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Thursday 10 May 2018
Lock Haven Man Indicted for Production of Child Pornography and Enticing Minors to Engage in ProstitutionRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Michael Scott Grenninger, age 36, of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, was indicted today on one count of possession of child pornography, two counts of production of child pornography, two counts of the attempted enticement of minors to engage in prostitution, and one count of transmitting obscene materials to a minor.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that on various dates in 2017, Grenninger produced child pornography in Lock Haven with a female under the age of 12 and also used a computer to compile videos of himself and minor children appearing by web-cam over the internet. Grenninger is also alleged on two occasions to have used chat-rooms on the internet to attempt to offer money to girls under the age of 12 in exchange for sex and in connection with one of these attempts sent obscene materials over the internet.
The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Clinton County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Grenninger faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a potential 30-year maximum sentence for the production of child pornography charge, up to 10 years in prison for the enticement counts, and up to 10 years’ imprisonment each for the transmission of obscene materials to a minor and possession of child pornography. The maximum possible fine for these offenses is $1,500,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Leader of Guatemalan Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Life in PrisonRead the Press Release
Earlier today, a Guatemalan national was sentenced to life in prison following a March 2016 trial that resulted in a conviction for his participation in an international drug trafficking conspiracy. He was responsible for the distribution of multi-ton quantities of cocaine for illegal importation into the United States.
Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Raymond Donovan of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Operations Division made the announcement.
Waldemar Lorenzana-Cordon, 53, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
“Waldemar Lorenzana-Cordon was a drug kingpin whose criminal organization had close ties to the violent Sinaloa Cartel and was responsible for transporting massive amounts of cocaine to be sold on our streets,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Cronan. “Lorenzana-Cordon’s life sentence sends a powerful message to leaders of drug trafficking organizations that, if they send their poison to our country, the United States and our international partners will work tirelessly to bring them to justice, no matter where in the world they may reside. I thank the dedicated prosecutors of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and law enforcement officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bilateral Investigations Group for their outstanding work on this important case.”
“One of the world’s most influential drug traffickers now faces American justice and DEA is pleased he will never be in business again,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Donovan. “Lorenzana-Cordon imported huge amounts of cocaine to the United States for over a decade, helping fuel our nation’s drug epidemic. He conspired with some of the most brutal and destructive drug networks in history, facilitating and coordinating huge shipments for the Sinaloa Cartel, among others. DEA’s work will always focus on these types of investigations: attacking the most powerful, influential global criminal networks and their many facilitators and associates.”
The defendant was convicted on one count of conspiring to unlawfully distribute cocaine for illegal importation into the United States. As proven at trial, the defendant along with his brother, co-defendant Eliu Lorenzana-Cordon, led an international drug trafficking organization with close ties to the Sinaloa Cartel. Between 1996 and 2009, the defendant and his co-conspirators received, stored, and distributed multi-ton quantities of cocaine from Colombia at their properties in Zacapa, Guatemala, for importation into Mexico and then ultimately into the United States. In February, Eliu Lorenzana-Cordon was sentenced to life in prison following a March 2016 trial resulting in a conviction.
On April 27, 2010, the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control designated the defendant and his brother, Eliu Lorenzana-Cordon, as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act due to their significant roles in international narcotics trafficking and their ties to the Sinaloa Cartel.
The DEA’s Special Operations Division’s Bilateral Investigations Unit and Guatemala City Country Office led the investigation, which was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force program, the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the Chicago Police Department and the governments of El Salvador and Panama provided support and assistance. Finally, and in particular, the Justice Department wishes to convey its gratitude to the government of Guatemala for its steadfast commitment, collaboration and assistance in the investigation, extradition, and prosecution of this case.
Assistant Deputy Chief Michael Lang and Trial Attorney Emily Cohen of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.
Lawrence Woman Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution ChargeRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Helen Pamela Flores Feliz, 28, a citizen of the Dominican Republic most recently residing in Lawrence, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty today in federal court to distribution of fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Murray.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the defendant sold fentanyl to a coopering individual in Nashua, New Hampshire, on various occasions from May of 2017 to February of 2018. When the defendant was arrested, she attempted to assume a false identity and possessed a fraudulent birth certificate, driver’s license, and United States passport.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for August 20, 2018.
“Opioids are killing hundreds of residents of New Hampshire each year,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to target drug trafficking and violent crime. I commend the law enforcement officers for protecting the community from the dangers posed by the fentanyl in this case.”
“Today’s guilty plea sends a strong message: The Diplomatic Security Service is committed to making sure that those who commit identity theft face consequences for their criminal actions,” said William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Office of the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service. “Diplomatic Security’s strong relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement agencies continues to be essential in the pursuit of justice.”
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Nashua Police Department, and the United States Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.
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Laconia Man Sentenced to 39 Months in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD - James Cunningham, 61, of Laconia, was sentenced in federal court to serve 39 months in prison for methamphetamine trafficking, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Cunningham, a member of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, sold quantities of methamphetamine on four separate occasions in 2013 to an individual who was cooperating with the FBI. Three of the drug transactions took place in Manchester and one occurred in Merrimack.
Cunningham, who pleaded guilty on January 25, 2018, will be on supervised release for three years following his release from prison. He also was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.
“Drug trafficking crimes cause tremendous damage to our community,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “In addition to the terrible problems of overdoses and addiction, drug trafficking often is associated with violence and can jeopardize the safety of the citizens living in the Granite State. We continue to work each day with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute drug traffickers so that we can decrease violence and improve the quality of life in New Hampshire.”
“Today, Mr. Cunningham, a member of the notorious Hells Angel biker gang, will begin paying the price for the irreparable harm that his drug trafficking caused within our communities,” said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Boston Division. “The FBI NH Safe Streets Gang Task Force will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to do everything we can to rid our neighborhoods of illegal narcotics and the violence that comes along with it.”
This matter was investigated by the FBI New Hampshire Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which is comprised of the FBI, the New Hampshire State Police, New Hampshire Probation and Parole, and the Police Departments of Hudson, Manchester, and Nashua. Assistance was provided by the Laconia Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane Kelbley.
This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
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Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim Against University of California, San DiegoRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it reached a settlement agreement with the University of California, San Diego. The settlement resolves the Department’s investigation into whether the University’s Resource Management and Planning Vice Chancellor Area (RMP) discriminated against workers in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) when verifying their continued authorization to work.
The Department’s investigation concluded that the RMP unnecessarily required certain work-authorized immigrants to re-establish their work authorization when their documents expired, based on the citizenship status of those individuals when they were hired. The antidiscrimination provision of the INA prohibits such requests for documents when based on an employee’s citizenship status or national origin.
Under the settlement, the University will pay a penalty to the United States, train its RMP human resources personnel on the requirements of the INA’s anti-discrimination provision, and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements.
“Employers must comply with anti-discrimination laws, not only when employees are first hired, but throughout their employment,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division. “We will work with the University to ensure that its employment eligibility reverification procedures avoid unnecessary burdens on permanently work-authorized immigrants based on citizenship status.”
The Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits, among other things, citizenship, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation and intimidation.
For more information about protections against employment discrimination under immigration laws, call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a free webinar; email [email protected]; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites.
Applicants or workers who believe they were subjected to different documentary requirements based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin; or discrimination based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral, should contact IER’s worker hotline for assistance.
Jefferson Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TREVOIR JACKSON, age 38, a resident of Jefferson, Louisiana, pleaded guilty today to one count of a two-count indictment charging possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, on April 20, 2016, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene of a shooting. As officers processed the scene, they observed a blood trail ending on the side of a raised house. The officers looked under the house and saw a loaded semi-automatic handgun. DNA analysis later determined that the blood on the firearm was JACKSON’S. JACKSON faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of three years, and a mandatory $100 special assessment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney J. Ryan McLaren is in charge of the prosecution.
Jamaican National Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Jamaican national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to misuse of a Social Security number and aggravated identity theft.
Basil Ledgister, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of misuse of a Social Security number and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for Aug. 8, 2018.
In January 2015, Ledgister falsely represented that a Social Security number belonging to another person was his in an application for a license at the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Ledgister committed aggravated identity theft by using the Social Security number of another person in committing the crime of false representation of a Social Security number.
False representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year sentence that must run consecutively to any other sentence, one year of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Peter Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Boston Field Office; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General; and Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Richardson of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Jacksonville Man Indicted for Forcible Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Richard Anthony Moffett (30, Jacksonville), also known as “Mook,” with three counts of sex trafficking by force and threats of force. If convicted, he faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison on each count.
According to court documents, between late 2016 and mid-2017, Moffett forcibly trafficked three victims in the commercial sex industry in Jacksonville. Moffett was identified on May 17, 2017, by officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office after one of his victims was arrested on a prostitution charge. The victim told the arresting officers that Moffett would come looking for her and that she had first met him through her husband, who had purchased drugs from him. The victim was told that she could stay with Moffett, and he provided her with food and shelter. The next day, Moffett told her that she would have to engage in sex for money if she wanted to stay.
Moffett’s victim later observed him repeatedly beat another victim for withholding money from him and for failing to promptly repost her advertisements for commercial sex. Moffett also coerced his victims, who at the time were drug users, by withholding drugs if they did not engage in enough commercial sex “dates.” Moffett threatened to kill the children of at least one of his victims if she tried to leave him. He also pointed a handgun at a third victim when he believed the woman was withholding money from him and then hit her in the back of the head with the gun.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the State Attorney’s Office (Fourth Judicial Circuit). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor and Special Assistant United States Attorney Erin Wolfson.
Iowa Man Sentenced to Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced May 9, 2018, to more than 10 years in federal prison.
Rafael Martinez, 34, from Kiron, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 22, 2017, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea, Martinez admitted that beginning in or about early 2015, and continuing to at least April 2016, he conspired with others to distribute at least 1,500 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine in the Carroll and Crawford County areas. Martinez further admitted to distributing methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement in October 2015. Martinez relocated from California to Iowa in order to avoid contact with the Vatos Locos gang, of which he was a former member.
Martinez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Martinez was sentenced to 126 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Martinez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Carroll, Iowa Police Department, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Denison, Iowa Police Department, and Iowa Division of Criminalist Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 16-3051.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Indictment: Mexican Nationals Possessed Hundreds of False IDsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Two Mexican nationals were indicted Wednesday on charges of possessing hundreds of false identification documents, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Sergio Alberto Torres Adame, 37, and Lilia Ivonne Jaquez Arratia, 35, both of Juarez, Mexico, are charged with one count of unlawful possession of identification documents.
In court documents, it is alleged the two were carrying hundreds of false documents when a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper stopped them for speeding on Highway 54 in Liberal, Kan. In the car, the trooper found:
- An envelope with 30 counterfeit Social Security cards in numerous names and 30 counterfeit birth certificates in numerous names and states including Colorado, Texas, Nevada and California.
- An envelope with 31 counterfeit birth certificates and 32 Social Security cards.
- An envelope with 30 counterfeit birth certificates and 30 Social Security cards.
- An envelope with 29 counterfeit social security cards and 29 counterfeit birth certificates.
- An envelope with 15 genuine Social Security Cards and 12 possibly counterfeit state birth certificates.
- An envelope with 100 blank counterfeit Social Security cards.
If convicted, they face up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Kansas Highway Patrol and U.S. Secret Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Three Wichita men are charged with possessing firearms that were stolen from a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office vehicle.
Travis Keller, 38, Wichita, Kan.; Arthur Mannie, 38, Wichita, Kan., and Justin Winger, 36, Wichita, Kan., were charged with one count each of possessing stolen firearms, one count of possession of a rifle with a short barrel and two counts of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to court documents, the investigation began April 19 when a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s officer found three windows broken out of his unmarked vehicle and three firearms missing. The stolen firearms included a Remington shotgun, a Bushmaster M4 rifle and a Glock 9 mm pistol.
Investigators used surveillance footage to identify a car driven by Keller when he is alleged to have broken into the Sheriff’s vehicle. Investigators learned Keller and co-defendant Justin Winger took the stolen firearms to co-defendant Arthur Mannie for sale.
Upon conviction, the defendant faces a penalty of not less than 10 years and a fine up to $250,000. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.
Eric Staal, 23, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crime is alleged to have occurred April 28, 2018, in Butler County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Rodebaugh is prosecuting.
Alejandro Esquivel, Jr., 45, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of making a false statement on a passport application and one count of misrepresenting himself as a United States citizen. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Jan. 28, 2016, in Johnson County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the passport charge and up to three years and a fine up to $250,000 on the other count. Defense Security Services investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct
Indictment Charges Hartford Man with Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a grand jury in Hartford has returned a four-count superseding indictment charging RAHEEN THOMPSON, 38, of Hartford, with firearm and drug offenses.
The superseding indictment was returned on April 18, 2018. THOMPSON appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah A. L. Merriam in New Haven and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
As alleged in the indictment and court documents, in the early morning of August 7, 2016, Hartford Police officers arrested THOMPSON after they encountered him in a parked car outside of a nightclub in possession of a loaded .380 caliber pistol and distribution quantities of marijuana and pentylone.
The indictment alleges that THOMPSON has been previously convicted in federal court of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”), and in state court of multiple felony offenses.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
The indictment charges THOMPSON with one count of possession with intent to distribute pentylone, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years; one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, an offense that carries mandatory consecutive sentence of at least five years of imprisonment.
THOMPSON has been detained since his arrest.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial at which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crime Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.
Houston Resident Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Cocaine into Southern IllinoisRead the Press Release
Another Houston, Texas resident has been sentenced in the Southern District of Illinois to federal prison for drug trafficking. On Thursday, May 10, 2018, Victor Johnson, age 44, was sentenced to 188 months in prison and five years of supervised release for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that resulted in the seizure of $1.2 million dollars in cash, $72,000 in jewelry, and several kilos of cocaine. United States Attorney Donald S. Boyce announced the sentence for the Southern District of Illinois.
An indictment filed on February 18, 2016, charged that Johnson was one of the leaders of a group who connected a Houston-based drug organization with customers in the St. Louis area. Johnson and seven co-defendants were named in the indictment, which accused them of participating in a conspiracy to transport and distribute large amounts of cocaine into the Southern District of Illinois from Texas. The indictment further sought forfeiture of $1,212,934 in U.S. currency, along with jewelry appraised at $72,000 – criminal proceeds that were seized on December 2 and 3, 2015, in Creve Coeur, Missouri, and O’Fallon, Illinois.
All of the defendants previously pleaded guilty, and Johnson was the last member of the group to be sentenced. His co-defendants also received significant prison sentences – Sammy Monroe (168 months), Rodney Smith (147 months), Dana Bell (87 months), Nahum Shibeshi (48 months), Astin Allison (151 months), Terrance Miles (121 months) and Jamie Green (262 months)
– after it was determined that they were responsible for trafficking approximately 120 kilos of cocaine into Southern Illinois.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF initiative brings federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and resources together to identify, target and dismantle large national and international drug trafficking organizations. The investigation was conducted by agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.
Herrin Resident Charged with Robbery of Marion Gas StationRead the Press Release
On May 8, 2018, Travis J. Taylor, of Herrin, Illinois, was charged by indictment with Interference with Commerce by Robbery, in violation of the Hobbs Act, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Donald S. Boyce, announced today. The charge stems from an April 25, 2018, robbery of the Valero Gas Station in Marion, Illinois (Williamson County). On May 10, 2018, Taylor made his initial appearance in federal court. He was ordered held without bond pending trial, which is currently set for July 9, 2018.
Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
If convicted of the Hobbs Act violation, Taylor faces up to 20 years in prison.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Marion Police Department.
Helena Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
HELENA – Elbert Flores Hernandez, Jr., a 44-year-old Helena resident, was sentenced today to 56 months in prison followed by 3 years supervised release after pleading guilty to prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition on January 3, 2018. U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon handed down the sentence.
On January 3, 2017, law enforcement arrested Hernandez after he left a Helena area residence. After receiving consent to search the vehicle, officers found a Smith and Wesson, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, under the passenger seat where Hernandez was sitting. The pistol was loaded with twelve rounds of ammunition. At the time, Hernandez was a probation absconder with outstanding arrest warrants from Montana and Arizona.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette Stewart and investigated by the Missouri River Drug Task Force, Montana Department of Corrections Probation and Parole and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement to identify those responsible for significant violent crime in Montana. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a recently reinvigorated Department of Justice program that has proven to be successful in reducing violent crime. Today’s sentencing is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program.
Harrison County man sentenced to nearly six years for illegal firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Steven Scott Nestor, of Shinnston, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 70 months incarceration for unlawfully possessing a firearm, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Nestor, age 35, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm” in January 2018. Nestor, having previously been convicted of a felony in Harrison County Circuit Court, admitted to possessing a 9mm caliber pistol. The crime occurred in May 2017 in Harrison County, West Virginia.
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 Traci M. Cook prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Gulfport Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Firearm with Obliterated Serial NumberRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – Fabeon Ah’Keem Minor, 18, of Gulfport, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number, announced U. S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Minor faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release. Sentencing is set for August 16, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden in Gulfport.
The case arose during a Gulfport Police Department murder investigation when police searched a home where Minor was living. Officers found the gun with the obliterated serial number in Minor’s bedroom.
The Gulfport Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Ghanaian National Charged with Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Ghanaian national was indicted by a federal grand jury with illegal possession of identification documents and aggravated identity theft.
Stephen Okyere Budu, a/k/a Yaw Okyere, 38, a citizen of Ghana residing in Worcester, was charged in an indictment with possession of five or more false identification documents and aggravated identity theft. Budu was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in March 2018.
According to court documents, on March 7, 2018, federal agents executed a search warrant at Budu’s apartment in Worcester, where they seized computers and a printer. An initial forensic review of one of the computers revealed files containing more than 180 Massachusetts driver’s licenses with various names and photographs.
During the execution of the search warrant, agents interviewed Budu, who stated that he was a citizen of Ghana, had arrived in the United States a few years earlier on a visa, that he had overstayed his visa, and was unsure of his immigration status.
The charge of illegally possessing five or more identification documents provides for a sentence of no greater than 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, which must be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed by the court. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Delany De Leon-Colon, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Wisconsin Produce Vendor Executive Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A former corporate officer of a produce vendor in Johnson Creek, Wisconsin was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for tax evasion, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Scott C. Blader for the Western District of Wisconsin.
According to court documents and information provided to the court, Thomas G. Paine was the Vice President and Treasurer of G.W. Paine Inc., which sold fresh fruit and other produce under the business name Tree Ripe Citrus Company. Paine was responsible for the finance and tax aspects of the business, but failed to file corporate tax returns for tax years 1997 through 2012 and concealed the business’ income from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by structuring cash bank deposits in amounts less than $10,000 to evade bank reporting requirements. Paine admitted to causing a tax loss between $250,000 and $550,000.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge James D. Peterson ordered Paine to serve two years supervised release and to pay restitution of $421,621.99.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Blader commended special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman and Trial Attorney Eric C. Schmale of the Tax Division, who are prosecuted the case.
Former VA Employee Charged with Threatening an Army ChaplainRead 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 Morgan Fallon, 37, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure the person of another. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, the defendant was employed by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as a Veterans Claims Examiner and was responsible for reviewing education reimbursement claims submitted by veterans and members of the United States military. Fallon was terminated in May 2018, based on, among other things, his interaction with an active-duty, commissioned Captain in the United States Army assigned as a Chaplain in the State of Louisiana.
The Army Chaplain submitted a claim to the VA for reimbursement of expenses related to his religious education but in November 2017, the claim was denied by letter. The letter was unusual in tone and contained sporadic bolded and underlined text. The Army Chaplain appealed the denial and complained about the unprofessional nature of the denial letter.
In the early afternoon on May 4, 2018, the VA informed the defendant that his employment was terminated, and he was given a packet of materials which explained the grounds for his termination, including the complaint from the Army Chaplain.
Later in the afternoon on May 4, 2018, the Army Chaplain received a telephone call which lasted approximately one minute. Realizing the call was coming from a 716 area code, the Army Chaplain assumed it was likely from the Buffalo VA processing center so he answered the telephone on speaker mode. His wife and daughter were present and heard the conversation. The complaint states that Fallon was the caller and said to the Army Chaplain:
“You’re the (expletive) trying to get me fired. Don’t know who the (expletive) you think you are. You’re a (expletive). You’re a worthless piece of (expletive). You don’t understand when you filed a claim, you’re out of benefits. You (expletive) don’t get it. You are a piece of (expletive). I have all your paperwork and you are trying to get me fired. I know where you live (expletive). I have all of your information. I will (expletive) end you. I will drive down there and take care of you, you’re (expletive) stupid, you (multiple expletives).
According to the complaint, the Army Chaplain felt threatened and believed the caller wanted him dead. As a result, the Army Chaplain contacted his supervisor who directed him to contact the military police. While speaking to the military police, the Army Chaplain noticed a call coming in from the same 716 telephone number as the previous call. The military police directed that he not answer this call and let it go to voicemail.
The Army Chaplain stated the caller left a voicemail which lasted one minute and 18 seconds. In the voicemail, the caller identified himself as “Morgan Fallon” and stated, “I am the VA employee you want fired so badly.” The caller also stated that the Army Chaplain was “the most pathetic person he had ever heard of.”The defendant made an initial appearance this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroder and is being detained without bail.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert; the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Resident Agent-in-Charge Jeffrey K. Stachowiak; and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Former United States Congressman Sentenced to Six Months in Prison for Failing to File Federal Income Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — MELVIN REYNOLDS, a former member of the United States House of Representatives, was sentenced today to six months in federal prison for failing to file four years of federal income tax returns, with two months of credit for time served.
Reynolds, 66, was found guilty after a bench trial last year of four counts of willfully failing to file a federal income tax return. Reynolds failed to file returns for the calendar years 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman imposed the sentence in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Gabriel L. Grchan, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barry Jonas and Georgia Alexakis.
Evidence at trial showed that Reynolds received gross income in excess of the minimum amount required to file a tax return. As a result, he was required by law to file a federal income tax return, but he willfully failed to do so.
Former Registered Nurse Sentenced to Six Years’ Imprisonment for Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Joan Cicchiello, age 67, of Annville and Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on May 9, 2018, to 72 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge John E. Jones, II on Health Care Fraud related charges.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Cicchiello, a licensed Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner and Registered Nurse who is certified by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, was indicted in October 2016, and charged with one count of Health Care Fraud, thirty-seven counts of making false statements related to health care matters, and one count of obstruction of a federal audit.
Cicchiello was the owner and operator of Twilight Beginnings, located in Mount Carmel, that provided mental health services. Cicchiello used her company to recruit individuals who were either not properly licensed or unlicensed and have them “provide” psychiatric care to patients. Despite the fact that Cicchiello knew these individuals were not trained, licensed nor authorized to provide these psychiatric related services, Cicchiello directed that they meet with elderly residents of nursing homes throughout central and northeastern Pennsylvania, as well as with adolescents seeking psychiatric care at her Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania office. These individuals, whom Cicchiello referred to as her “counselors,” included a retired chiropractor, a convicted felon whose clinical social worker license was suspended, and numerous other unqualified individuals.
Cicchiello directed these individuals provide to her with a listing of the patients they met. Cicchiello then utilized these lists to falsely bill the Medicare program as though she, a properly licensed and trained practitioner, personally provided face-to-face psychotherapy related services to the adolescent and elderly patients.
Additionally, Cicchiello created false documents representing that her “counselors” were properly trained and licensed. Cicchiello provided these false documents to the Medicare program as well as nursing homes and personal care homes throughout central and northeastern Pennsylvania. Cicchiello falsely billed the Medicare program when she claimed she was providing psychotherapy to patients in Pennsylvania when, in fact, she was vacationing in such locations as Las Vegas, Russia, Denmark, London, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Scotland and Ireland. Cicchiello directed her employees to create false psychiatric progress notes documenting care never provided by her to patients while she was traveling abroad.
Prior to rendering sentence, Judge Jones commented that the fraud was of a particularly disturbing nature and had many moving parts. Not only did she falsely bill Medicare and created false licenses for her employees, but her scheme preyed upon the elderly, the disabled and the infirm by using individuals who are unqualified to provide counseling and psychotherapy services in every way. These “services” were provided by such individuals as a licensed clinical social worker whose license was suspended based upon two prior felony drug convictions, an 80- year-old chiropractor, and a convicted Megan’s Law offender. Judge Jones also noted that Cicchiello ran her business out of an abandoned church in Mt. Carmel and organized it as a charity.
Judge Jones also ordered that Cicchiello be immediately remanded into custody, pay restitution to the Medicare program in the amount of $152,122, a $150,000 fine, and the moneys previously seized by the government, in bank accounts owned and/or controlled by her that were proceeds of her false and fraudulent billings she submitted to Medicare.
“This brazen fraud was compounded by the fact that it was perpetrated on some of our most vulnerable citizens,” said United States Attorney Freed. “The hard-working agents of HHS-OIG and the FBI should be commended for their tireless work on this investigation. The outstanding efforts of these investigators resulted in appropriate punishment for the offender, recovery of taxpayer funds and the opportunity for the victims to receive the legitimate help that they need.”
“The Medicare program exists to provide health care services to the most vulnerable members of our society-the elderly and disabled,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Philadelphia Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. “Ms. Cicchiello actions show she valued money over the health and safety of her elderly, disabled and adolescent patients. HHS- OIG Special Agents and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to hold such individuals accountable for these types of actions.”
"It's not enough that this defendant fleeced the taxpayers in stealing money from Medicare," said Michael T. Harpster, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division. "What's truly despicable is the manner in which she did so. Her sham mental health clinic put many vulnerable patients at risk, while she was pocketing the payments for personal gain. Proper mental health treatment can be life-changing. Sadly, so can sub-standard care."
The case was investigated by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the US Department of Health and Human Services, Harrisburg Field Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Williamsport Resident Agency. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph J. Terz and Chelsea B. Schinnour prosecuted the case.
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Former Owner of Plastics Recycling Company Convicted of Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Sang Han, 47, formerly of Palm Beach, Fla, was found guilty yesterday by a federal jury in the District of Columbia of two counts of tax evasion for evading paying more than $4 million in taxes in 2010 and 2011.
The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kelly R Jackson of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington D.C. Field Office.
According to the evidence introduced at trial, Han owned and operated Envion, a company that he claimed held the patents on technology used to convert plastics into fuel oil. Han convinced two individuals to invest nearly $40 million in his company, then used more than $14 million of that money to fund a lavish personal lifestyle. In 2010 and 2011, Han purchased a Palm Beach home, paid for extravagant renovations and internal decorations, enjoyed flights on private jets, and bought multiple luxury cars, including BMWs, a Range Rover, and a Ferrari. Han also used millions of dollars of the investors’ money to replace money he had previously misappropriated from Envion. According to the government’s evidence, Han also took steps to conceal his personal use of the investors’ money from his bookeepers and tax preparers. As a result, he did not report any of the money he converted for his personal use on his 2010 and 2011 tax returns, thereby evading more than $4 million in tax liability.
The guilty verdicts were returned on May 9, 2018, following an eight-day jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before the Honorable James E. Boasberg. Han faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison on each count. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. Han is to appear before Judge Boasberg for a hearing later today to set conditions for his release pending the sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for Aug. 1, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Liu, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman, Assistant Director in Charge McNamara, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jackson commended the work of those who investigated the case from IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Derrick Williams and Denise Simmonds, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Tax Division Trial Attorney Sarah Ranney, who prosecuted the case, as well as Paralegal Specialist Brittany Phillips, who provided assistance during the trial.
Former Owner of Plastics Recycling Company Convicted of Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A jury convicted a former resident of Palm Beach, Florida yesterday, after an eight day trial, of two counts of tax evasion, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia.
According to the evidence introduced at trial, Michael Sang Han owned and operated Envion, a company that he claimed held the patents on technology used to convert plastics into fuel oil. Han fraudulently induced two individuals to invest in Envion, and then used the investors’ money to pay for his own personal expenses. He evaded paying income taxes on that money by filing false personal tax returns, which significantly underreported his income. In 2010 and 2011, Han directed investor money to be deposited into his personal bank account, spent it, and then lied to and gave incomplete information to his bookkeepers and tax preparers in order to hide the fact that he was using investors’ money to pay his personal expenses.
Han used over $14 million in investor funds to finance his lavish personal lifestyle and spent investor funds on personal expenditures such as private jets, real estate, high-end renovations and interior decorations, and expensive cars such as BMWs, a Range Rover, and a Ferrari. Additionally, Han used millions of dollars of investor funds to replace money he had previously misappropriated from Envion. Han’s evasion resulted in more than $4 million of tax due to the IRS.
U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg scheduled sentencing for August 1, 2018, at 10:00 am. Han faces a statutory maximum sentence of 5 years in prison on each tax evasion count. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Liu thanked special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Tax Division Trial Attorney Sarah Ranney and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Derrick Williams and Denise Simmonds, who prosecuted the case, and Paralegal Specialist Brittany Phillips for her valuable assistance during the trial.
Former New Hampshire Pharmacist Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Drug-Related OffensesRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Thomas Kellermann, 65, of Bedford, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for tampering with a consumer product and obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Murray.
According to court documents and statements in court, Kellermann was employed as a pharmacist at a pharmacy in Bedford that dispensed prescription drugs to patients, including patients at hospice facilities. In 2011, Kellermann began abusing narcotic pain relief drugs. In March of 2012, Kellermann took medical leave from his position. While on medical leave in March and April 2012, Kellermann repeatedly returned to the pharmacy after business hours and on weekends and stole narcotic pain medication for his personal use. Kellermann removed the plastic top of vials containing hydromorphone and morphine, inserted syringes into the vials, and withdrew drugs from the vials. He then injected saline into the vials, placed a small amount of glue on top of the vials to reattach the plastic caps, and placed the vials back into the pharmacy’s inventory of narcotic drugs, which had been purchased to fill prescriptions for hospice patients. His conduct made it appear that the vials were unused.
The tampering was discovered when an employee of the pharmacy detected irregularities in certain vials of drugs. After the tampering was discovered, vials of both hydromorphone and morphine were analyzed by an independent laboratory and found to be substantially below their labeled strength. At the time his tampering was uncovered, 62 percent of the hydromorphone and morphine in the pharmacy’s inventory showed signs of tampering.
Kellermann pleaded guilty on January 10, 2018, to a two-count Information charging him with one count of tampering with a consumer product and one count of obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, or subterfuge.
Kellermann was sentenced to 24 months in prison and fined $10,000. After serving his prison sentence, he will be on supervised release for two years.
“Tampering with controlled substances by health care workers is a very serious crime,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “This type of activity is a betrayal of the trust that patients place in the health care system. Tampering and diversion deprive patients of needed medicine and can expose patients to other substantial health risks. This sentence should serve as a warning to health care workers that this type of dangerous conduct will not be tolerated.”
“Tampering with drugs not only denies patients the drugs they need, but it may also endanger their health by exposing them to contaminated products,” said Jeffrey J. Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ New York Field Office. “The FDA will continue to hold medical personnel accountable when they violate the trust of the patients.”
“The reckless action by this health care worker is not only a violation of the Controlled Substance Act but a betrayal of the public trust,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Albert Angelucci. “In response to the ongoing opioid epidemic DEA is committed to working with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to ensure that these rules and regulations are followed.”
The investigation was conducted by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold H. Huftalen and Special Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Hawkins of the FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel.
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Former Currency Trader Indicted for Participating in Antitrust ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Akshay Aiyer, a former currency trader at a major U.S. bank, for his alleged role in a conspiracy to manipulate prices in the foreign currency exchange (FX) market, the Justice Department announced today.
The one-count indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, charges Akshay Aiyer with conspiring to fix prices and rig bids and offers in Central and Eastern European, Middle Eastern, and African (CEEMEA) currencies, which were generally traded against the U.S. dollar and the euro.
According to the indictment, from at least as early as October 2010 through at least July 2013, Aiyer, along with other New York-based CEEMEA traders working for rival banks, participated in a conspiracy designed to suppress competition in order to increase each trader’s profits and decrease each trader’s losses. Aiyer and his co-conspirators carried out this agreement by engaging in near-daily conversations through private electronic chat rooms, telephone calls, and text messages, in which they exchanged trading positions, confidential customer information, planned pricing for customer orders, and other categories of competitively sensitive information. Aiyer and his co-conspirators then used this information to coordinate their live trading in CEEMEA currencies, including, at times, by certain traders refraining from trading against the others. Throughout the conspiracy, Aiyer and his co-conspirators took affirmative steps to conceal their anticompetitive behavior.
“As today’s indictment demonstrates, the Antitrust Division remains committed to holding individuals accountable for anticompetitive conduct that violates the integrity of global financial markets,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division.
“Today’s indictment charges the defendant with illegally manipulating the foreign currency exchange market in order to boost earnings, squelch free-market competition, and then cover his tracks,” said FDIC Inspector General Jay N. Lerner. “This case represents a compelling example of coordination among law enforcement partners, and the FDIC OIG remains dedicated to investigate complex crimes which undermine the integrity of our markets and the financial services sector.”
The charge in the indictment carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by victims if either amount is greater than $1 million.
This indictment follows the guilty pleas, on Jan. 4 and 12, 2017, of former CEEMEA traders Jason Katz and Christopher Cummins, respectively, who were charged in connection with the same conspiracy in which Aiyer is alleged to have participated. In addition, on Jan. 10, 2017, Richard Usher, Rohan Ramchandani, and Christopher Ashton—former U.K-based traders for major banks—were indicted for conspiring to fix prices and rig bids for the euro-U.S. dollar currency pair. Trial is set in that matter for October 2018.
An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Department of Justice has also charged six major banks in the ongoing investigation into antitrust and fraud crimes in the FX market. On May 20, 2015, Citicorp, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Barclays PLC, and The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC pleaded guilty at the parent level and agreed to pay, collectively, more than $2.5 billion in criminal fines for their participation in an antitrust conspiracy to manipulate the price of the euro-U.S dollar currency pair. Additionally, UBS AG pleaded guilty to manipulating the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) and other benchmark interest rates, and agreed to pay a $203 million criminal penalty after breaching its December 2012 non-prosecution agreement resolving the LIBOR investigation. On January 25, 2018, BNP Paribas USA, Inc., the former employer of Jason Katz, pleaded guilty to violating the Sherman Act based on its participation in a CEEMEA-related conspiracy, and agreed to pay a $90 million fine.
This investigation is being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s New York Office with the assistance of the FDIC Office of Inspector General, and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section of the Department of Justice also provided substantial assistance in this matter. Anyone with information concerning price fixing or other anticompetitive conduct in the FX market should contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at (888) 647-3258, or visit https://www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.
Former Bank Manager Charged with Theft of $122,000Read the Press Release
SCOTT BREAUX (“BREAUX”), age 39, of Marrero, Louisiana, was charged in an Indictment today for bank theft, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to today’s Indictment, from about November 2016 to July 2017, while employed as a Branch Manager at ASI Federal Credit Union, BREAUX stole approximately $122,000.00. BREAUX was employed with ASI since in or about 2011, and during his tenure with ASI, BREAUX worked at the Harahan, Westwego, and uptown branches. In 2014, BREAUX was named Branch Manager of ASI’s Westwego branch. In February 2017, BREAUX was transferred to ASI’s uptown branch where he continued to work as Branch Manager until his termination in July 2017. ASI is a federally insured financial institution and its deposits are insured by the National Credit Union Association.
If convicted, BREAUX faces a sentence of up to ten (10) years imprisonment, followed by a term of supervised release of up to three (3) years, and a $250,000.00 fine.
U. S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Fraud Section Chief, Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.
Former Babb Resident Sentenced to Prison for StrangulationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that Tyrell Belgarde, a 28-year-old former resident of Babb, was sentenced to 27 months in prison follow by two years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the hearing. Belgarde previously entered a guilty plea to strangulation in February of 2018.
In July 2016, Belgarde was drinking alcohol with friends at a friend’s home on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Belgarde and the victim had an argument and Belgarde became angry, calling the victim several highly offensive names before biting the victim’s arm. Belgarde then grabbed the victim by the neck with both hands, and squeezed the victim’s neck until the victim lost consciousness.
In a sentencing memorandum filed in federal court, federal prosecutors noted that Native American women experience the highest rates of domestic violence compared to all other groups in the United States and that the seriousness of Belgarde’s conduct cannot be overstated. Belgarde’s pattern of conduct showed an escalation of violent abuse when he committed another violent assault on the same victim in Missoula in April of 2017 where he beat the victim and held a loaded gun to the victim’s head.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Cobell and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other federal, state, and local agencies.
Federal Superseding Indictment Charges Four South Minneapolis Gang Members in Violent Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Gregory G. Brooker today announced a federal superseding indictment charging four members of the south Minneapolis-based 10z/20z gangs with crimes related to violent gang activity, including drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms.[1] The four defendants named in the superseding indictment are LE’KEITH ALI DU’JUAN RAYFORD, 26, KENNETH LAMONT THOMPSON, 32, MAURICE JERRY JOHNSON, 27, and LENARDO ALEXZANDER WOODARD, 30. The superseding indictment remains sealed as to one additional individual who is charged but not yet in custody.
According to the superseding indictment, from at least April 2, 2017, through the present, the defendants maintained active membership in the 10z/20z south Minneapolis street gangs, with the purpose of making money for the gang through criminal acts, including distribution of crack cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. As part of their drug distribution schemes, the defendants and other members of the gangs possessed, carried and used firearms in order to protect their drug distribution network from rival gangs, and to protect drug distributors from being robbed of narcotics or money.
According to the indictment and documents filed in court, all four defendants were involved in a conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking crimes and a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. The overt acts alleged in the indictment include, among others, multiple crack cocaine and heroin sales, as well as repeated possession of illegal firearms. RAYFORD and WOODARD have prior felony offenses that make them ineligible to possess firearms.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, which is comprised of federal and local law enforcement agencies, including, but not limited to, the FBI, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the St. Paul Police Department. The Minnesota Department of Corrections also provided assistance in this case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that brings together federal, state and local law enforcement to combat gun and gang crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez is prosecuting the case.
Defendant Information:
LE’KEITH ALI DU’JUAN RAYFORD, a/k/a “Fatty,” 26
Minneapolis, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, 1 count
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, 1 count
- Distribution of cocaine base, 2 counts
- Felon in possession of a firearm, 1 count
- Possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, 1 count
KENNETH LAMONT THOMPSON, a/k/a “Kenny OG,” a/k/a “KG,” 32
Minneapolis, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, 1 count
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, 1 count
- Distribution of cocaine base, 3 counts
MAURICE JERRY JOHNSON, a/k/a “Reese,” a/k/a “Loco,” 27
Minneapolis, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, 1 count
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, 1 count
- Distribution of cocaine base, 4 counts
- Use of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, 1 count
LENARDO ALEXZANDER WOODARD, a/k/a “Naughty,” 30
Brooklyn Park, Minn.
Charges:
- Conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, 1 count
- Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, 1 count
- Distribution of cocaine base, 1 count
- Distribution of heroin, 2 counts
- Felon in possession of a firearm, 2 counts
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
The charges contained in the superseding indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Federal Prison for Three Men Involved in Pelham Gun Store Smash-and-GrabRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – Three Birmingham men involved in a 2017 crime spree that included an armed carjacking and the smash-and-grab theft of 16 guns from a Pelham store were sentenced to prison this week in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Jay T. Town and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.
U.S. District Judge Karon O. Bowdre today sentenced SIDONTE TOMAR HARRIS, 20, to seven years in prison and TREVION KEONTE BENNETT, 22, to 10 years and one month in prison for various firearms violations, including the Jan. 13, 2017, theft of firearms from Alabama Guns and Outdoors in Pelham, and for a Jan. 12, 2017, armed carjacking. On Monday, the judge sentenced OLANDO JACKSON JR., 24, to 14 years in prison, for the theft from the licensed gun store, and other gun violations. All three men pleaded guilty in December. The court ordered the men to pay $16,000 in restitution to Alabama Guns and Outdoors.
According to court records, Bennett and Harris carjacked a 2010 Dodge Ram truck from a man leaving a Birmingham convenience store on Jan. 12, 2017. Several hours later, just after midnight, the three men stole 16 handguns from Alabama Guns and Outdoors after smashing the stolen truck through the store’s front window.
“This case is a prime example of ATF and local law enforcement working together to make Birmingham, and by extension the Northern District, a safer place,” Town said. “We will continue to reward criminals and felons in the possession of firearms, and those who steal firearms and who straw-purchase firearms, with bed space in federal prison, returning our neighborhoods to law-abiding citizens.”
“This sentencing is a result of the combined efforts of law enforcement and the community working together to reduce violent crime,” Watson said. “ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence is the driving force behind the recovery of stolen firearms that potentially could have been used in violent criminal acts within our neighborhoods.”
ATF, within 48 hours of the gun-store break-in, recovered eight of the 16 stolen weapons.
Along with the gun-store theft and carjacking, Harris also was sentenced for possessing a stolen Colt .38-caliber revolver, a Colt 32-20 caliber revolver and a Beretta .40-caliber pistol on Jan. 14, 2017, all which had been stolen from the gun store. Bennett and Jackson were sentenced for possessing a Heckler and Koch 9mm pistol and a Springfield .40-caliber pistol on Jan. 13, 2017, which had been stolen from the gun store, and for being convicted felons in possession of those and other guns on that date. Jackson also was sentenced for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms on Aug. 22, 2016, and on Oct. 5, 2016, for separate and unrelated crimes.
The guns stolen from Alabama Guns and Outdoors were: a Beretta .40-caliber pistol, two Springfield Armory 9mm pistols, two Springfield Armory .40-caliber pistols, a Springfield Armory .45-caliber pistol, a Colt .32-20 caliber revolver, a Beretta 9mm pistol, a Colt .38 special revolver, two Taurus .357-magnum revolvers, a Taurus .45-caliber revolver, two Smith and Wesson .357-magnum revolvers, a Heckler and Koch 9mm pistol, and a Glock 9mm pistol.
The ATF investigated the case in conjunction with the Pelham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney L. James Weil Jr. prosecuted the case.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Two Chicago Police Officers for Fraudulently Obtaining Search Warrants and Stealing EvidenceRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Two Chicago Police Officers assigned to a gang unit on the city's West Side knowingly submitted false affidavits to judges to obtain search warrants and stole cash and drugs from properties they searched, according to a federal indictment announced today.
Officers XAVIER ELIZONDO and DAVID SALGADO were assigned to a gang team in the Chicago Police Department's Tenth District. Elizondo is a sergeant who oversaw the team. According to the charges, the officers conspired to submit materially false information to state court judges to obtain search warrants that enabled them to enter various properties and seize cash and drugs. The officers also stole property and falsified police reports to conceal the thefts, the indictment states. The charges describe how Elizondo and Salgado pocketed $4,200 in cash recovered during a search of a rental vehicle in Chicago on Jan. 28, 2018.
The indictment was returned Wednesday in federal court in Chicago. It charges Elizondo, 45, of Chicago, and Salgado, 37, of Chicago, with one count of conspiracy to commit theft and one count of embezzlement. Salgado is also charged individually with one count of making a false statement to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Arraignments in U.S. District Court have not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the FBI; and Eddie Johnson, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.
"When police officers fail to discharge their duties with honesty and integrity, they betray not only the citizens of Chicago, but their fellow officers who do their jobs the right way," said U.S. Attorney Lausch. "Our office will continue to vigorously prosecute corruption at all levels, and hold accountable public servants who choose to violate the public trust for personal gain."
"Law enforcement corruption undermines the integrity of the criminal justice system," remarked Special Agent-in-Charge Sallet. "The Chicago Police Department and the FBI will continue to partner aggressively to combat corruption and civil rights abuses, ensuring the integrity of Chicago law enforcement. These charges illustrate the Chicago Police Department’s and the FBI’s commitment and ability to address isolated incidents where officers betray the badge."
"Over the last two years, CPD has worked tirelessly to build trust and partnerships with the communities we serve. That is why the alleged conduct is very troubling – it dishonors what I and every member of CPD have dedicated our lives to and risk our lives for each and every day," said CPD Superintendent Eddie Johnson. "I have zero tolerance for any behavior that violates the hard work of the people who wear this star. That is why I'm proud CPD played a central role in this investigation, working side by side with our Federal partners since the very beginning."
According to the indictment, Elizondo and Salgado submitted the false applications for "J. Doe" search warrants, which rely on information provided by confidential informants with knowledge of the criminal activity. In order to obtain such a warrant, officers must submit a sworn complaint that details the information alleged by the informant, and then bring the informant before the judge so that the judge could personally examine the truthfulness of the information. The charges allege that Elizondo and Salgado caused two Chicago residents to pose as "J. Doe" confidential informants and furnish false information to the court. After using the warrants to seize cash, drugs and cartons of cigarettes from Chicago properties, the officers allegedly gave a portion of those items to the purported informants.
The false statement charge accuses Salgado of lying to the FBI about his whereabouts during his police shift on the day after the theft from the rental car. On Jan. 29, 2018, after Elizondo discovered that law enforcement was potentially investigating him and Salgado, Elizondo instructed
Salgado to remove property from Salgado’s home, the indictment states. When interviewed by the FBI the following day, Salgado falsely claimed that he did not remember whether he had returned home during his shift, according to the charges.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The embezzlement count carries a maximum sentence of ten years, while the conspiracy and false statement counts are each punishable by up to five years. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean J.B. Franzblau and Ankur Srivastava.
elizondo_salgado._indictment_0.pdfFederal Grand Jury Criminal Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney R. Trent Shores announced today the results of the May 2018 Federal Grand Jury.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Clinton Todd Cochran. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Cochran, 53, of Tulsa, is charged with failing to register as a sex offender. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The United States Marshal’s Service and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Angelica Cruz. Conspiracy and Possession of Stolen Firearms. Cruz, 41, of Tulsa, is charged with conspiring to steal, possess and sell stolen firearms. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy charge; and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the possession of stolen firearms charge. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Jose Manuel Cuevas-Roman. Reentry of Removed Alien. Cuevas-Roman, 36, address unknown, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in April 2011 from Del Rio, Texas. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.
Rigoberto Doblado-Castro. Reentry of Removed Alien. Doblado-Castro, 41, of Tulsa, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in August 2015 from Brownsville, Texas. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Michael Shane Husman. Felon in Possession of Firearm. Husman, 45, of Sapulpa, is charged with possessing a 12-gauge shotgun after prior felony convictions. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. In addition, he would forfeit the firearm involved in the offense. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Lighthorse Police are the investigative agencies.
Mitchell Lee Keene. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Keene, 56, of Collinsville, is charged with possessing a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun and ammunition after prior felony convictions. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. In addition, he would forfeit the firearm and ammunition involved in the offense. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, the Mayes County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies.
Henry Lopez-Cabrera. Reentry of Removed Alien. Lopez-Cabrera, 30, of Tulsa, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in July 2015 from Houston, Texas. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Jose Adrian Gonzalez Mireles. Reentry of Removed Alien. Gonzalez Mireles, 32, of Tulsa, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in December 2008 from Del Rio, Texas. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Stephanie Louise Montgomery. False Information About Bombs in Schools. Montgomery, 48, of Claremore, is charged with telephoning the Claremore High School stating, “there are five bombs in backpacks at the High School” and “there are ten bombs in elementary schools,” which was false and misleading information. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Claremore Police Department, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
James Cody Porter. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Porter, 28, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a .380 ACP caliber handgun and ammunition after prior felony convictions. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Marshal’s Service, and the United States Probation Office are the investigative agencies.
Anthony Steven Price. Obstruct, Delay, and Affect Commerce by Attempted Robbery; Using and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; and Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Price, 24, of Tulsa, is charged with attempting to rob Hungry Howie’s Pizzeria by discharging a 9mm handgun as a means of threatened force, violence, and fear of injury, after a prior felony conviction. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the obstruct, delay, and affect commerce by attempted robbery charge; a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence charge; and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a $250,000 fine for the felon in possession of firearm and ammunition charge. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Victor Tobin. Possession of Methamphetamine With Intent to Distribute; Possession of Heroin With Intent to Distribute; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Tobin, 37, of Bixby, is charged with possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, and possessing a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine for the possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute charge and the possession of heroin with intent to distribute charge; and a minimum penalty of 5 years or up to of life in prison and a $250,000 fine for the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime charge. In addition, he would forfeit the firearm and ammunition involved in the offense, and any property derived from proceeds obtained as a result of the drug offenses. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Glenpool Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Andrew Cordario Wagoner. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Wagoner, 26, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a 9x19mm caliber handgun and ammunition after prior felony convictions. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. In addition, he would forfeit the firearm and ammunition involved in the offense. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.
El Departamento de Justicia Resuelve una Denuncia de Discriminación Relacionada con la Inmigración contra la Universidad de California, San DiegoRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – El Departamento de Justicia anunció que ha llegado a un acuerdo con la Universidad de California, San Diego. El acuerdo resuelve la investigación por parte del Departamento para determinar si el Área de Gestión de Recursos y Planificación del Vicerrectorado de la Universidad (RMP, por sus siglas en inglés), vulneró la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés) al discriminar a inmigrantes con autorización para trabajar a la hora de verificar su autorización continua para trabajar.
Con base en su investigación, el Departamento concluyó que el RMP les exigió innecesariamente a ciertos inmigrantes autorizados para trabajar que volvieran a demostrar su autorización para trabajar por motivos del estatus de ciudadanía que tenían cuando fueron contratados. La disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA prohíbe que los empleadores sometan a los empleados a requisitos documentales diferentes o innecesarios con base en la ciudadanía, estatus migratorio o nacionalidad de origen del empleado.
Conforme al acuerdo, la Universidad pagará una multa a los Estados Unidos, capacitará al personal de recursos humanos del RMP sobre los requisitos de la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA y se someterá a los requisitos de Departamento en cuanto a supervisión y declaración.
«Los empleadores deben cumplir con las leyes antidiscriminatorias, tanto a la hora de contratar a sus empleados como a lo largo de su empleo», declaró el Fiscal General Auxiliar en funciones John Gore, de la División de Derechos Civiles. «Trabajaremos con la Universidad para procurar que su proceso de verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar evite imponer cargas innecesarias sobre inmigrantes autorizados para trabajar por motivos de su estatus de ciudadanía».
Dentro de la División de Derechos Civiles, la Sección para los Derechos de los Inmigrantes y Empleados (IER, por sus siglas en inglés), es responsable de aplicar la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Entre otras cosas, esta ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus migratorio, ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión; la discriminación en el proceso de verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar; las represalias y la intimidación.
Para más información sobre protecciones contra la discriminación en el empleo en virtud de las leyes migratorias, llame a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1‑800‑255-7688 (1‑800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llame a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); matricúlese para un seminario en línea gratuito; mande un correo electrónico a [email protected] o visite la página web de la IER en inglés o español.
Aquellos postulantes o empleados que creen haber sido sometidos a otros requisitos documentales por motivos de su estatus migratorio, ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen, o a la discriminación por motivos de su estatus migratorio, ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión deben llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores para pedir ayuda.
Dove Springs Gangstas Member Sentenced to Federal Prison for Racketeering Offenses Resulting in MurderRead the Press Release
In Austin, a federal judge sentenced 22-year-old member of the Dove Springs Gangstas (aka “DSG”) member Richard Ortega to 30 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.
“Today is one more step on the long road to justice for Darian Longoria. My office is committed to achieving the Attorney General’s goal of stamping out gang violence,” stated United States Attorney John F. Bash.
On January 22, 2018, Ortega pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping in aid of racketeering, one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping in aid of racketeering and one count of possession/use/carrying a firearm in relation to a crime of violence resulting in murder. By pleading guilty, Ortega 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. Ortega 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 pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with the investigation into this criminal enterprise. Ortega is the seventh defendant in this case to be sentenced. Other sentences handed down include: 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 Ortega and Arroyo pay, jointly and severally, $10,551.73 restitution to the Estate of Darian Longoria for funeral expenses. Brian Aguayo, who pleaded guilty last November to one count of kidnapping in aid of racketeering and one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping in aid of racketeering, remains in federal custody awaiting sentencing. Aguayo, who is set for sentencing on June 22, 2018, faces up to life in federal prison.
“The tragic murder of 16-year-old Darian Longoria illustrates the horrific impact gang violence and drug trafficking have on our families and communities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs. “Today, the leader of this violent criminal enterprise responsible for this act faced the consequences of his actions. The FBI, through the Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Force initiative, which includes our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, are committed to fighting for justice for all victims of gang and drug violence.”
The FBI Safe Streets Task Force and the Austin Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Matt Harding and Dan Guess are prosecuting 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).
Doctor Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Taking Bribes in Test-Referral Scheme with New Jersey Clinical LabRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Monmouth County doctor with practices in Colts Neck, New Jersey, and Staten Island, New York, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for accepting bribes in exchange for test referrals as part of a long-running and elaborate scheme operated by Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services LLC (BLS), of Parsippany, New Jersey, its president and numerous associates, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Ralph Messo, 56, of Colts Neck, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to an information charging him with one count of accepting bribes. Judge Chesler imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this and related cases and statements made in court:
Messo admitted he accepted bribes in return for referring patient blood specimens to BLS and was paid approximately $3,000 per month. Messo’s referrals generated at least $828,000 in lab business for BLS.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesler sentenced Messo to two years of supervised release and fined him $4,000.
The investigation has thus far resulted in 53 convictions – 38 of them doctors – in connection with the bribery scheme, which its organizers have admitted involved millions of dollars in bribes and resulted in more than $100 million in payments to BLS from Medicare and various private insurance companies. It is believed to be the largest number of medical professionals ever prosecuted in a bribery case.
The investigation has to date recovered more than $13 million through forfeiture. On June 28, 2016, BLS, which is no longer operational, pleaded guilty and was required to forfeit all of its assets.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Ruth M. Mendonca; IRS–Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bryant Jackson in Newark; and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert, with the ongoing investigation.
The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel Joseph N. Minish, Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Alfonzo Walsman and Jacob T. Elberg, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care and Government Fraud Unit in Newark, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Ward, of the office’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Unit.
Daniel Delvalle, Member of Bronx Drug Crew, Sentenced for Murder of Kenya MillerRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DANIEL DELVALLE, a/k/a “BD,” a/k/a “Danny,” 31, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald to a term of 156 months in prison for his participation in the murder of Kenya Miller, 26, on June 29, 2010. The sentence imposed by Judge Buchwald will be served consecutively to the 120-month prison term imposed on DELVALLE on June 4, 2014, by United States District Judge William H. Pauley III, for DELVALLE’s participation in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.
United States Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Daniel Delvalle was responsible for the murder of 26-year-old Kenya Miller. As a result of that horrible and senseless crime, he will spend 23 years in prison. We thank our law enforcement partners for their outstanding efforts, and we will continue to work with them to keep our communities safe.”
According to the Indictment, and other documents filed in the case, as well as statements made during the sentencing proceedings:
Between approximately 2006 and 2012, two rival drug crews based their operations in and around the E. Roberts Moore Houses (the “Moore Houses”) in the vicinity of Cauldwell and Concord Avenues in the Bronx, New York. One such crew was headed by DELVALLE. Members of the DELVALLE crew primarily sold crack cocaine supplied to them by DELVALLE. Members of the DELVALLE crew also possessed and used firearms in order to protect themselves and their drug territory, and they were responsible for a number of drug-related shootings in the area.
On June 29, 2010, Miller was killed by a member of the DELVALLE crew (“CC-1”). Miller’s murder was ordered by DELVALLE, who had been upset with Miller for allegedly assaulting members of the DELVALLE crew. As a result, on the day of the murder, when DELVALLE saw Miller in the vicinity of the Moore Houses, DELVALLE told CC-1, in substance and in part, to retrieve a firearm and to kill Miller. CC-1 followed those instructions: CC-1 retrieved a gun belonging to the DELVALLE crew, followed Miller into an apartment building, and then shot Miller several times in an elevator.
* * *
Mr. Berman praised the work of the New York City Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justina Geraci and Matthew Laroche are in charge of the prosecution.
Convicted Sex Offender Detained on New Child Porn ChargeRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 64-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been charged with possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Today, U.S. Magistrate Judge B. Janice Ellington ordered Manuel Diaz detained pending further criminal proceedings.
The criminal complaint filed April 27, 2018, alleges that in July 2017, Diaz was at a pharmacy printing photographs of nude children from a flash drive. A forensic examination allegedly resulted in the discovery of child erotica and child pornography images of children as young as 12-years-old. Law enforcement also discovered more than 750 images and 100 videos of child pornography, according to the charges. The criminal complaint further alleges Diaz has a prior conviction related to a sex offense.
If convicted, Diaz faces a minimum of 10 years and up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Corpus Christi Police Department’s – Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation with the assistance of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugo R. Martinez is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Convicted Felon Sent to Prison on Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 35-year-old Corpus Christi man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Adam Lee Rodriguez pleaded guilty Feb. 1, 2018.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos sentenced Rodriguez to 63 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release.
In July 2017, officers detained Rodriguez for violating a park curfew. While speaking with the officers, Rodriguez gave consent to search his vehicle, at which time authorities discovered a loaded 9mm semi-automatic handgun under his seat. Rodriguez had previously been convicted in state court for numerous felonies and is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Rodriguez was taken into federal custody in December 2017 as part of Operation City Shield, an coordinated federal, state and local law enforcement operation designed to identify violent offenders, stop gun violence and protect the community.
Rodriguez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be designated in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Corpus Christi Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt is prosecuting the case.
Cleveland man sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for selling fentanyl and heroin that caused death of Cleveland Heights manRead the Press Release
A Cleveland man was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for selling a mixture of fentanyl and heroin that resulted in the death of a Cleveland Heights man.
Michael Cleveland, 35, was sentenced 135 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to distribution of fentanyl and heroin resulting in death.
Cleveland sold a mixture of fentanyl and heroin to a 46-year-old Cleveland Heights man that resulted in that man’s overdose death on Aug. 3, 2016, according to court documents.
“This defendant sold drugs that directly resulted in a death,” Herdman said. “We will continue to seek long prison sentences for drug dealers who kill and injure our friends and neighbors.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Cleveland Heights Police Department and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa T. Darden.
Cleveland man sentenced to federal prison for defrauding investors of more than $1 millionRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, Ga. - Elmer Swain Stewart was sentenced to federal prison on charges that he defrauded 18 individuals of more than $1 million after he persuaded them to invest their retirement savings in tracts of timber land.
“Stewart’s victims trusted him with much of their retirement savings and gave him thousands of dollars to invest,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “In return, this greedy defendant stole from his investors and used their money to fund his lavish lifestyle.”
“Instead of living comfortably off their well-earned retirement investments, Stewart’s greed has caused these victims to worry about their future well-being,” said David J. LeValley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The sentencing of Stewart will not make these victims whole again, but hopefully it sends a message that the FBI will continue to make it a priority to root out and punish anyone who preys on investors for their own selfish desires.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Stewart represented to potential investors that he was aware of tracts of land in Georgia and other states that had large timber stands that were available to harvest at auction to the highest bidder. Stewart told investors that he would give them the opportunity to invest with him in bidding on these timber tracts. Stewart told the investors they would need to give him earnest money or a down payment for the bid. If they won the bid, Stewart would then re-sell the timber rights for a profit or arrange to harvest the timber on the land for a profit. Stewart claimed that if he did not win the bid, the investors’ money would be returned. None of the investors received written confirmation or documentation that the bids were submitted or that the bids were accepted.
Stewart’s representations that he would use his investors’ money as earnest money or down payments on timber bids were fraudulent. Instead, Stewart used the investors’ money to pay for a lavish lifestyle for himself that he could not otherwise afford. Stewart lived on a horse farm valued at $1.5 million that he falsely claimed he owned. The investors’ money was used to pay rent on the property and for basic living expenses. He also used the money for trips to Alaska, Hawaii, and other places.
When investors demanded Stewart return their money, the defendant falsely told the investors that he had rolled the money over into another timber bid or that their money had not been returned to him. Based on Stewart’s false representations, investors gave Stewart anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000 per timber bid, totaling more than $1 million.
Elmer Swain Stewart, 67, of Cleveland, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard W. Story to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $218,000. Stewart pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud on December 8, 2017.
“Swain Stewart swindled over $1 million from my husband and me and at least seventeen other victims,” said one of the victims. “Stewart used our money and the other investors’ money to take Hawaiian vacations, fishing trips to Alaska, and hunting trips out West. In doing so, he devastated our retirement and the retirements of many other people. Stewart’s actions demonstrate nothing but greed. I don’t know how he sleeps at night. What a legacy to leave for your family!”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William L. McKinnon, Jr. and John Ghose prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Canton Man Sentenced for Selling CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Canton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for selling cocaine.
Jerry Orozco, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to eight months in prison and six years of supervised release. In February 2018, Orozco pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and distribution of cocaine.
On Feb. 16, 2017, Orozco was caught on video in a sting operation selling 5.8 grams of cocaine to a witness working with government agents. The witness paid Orozco $200 in exchange for the cocaine. The transaction occurred in a parking lot at the intersection of Columbia Road and Harvard Street in Boston.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William Evans made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
California Man Arrested for Hacking Websites for the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point and the New York City ComptrollerRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the arrest of BILLY RIBEIRO ANDERSON, a/k/a “Anderson Albuquerque,” a/k/a “AlfabetoVirtual.” ANDERSON was charged with three separate counts of computer fraud for obtaining unauthorized access to and committing defacements of the websites for the Combating Terrorism Center at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York (“West Point”), and the Office of the New York City Comptroller (the “NYC Comptroller”). ANDERSON was arrested earlier this morning at his residence in Torrance, California, and will be presented later today in federal court in Los Angeles, California.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Billy Anderson allegedly used specialized computer skills and knowledge to hack important U.S. military and government websites, as well as over 11,000 other websites around the world. Thanks to the outstanding work of the FBI’s cyber squads, criminals who compromise the integrity of government websites and network infrastructure will continue to be investigated vigorously and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “Among other possible effects, website defacements can disrupt an organization’s operations and damage its credibility. As alleged, Anderson committed more than 11,000 such acts over several years, impacting a wide spectrum of military, government and business entities. The charges filed against Anderson should serve as a reminder that committing these acts of cyber vandalism will not be tolerated.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint[1] unsealed today:
Website defacements are acts of computer intrusion during which a hacker obtains unauthorized access to computers hosting Internet websites and then replaces the publicly available contents of the website with content generated by the hacker, thereby “defacing” the website. Hackers frequently claim responsibility for defacements by listing their online pseudonyms as part of the defaced content.
From in or about 2015 through at least March 13, 2018, ANDERSON took responsibility for obtaining unauthorized access to, and committing more than 11,000 defacements of, various U.S. military, government, and business websites around the world under the online pseudonym “AlfabetoVirtual,” including websites for the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point and the NYC Comptroller.
On or about July 10, 2015, a website owned by the NYC Comptroller was defaced, and ANDERSON, using the online pseudonym “AlfabetoVirtual,” claimed responsibility for the intrusion and defacement. The contents of the NYC Comptroller website were modified to display the text “Hacked by AlfabetoVirtual,” “#FREEPALESTINE” and “#FREEGAZA.” The defacement was performed by exploiting security vulnerabilities associated with the version of a plugin being used on the website.
On or about October 4, 2016, a website for the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point was defaced, and ANDERSON, using the online pseudonym “AlfabetoVirtual,” claimed responsibility for the intrusion and defacement. The content of the Combating Terrorism Center website was modified to display the text “Hacked by AlfabetoVirtual.” The defacement was performed by an unauthorized administrative account that exploited a known cross-site script vulnerability, thereby enabling ANDERSON to bypass access controls and target an internal Combating Terrorism Center website address.
ANDERSON also committed unauthorized intrusions of thousands of web servers located around the world by surreptitiously installing malicious code on victim web servers that provided ANDERSON with administrative rights to the victimized web servers, thereby enabling ANDERSON to commit defacements and otherwise to maintain persistent unauthorized access to the victimized web servers.
* * *
ANDERSON, 41, of Torrance, California, is charged with two counts of computer fraud for causing damage to a protected computer, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and one count of computer fraud for unauthorized access to a United States Government computer, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI. Mr. Berman also thanked the Computer Crime Investigative Unit of the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command and the Brazilian Federal Police Cyber Crime Unit for their assistance with the investigation.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Sagar K. Ravi is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Beating A WitnessRead 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 Eric Taylor, 35, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to conspiring to retaliate against a witness, and retaliating against a witness before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. The charges carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Higgins, who is handling the case, stated that on October 11, 2014, the defendant approached the victim at a convenience store in Lackawanna and told the victim that Reuben Fears, a co-defendant in the Project Boys drug case, wanted to see the victim at the Gates Housing Project in Lackawanna. As the victim followed Taylor to the location, Taylor gave a verbal signal to co-defendant Sharon Thompson by singing a rap song. Sharon Thompson then jumped out from behind a dumpster and assaulted the victim by punching the victim in the back of the head knocking the victim down to the concrete. Taylor then joined in the assault and struck the victim on the other side of the head. The victim lost consciousness, had swelling and contusions on the head and neck area, and required stitches.
Taylor and Thompson attacked the victim following the arrest of Laron Thompson, another co-defendant in the Project Boys drug case, on a drug charge the day before on October 10, 2014. The Project Boys blamed the victim for that arrest. Eric Taylor and Sharon Thompson planned a retaliation and Taylor took the victim’s cell phone while the victim was unconscious to check for evidence of cooperation with law enforcement officers.Reuben Fears, Laron Thompson, Sharon Thompson, and 17 others were indicted in December 2014 for engaging in narcotics trafficking in the Gates Housing Project, a housing facility owned and operated by the Lackawanna Municipal Housing Authority. Laron Thompson and Sharon Thompson were previously convicted and are awaiting sentencing. Charges are pending against Reuben Fears. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Taylor’s plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, and the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Michel.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 15, 2018, before Judge Skretny.Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Distributing Heroin and Fentanyl to Overdose VictimRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that PERRY DeSHAZO, also known as “Hov” and “Amafia Hov,” 27, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffery A. Meyer in New Haven to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing heroin and fentanyl to an overdose victim in 2016.
This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 2, 2016, at approximately 1:35 a.m., Bridgeport Police responded to St. Vincent’s Medical Center after a report of a suspicious death. Hospital staff told officers that a 40-year old female had been dropped off at the hospital and was dead upon arrival.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner subsequently determined that the victim’s death was caused by “acute intoxication due to the combined effects of fentanyl, heroin and alcohol.”
The investigation, which included witness interviews and analysis of cell phone records and social media sites, revealed that DeSHAZO supplied the narcotics consumed by the victim shortly before her death.
DeSHAZO has been detained since his arrest on July 17, 2017. On January 2, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of heroin and fentanyl.
DeSHAZO’s criminal history includes multiple convictions, and he was on state probation at the time of this offense.
This matter was investigated by the DEA New Haven Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis and Peter Markle.
Baytown Resident Heads to Prison for Multiple Child Pornography CrimesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 50-year-old man from Baytown has been ordered to federal prison for possession, receipt and distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan Patrick. Marlin Louis Carman, of Baytown, pleaded guilty Feb. 16, 2018.
Today, U.S. District Judge Sim Lake sentenced him to 120 each for the charges, respectively. The sentences will run concurrently. Carman was further ordered to pay $15,300 special assessments and will serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
Carman first came to the attention of law enforcement in September 2013 after multiple images of child pornography were found associated with his online email account. At the conclusion of the investigation, authorities discovered Carman was communicating with an email account holder in New York to obtain child pornography and later conducted a search of his residence, phone and email accounts, leading to the discovery of 3,090 videos and 13,519 images. Some of the images are of known victims identified through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Carman admitted ownership of the child pornography as well as the phone and email account he used to obtain it.
At the time of his plea, he admitted to using email to communicate with other individuals to search for, download and obtain child pornography. He also admitted to distributing the child pornography through his online account.
Following the plea hearing, Judge Lake revoked Carman’s bond and ordered him into custody where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie N. Searle is prosecuting the case, which 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."
Baltimore Police Commissioner Charged with Failure to File TaxesRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Baltimore, Maryland – Darryl De Sousa, age 53, of Baltimore, Maryland was charged by federal criminal information today with three misdemeanor counts of failure to file a U.S. Individual Tax Return.
The information was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Acting Special Agent in Charge Kelly R. Jackson of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to the information, De Sousa willfully failed to file a federal return for tax years 2013, 2014, and 2015, despite having been a salaried employee of the Baltimore Police Department in each of those years.
De Sousa faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a $25,000 fine for each of the three counts.
De Sousa currently serves as the Police Commissioner for the Baltimore City Police Department.
An information is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by information is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the IRS and the FBI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo Wise, Derek Hines, and Sean Delaney, who are prosecuting the case.
Attorney General Sessions and U.S. Attorney Jaquith Recognize Law Enforcement Service and Sacrifice During National Police WeekRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Attorney General Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York Grant C. Jaquith recognized the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal police officers on the occasion of National Police Week, and commented on the FBI’s 2017 Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report.
“One officer death is too many,” Attorney General Sessions said. “While we are inexpressibly grateful to have had a decrease in the number of officers killed in the line-of-duty last year, the number is still far too high. At the Department of Justice, we honor the memories of the fallen and we pray for their families. We are also following President Trump's Executive Orders to back the women and men in blue, to enhance law enforcement safety, and to reduce violent crime in America. Those priorities will help keep every American safe, including those who risk their lives for us. As always, we have their backs and they have our thanks.”
“For 29 years it has been my privilege to work closely with the men and women who serve as law enforcement officers in the Northern District of New York,” said United States Attorney Jaquith. “I have seen first-hand their selfless service and daily dedication to safeguarding our communities, securing our rights and freedoms, solving crimes, and saving lives. With reverence and gratitude, we pay tribute to New York State Police Trooper Joel Davis, who was killed in Jefferson County in 2017, and all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for public safety and security. And we honor the professionalism, vigilance, and courage of the blue line continuing to confront danger so the rest of us are protected. Police Week pays homage to these true public servants.”
According to statistics collected by the FBI, 93 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents in 2017 – a 21 percent decrease from 2016 when 118 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents.
Additionally, in 2017, there were 46 law enforcement officers killed in line-of-duty incidents as a result of felonious acts – this is a 30 percent decrease from 2016, when 66 law enforcement officer were killed in line-of-duty incidents as a result of felonious acts.
For the full, comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narratives describing the fatal attacks and selected assaults resulting in injury, please see the 2017 edition of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report, released today.
In October 1962, Congress passed and President Kennedy signed a joint resolution declaring May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The resolution also created National Police Week as an annual tribute to law enforcement service and sacrifice.
During Police Week, which is observed from Sunday, May 13 to Saturday, May 19, 2018, our nation celebrates the contributions of police officers from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment in keeping our communities safe.
The names of all 93 fallen officers nationwide will be formally dedicated on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., during the 30th Annual Candlelight Vigil on the evening of May 13, 2018. So that people across the country can experience this unique and powerful ceremony, the vigil will be livestreamed beginning at 8 p.m. EDT on May 13. To register for this free online event, visit www.LawMemorial.org/webcast.
One Northern District of New York officer was added this year: New York State Police Trooper Joel Davis.
The Candlelight Vigil is one of many commemorative events taking place in the nation’s capital during National Police Week 2018.
For more information about other National Police Week events, please visit www.policeweek.org.
To access the FBI's 2017 Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report, please visit www.fbi.gov.
Attorney General Sessions and U.S. Attorney Greenberg Recognize Law Enforcement Service and Sacrifice During National Police WeekRead the Press Release
FBI Releases 2017 Statistics on of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted
Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the District of Florida Benjamin G. Greenberg recognized the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal police officers on the occasion of National Police Week, and commented on the FBI's 2017 Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report.
“One officer death is too many,” Attorney General Sessions said. “While we are inexpressibly grateful to have had a decrease in the number of officers killed in the line-of-duty last year, the number is still far too high. At the Department of Justice, we honor the memories of the fallen and we pray for their families. We are also following President Trump's Executive Orders to back the women and men in blue, to enhance law enforcement safety, and to reduce violent crime in America. Those priorities will help keep every American safe, including those who risk their lives for us. As always, we have their backs and they have our thanks.”
“Every day, the brave men and women of law enforcement proudly put on their badges to protect our rights, liberties and safety,” stated U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg. “Tragically, many of these unsung heroes have made the ultimate sacrifice or sustained serious injuries, while carrying out their call of duty. During National Police Week and throughout the year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office gives thanks to these valiant officers, and their families, for their dedicated service to our South Florida communities.”
In October 1962, Congress passed and President Kennedy signed a joint resolution declaring May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The resolution also created National Police Week as an annual tribute to law enforcement service and sacrifice.
During Police Week, which is observed from Sunday, May 13 to Saturday, May 19, 2018, our nation celebrates the contributions of police officers from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment in keeping our communities safe.
According to statistics collected by the FBI, 93 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents in 2017 – a 21 percent decrease from 2016 when 118 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents.
Additionally, in 2017 there were 46 law enforcement officers killed in line-of-duty incidents as a result of felonious acts – this is a 30 percent decrease from 2016, when 66 law enforcement officer were killed in line-of-duty incidents as a result of felonious acts.
For the full comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narratives describing the fatal attacks and selected assaults resulting in injury, please see the 2017 edition of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report, released today.
The names of all 93 fallen officers nationwide will be formally dedicated on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, during the 30th Annual Candlelight Vigil on the evening of May 13, 2018. The Candlelight Vigil is one of many commemorative events taking place in the nation’s capital during National Police Week 2018. So that people across the country can experience this unique and powerful ceremony, the Candlelight vigil will be livestreamed beginning at 8:00 p.m. EDT on May 13th. To register for this free online event, visit www.LawMemorial.org/webcast.
For more information about other National Police Week events, please visit www.policeweek.org.
To access the FBI's 2017 Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report, please visit www.fbi.gov.
Attorney General Sessions and U.S. Attorney Bash Recognize Law Enforcement Service and Sacrifice During National Police WeekRead the Press Release
Attorney General Jeff Sessions and United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas John F. Bash recognized the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal police officers on the occasion of National Police Week, and commented on the FBI's 2017 Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report.
“During National Police Week, we pause to reflect on the final sacrifice made by so many men and women who quite literally devoted their lives to keeping us all safe. Many of these senseless and infuriating homicides do not receive the same level of media coverage as when an officer, justifiably or not, takes a life. That is perhaps understandable. But I hope that those who in good faith call for policing reform bear in mind the tremendous risk that an officer takes every time he or she makes a traffic stop, or patrols a dangerous neighborhood, or intervenes in a domestic altercation, or attempts to apprehend a fugitive. The memories of our fallen brothers and sisters in blue should weigh heavily whenever we must decide whether an officer acted reasonably in using force in a tense situation clouded by uncertainty and mistrust and the risk of sudden violence,” stated United States Attorney John F. Bash.
In the past year, six law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty in the Western District of Texas. They include:
- Round Rock Police Officer Charles Whites – Officer Whites passed away on April 27, 2018, from injuries sustained after being struck by a vehicle on February 25, 2018. At the time, Whites was directing traffic on Interstate 35 near East Bowman Road where a pedestrian had been struck and killed. White suffered broken ribs, a collapsed lung and bleeding in his brain.
- San Marcos Police Officer Kenneth Copeland – Officer Copeland died on December 4, 2017, after he was fatally shot by a suspect while executing a warrant at a residence in San Marcos, TX.
- Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Damon Allen – Trooper Allen died on November 23, 2017. Trooper Allen was conducting a traffic stop on Interstate 45 near Fairfield, TX, at approximately 4:00pm. The driver allegedly shot Trooper Allen in the back with a rifle as Trooper Allen walked back to his vehicle. Trooper Allen died at the scene.
- Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Tom Nipper – Trooper Nipper died on November 4, 2017. Trooper Nipper was conducting a traffic stop on the southbound shoulder of Interstate 35 in Temple, TX, at approximately 3 p.m. when his patrol car was struck from behind by a Chevrolet pickup truck. Trooper Nipper was transported to local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
- San Antonio Police Officer Miguel Moreno, III – Officer Moreno died on June 30, 2017. The nine-year veteran of SAPD succumbed to injuries sustained during an altercation with a suspect the day before. Officer Moreno was shot in the head by an individual whom he had pulled over in the 200 block of West Evergreen Street near downtown.
- United States Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez – Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez died on November 19, 2017, from injuries sustained while on duty near Interstate 10 east of Van Horn, TX, the day before.
“One officer death is too many,” Attorney General Sessions said. “While we are inexpressibly grateful to have had a decrease in the number of officers killed in the line-of-duty last year, the number is still far too high. At the Department of Justice, we honor the memories of the fallen and we pray for their families. We are also following President Trump's Executive Orders to back the women and men in blue, to enhance law enforcement safety, and to reduce violent crime in America. Those priorities will help keep every American safe, including those who risk their lives for us. As always, we have their backs and they have our thanks.”According to statistics collected by the FBI, 93 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents in 2017 – a 21 percent decrease from 2016 when 118 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents.
Additionally, in 2017 there were 46 law enforcement officers killed in line-of-duty incidents as a result of felonious acts – this is a 30 percent decrease from 2016, when 66 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents as a result of felonious acts.
For the full comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narratives describing the fatal attacks and selected assaults resulting in injury, please see the 2017 edition of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report, released today.
In October 1962, Congress passed and President Kennedy signed a joint resolution declaring May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The resolution also created National Police Week as an annual tribute to law enforcement service and sacrifice.
During Police Week, which is observed from Sunday, May 13 to Saturday, May 19, 2018, our nation celebrates the contributions of police officers from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment in keeping our communities safe.
The names of all 93 fallen officers nationwide will be formally dedicated on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, during the 30th Annual Candlelight Vigil on the evening of May 13, 2018. So that people across the country can experience this unique and powerful ceremony, the vigil will be livestreamed beginning at 8:00 p.m. EDT on May 13th. To register for this free online event, visit www.LawMemorial.org/webcast.
The Candlelight Vigil is one of many commemorative events taking place in the nation’s capital during National Police Week 2018. For more information about other National Police Week events, please visit www.policeweek.org. To access the FBI's 2017 Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report, please visit www.fbi.gov.
Attorney General Sessions Recognizes Law Enforcement Service and Sacrifice During National Police WeekRead the Press Release
Attorney General Sessions recognized the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal police officers on the occasion of National Police Week, and commented on the FBI's 2017 Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report.
“One officer death is too many,” Attorney General Sessions said. “While we are inexpressibly grateful to have had a decrease in the number of officers killed in the line-of-duty last year, the number is still far too high. At the Department of Justice, we honor the memories of the fallen and we pray for their families. We are also following President Trump's Executive Orders to back the women and men in blue, to enhance law enforcement safety, and to reduce violent crime in America. Those priorities will help keep every American safe, including those who risk their lives for us. As always, we have their backs and they have our thanks.”
According to statistics collected by the FBI, 93 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents in 2017 – a 21 percent decrease from 2016 when 118 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents.
Additionally, in 2017 there were 46 law enforcement officers killed in line-of-duty incidents as a result of felonious acts – this is a 30 percent decrease from 2016, when 66 law enforcement officer were killed in line-of-duty incidents as a result of felonious acts.
For the full comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narratives describing the fatal attacks and selected assaults resulting in injury, please see the 2017 edition of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report, released today at www.fbi.gov.
In October 1962, Congress passed and President Kennedy signed a joint resolution declaring May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The resolution also created National Police Week as an annual tribute to law enforcement service and sacrifice.
During Police Week, which is observed from Sunday, May 13 to Saturday, May 19, 2018, our nation celebrates the contributions of police officers from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment in keeping our communities safe.
The names of all 93 fallen officers nationwide will be formally dedicated on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, during the 30th Annual Candlelight Vigil on the evening of May 13, 2018. So that people across the country can experience this unique and powerful ceremony, the vigil will be livestreamed beginning at 8:00 PM (EDT) on May 13th. To register for this free online event, visit www.LawMemorial.org/webcast.
The Candlelight Vigil is one of many commemorative events taking place in the nation’s capital during National Police Week 2018.
For more information about other National Police Week events, please visit www.policeweek.org.
Attorney General Sessions and U.S. Attorney Recognize Law Enforcement Service and Sacrifice During National Police WeekRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida Maria Chapa Lopez recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal police officers on the occasion of National Police Week and remembered those law enforcement officers killed and assaulted in 2017. The MDFL is home to more than 160 law enforcement agencies. During May 2018, communities throughout the MDFL will hold public memorial services honoring fallen officers and showing support for their families. In addition, multiple agencies will embark upon various media campaigns to strengthen connections between officers and citizens and show appreciation for the officers’ continued service.
“One officer death is too many,” Attorney General Sessions said. “While we are inexpressibly grateful to have had a decrease in the number of officers killed in the line-of-duty last year, the number is still far too high. At the Department of Justice, we honor the memories of the fallen and we pray for their families. We are also following President Trump's Executive Orders to back the women and men in blue, to enhance law enforcement safety, and to reduce violent crime in America. Those priorities will help keep every American safe, including those who risk their lives for us. As always, we have their backs and they have our thanks.”
“Each day, somewhere in America, a man or woman puts on a uniform and steps into the unknown to answer a call for help,” said U.S. Attorney Chapa Lopez. “These brave men and women voluntarily leave the comfort of their families to assist and protect others. Too often, some do not return. This month, we pause to show our appreciation for their service and stand in honor of their sacrifices.”
According to statistics collected by the FBI, 93 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents in 2017 – a 21 percent decrease from 2016, when 118 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents. Additionally, in 2017, there were 46 law enforcement officers killed in line-of-duty incidents as a result of felonious acts – a 30 percent decrease from 2016, when 66 law enforcement officers were feloniously killed in the line-of-duty. For the full comprehensive report about these incidents and selected assaults resulting in injury, please see the 2017 edition of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report, released this week. To access the FBI's 2017 Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report, please visit www.fbi.gov.
The names of all 93 fallen officers nationwide will be formally dedicated on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, during the 30th Annual Candlelight Vigil on the evening of May 13, 2018. So that people across the country can experience this unique and powerful ceremony, the vigil will be livestreamed beginning at 8:00 p.m. EDT on May 13th. To register for this free online event, visit www.LawMemorial.org/webcast. The Candlelight Vigil is one of many commemorative events taking place in the nation’s capital during National Police Week 2018.
Five Middle District of Florida officers were added to the memorial this year: Deputy Julie Ann England Bridges, Hardee County Sheriff’s Office; Officer Matthew Scott Baxter, Kissimmee Police Department; Sergeant Richard Samuel Howard, III, Kissimmee Police Department; Deputy First Class Norman Cecil Lewis, Orange County Sheriff’s Office; Lieutenant Debra Lucinda Clayton, Orlando Police Department.
In October 1962, Congress passed and President Kennedy signed a joint resolution declaring May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The resolution also created National Police Week as an annual tribute to law enforcement service and sacrifice. During Police Week, which is observed from Sunday, May 13 to Saturday, May 19, 2018, our nation celebrates the contributions of police officers from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment in keeping our communities safe.
For more information about other National Police Week events, please visit www.policeweek.org.