the Court, McWhorter said in reference to the DAF explosion, that the defendants did not intend to kill anyone, but they wanted to “scare [Muslims] out of the country” and to “show them hey, you’re not welcome here…”
As described in the complaint previously filed with the Court, a tip from a confidential source helped to lead investigators to the defendants.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julie E. Allyn and John F. Docherty, with assistance from Trial Attorney Timothy Visser of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. The team is working in coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Central District of Illinois.
Three Illinois Men Indicted on Federal Civil Rights and Hate Crime Violations in the Bombing of Bloomington, Minnesota, Islamic CenterRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald and Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore today announced a five-count federal indictment charging MICHAEL HARI, 47, MICHAEL MCWHORTER, 29, and JOE MORRIS, 23, with federal civil rights and hate crime violations, and using a destructive device in connection with an explosion at the Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center (“DAF”) in Bloomington, Minnesota, on August 5, 2017.1 MCWHORTER, MORRIS, and HARI were previously named in a criminal complaint filed on March 13, 2018, in the District of Minnesota, charging them with arson.
The three defendants are currently being held in custody in Urbana, Illinois, on separate charges.2
“These three defendants allegedly plotted and executed a plan designed specifically to spread fear and threaten a fundamental right afforded to all, the freedom of religion,” said U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald. “In spite of this destructive and violent act alleged in the indictment, our communities have found strength in taking a unified stand against the attack. My office and our law enforcement partners are committed to upholding the laws that protect the civil rights of all Americans.”
“Last year's bombing was more than just an attack against a single structure, it was an attack on the very religious freedoms we enjoy as Americans,” said Jill Sanborn, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Minneapolis Division. “The ability to worship how and where we want is a cornerstone of our country's foundation, and the FBI stands ready to work with the community and our law enforcement partners whenever those freedoms are attacked.”
“All people – regardless of where they worship – have the right under federal law to live free from the threat of violence and discrimination,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore. “This Justice Department will hold accountable under the law anyone who attempts to commit violent acts of hate by threat or action.
The indictment returned by a federal grand jury alleges that HARI, MCWHORTER, and MORRIS engaged in a conspiracy to use an explosive device to intentionally cause damage to the DAF Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, which serves as a religious center as well as a religious school for children. The defendants targeted this location because of the religious character of the DAF Islamic Center, and for the purpose of making Muslims feel frightened and intimidated by interfering with their free exercise of religious liberty. As part of the conspiracy, HARI constructed a pipe bomb and, on July 27, 2017, rented a pickup truck from a vehicle rental business in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. On August 4 and 5, 2017, HARI, MCWHORTER, and MORRIS drove together in the rented pickup truck from Illinois to Bloomington, Minnesota, stopping along the way to purchase diesel fuel and gasoline, which the defendants mixed together in a plastic container.
As alleged in the indictment and a previously filed criminal complaint, in the early morning of August 5, 2017, MORRIS used a sledge hammer to break a window at the DAF Islamic Center and threw the plastic container containing the diesel fuel and gasoline mixture into the building. It is alleged that MCWHORTER then lit the fuse on the pipe bomb that HARI had built and threw the pipe bomb through the broken window at the DAF Islamic Center. According to the court documents, the window that was broken was part of the Imam’s office. When the pipe bomb exploded, it ignited the mixture in the plastic container, causing extensive fire and smoke damage to the Imam’s office. MCWHORTER and MORRIS returned to the pickup truck, where HARI was waiting, and sped off, driving back to Illinois.
As alleged in the previously filed criminal complaint, MCWHORTER said in reference to the DAF Islamic Center explosion, that the defendants did not intend to kill anyone, but they wanted to “scare [Muslims] out of the country” and to “show them hey, you’re not welcome here, get the [expletive] out.”
As alleged in the previously filed criminal complaint, on January 27, 2018, investigators received a tip from a confidential source with information about the three defendants and their involvement with the bombing at the DAF Islamic Center.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julie E. Allyn and John F. Docherty of the District of Minnesota, with assistance from Trial Attorney Timothy Visser of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. The team is working in coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Central District of Illinois.
Defendant Information:
MICHAEL HARI, 47
Clarence, Ill.
Charges:
- Intentionally Defacing, Damaging, and Destroying any Religious Real Property Because of the Religious Character of that Property, 1 count
- Intentionally Obstructing, and Attempting to Obstruct, by Force and the Threat of Force, the Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs, 1 count
- Conspiracy to Commit Federal Felonies by Means of Fire and Explosives, 1 count
- Carrying and Using a Destructive Device During and in Relation to Crimes of Violence, 1 count
- Possession of an unregistered destructive device, 1 count
MICHAEL MCWHORTER, 29
Clarence, Ill.
Charges:- Intentionally Defacing, Damaging, and Destroying any Religious Real Property Because of the Religious Character of that Property, 1 count
- Intentionally Obstructing, and Attempting to Obstruct, by Force and the Threat of Force, the Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs, 1 count
- Conspiracy to Commit Federal Felonies by Means of Fire and Explosives, 1 count
- Carrying and Using a Destructive Device During and in Relation to Crimes of Violence, 1 count
JOE MORRIS, 23
Clarence, Ill.
Charges:- Intentionally Defacing, Damaging, and Destroying any Religious Real Property Because of the Religious Character of that Property, 1 count
- Intentionally Obstructing, and Attempting to Obstruct, by Force and the Threat of Force, the Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs, 1 count
- Conspiracy to Commit Federal Felonies by Means of Fire and Explosives, 1 count
- Carrying and Using a Destructive Device During and in Relation to Crimes of Violence, 1 count
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[2] Superseding Indictment Adds New Charges Against Four East Central Illinois Men
Three Defendants Sentenced for Roles in Federal Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Comprehensive drug investigation led to the indictment of nearly a dozen defendants, all of whom have now pled guilty
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Three defendants implicated in a federal heroin conspiracy were sentenced this week, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Jennifer Benson and Bernard Spann of Parkersburg were sentenced today to 71 and 60 months in prison, respectively, and Dennis Carter of Detroit was sentenced on Monday to 188 months imprisonment, for guilty pleas each previously entered to conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. Stuart commended the collaborative investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Parkersburg Drug Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, the Wood County Sheriff’s Department, and the Police Departments of the cities of Parkersburg, Vienna, and Williamstown.
“This case brought down a significant heroin distribution network operating in and around Parkersburg,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “The citizens of Wood County are no doubt safer as a result of this prosecution. I applaud the thorough investigation conducted by our federal, state and local partners which resulted in 11 convictions and lengthy sentences in this case.”
Benson, Spann, and Carter previously admitted to their involvement with several other individuals in distributing heroin at various locations throughout the Parkersburg area. Benson and Carter admitted distributing between one and three kilograms of heroin, while Spann admitted to distributing between 100 and 400 grams of heroin.
Debra Martin, Joseph Reeder-Shaw, Ralph White, Jonathan Brown, Heather Wells, Kennedy Walker, Rachel Kuhn and Sir Pritis Williams, all codefendants involved in the same conspiracy as the three defendants sentenced this week, will be sentenced in August.
Assistant United States Attorney John Frail is in charge of these prosecutions. The plea hearings were held before United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin.
This case is being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart
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Three Convicted on Charges Related to Foreclosure Prevention Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Late on June 20, 2018, a federal jury convicted Michelle Sylethia Jordan, a/k/a Michelle Harris and Michelle Welsh, age 49; her husband, Michael Paul Anthony Welsh, a/k/a Michael A. Welsh and Michael Paul S. Welsh, age 45, both of Laurel, Maryland; and Carrol Antonio Jackson, a/k/a Jack Jackson, age 48, of Hinesville, Georgia, on conspiracy and mail and wire fraud charges in connection with a foreclosure prevention fraud scheme. After the verdict was announced, U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus ordered that Jordan and Welsh be detained pending sentencing and they were immediately taken into custody.
The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Rene Febles of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Bertrand Nelson of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG); Postal Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Chief Henry P. Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; Sheriff Steve Sikes of the Liberty County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office; and Vernon M. Keenan, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
According to the evidence presented at the eight-day trial, Jordan was chief executive officer and director of MJ Loan Auditor Group, LLC (MJLAG), a limited liability company registered and doing business in Maryland. Welsh was president, vice president, and director of MJLAG. Jackson was the owner and manager of CJ Maxx Group LLC, a limited liability company doing business in Maryland, Virginia, and Georgia.
The evidence showed that from August 2012 until February 2017, Jordan and Welsh falsely told victim homeowners that, for a fee, MJLAG could help these homeowners modify their mortgage loans and prevent foreclosure of their homes. Jordan and Welsh falsely represented that MJLAG could help the homeowners get “free and clear” title to their homes, with no debt or liens against the property, and that MJLAG could obtain money from the homeowners’ lenders, typically by suing the lenders. Jordan and Welsh told homeowners that they needed to purchase one or more “audits” of the homeowners’ mortgage loans in order to uncover fraud and alleged illegal acts committed by the lenders, and that these “audits” could be used as evidence in lawsuits against the lenders and in negotiating for a loan modification.
Witnesses testified that as part of the scheme, Jordan and Welsh had homeowners sign a “contract fee agreement” setting out what fees would be charged for the “audit.” The contract fee agreement contained the seal of the National Association of Mortgage Underwriters (NAMU), even though the defendants and their companies had no current affiliation with NAMU. Jordan advised clients to submit baseless complaints about their lender to state and federal agencies, and to stop paying their mortgages. Jordan further advised MJLAG clients whose homes already were in foreclosure proceedings to file for bankruptcy in order to delay the foreclosure proceedings and as part of the process to prevent foreclosure of the clients’ homes. Jordan assisted MJLAG clients in filing for bankruptcy, by preparing bankruptcy petitions and related documents and court filings.
The evidence proved that Jordan and Welsh paid Jackson to prepare fraudulent documents purporting to be “Forensic Audit Reports” and “Real Estate Securitization Audits” relating to loans for properties owned by MJLAG clients. The victim homeowners paid money to MJLAG with the expectation of receiving assistance with modifying their mortgage loans and preventing foreclosure of their homes.
The defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud, and 20 years in prison for each of ten counts of wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus has scheduled sentencing for September 28, 2018 at 9:00 a.m.
The Maryland Mortgage Fraud Task Force was established to unify the agencies that regulate and investigate mortgage fraud and promote the early detection, identification, prevention and prosecution of mortgage fraud schemes. This case, as well as other cases brought by members of the Task Force, demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to protect consumers from fraud and promote the integrity of the credit markets. Information about mortgage fraud prosecutions is available http://www.justice.gov/usao-md/financial-fraud-and-identity-theft.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FHFA-OIG, HUD-OIG, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Prince George’s County and Montgomery County Police Departments, Liberty County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for their work in the investigation, and recognized the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulations for its assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristi N. O’Malley and Nicolas A. Mitchell, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Boison, who are prosecuting the case.
Thirty-One Year-Old Man Sentenced to 198 Months in Prison for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – U.S. District Court Judge Francisco A. Besosa sentenced Byron H. Montijo-Maysonet to 16 years and six months of imprisonment for one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and four counts of transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity with a minor, announced United States Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. Montijo-Maysonet was found guilty of these charges on March 7, 2018.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on November 24, 2015, the defendant along with co-defendant, Luis Meléndez-Ramos, transported a 13-year-old female minor and a 14-year-old minor from their middle school in Manatí, PR, to a motel located in Barceloneta, PR, with the intent to engage in sexual activity. After this first encounter, the defendant and Mr. Meléndez-Ramos used an internet instant messaging service to persuade one of the minors to return to the motel this time with a different 13-year-old female minor. On November 30, 2015, the defendant and Mr. Meléndez-Ramos picked up the two 13-year-old girls from their middle school and transported them to the motel to engage in sexual activity.
“The conclusion of this case shows the commitment of our state and federal law enforcement agencies to apprehend and prosecute criminals who victimize children,” said United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico will continue to prosecute sexual predators in order to protect the vulnerable victims of these crimes, our children.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney and Deputy Chief for the Immigration, Cybercrimes, and Exploitation Unit Nicholas W. Cannon, and AUSA Ginette Milanes, and investigated by ICE-HSI.
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Superseding Indictment Returned Against Irvin Mayfield and Ronald Markham for Defrauding New Orleans Public Library FoundationRead the Press Release
IRVIN MAYFIELD, age 40, and RONALD MARKHAM, age 39, both residents of New Orleans, Louisiana, were charged by a federal grand jury in a 23 count superseding indictment for conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, and obstruction of justice, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
Adding two counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering, the superseding indictment alleges that MAYFIELD and MARKHAM transferred and caused to be transferred $139,793.48 from the New Orleans Public Library Foundation (NOPLF) in addition to the unlawful transfers detailed in the December 14, 2018 indictment and accompanying press release. The superseding indictment further alleges that the NOPLF funds were used for additional New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (NOJO) operating expenses, NOJO salary payments for the defendants, expenses related to NOJO’s Gala, $20,000 in payments to a booking agency for a performance in Chicago, Illinois, and $12,793.94 for another stay by MAYFIELD at the Ritz Carlton in New York.
If convicted, the defendants face five years of imprisonment as to Count 1, 20 years of imprisonment as to Counts 2 through 8, ten years of imprisonment as to Counts 9 through 22, and 20 years imprisonment as to Count 23. All counts also carry a possible $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Duane Evans reiterated that the superseding indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Inspector General’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorneys G. Dall Kammer, Deputy Chief of the Fraud Unit, Brandon Long, and Hayden Brockett.