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13 June 2018
Former Government House Security Officer Neal Chesterfield Sentenced to 70 Months Incarceration for His Involvement in a Conspiracy to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Former Government House Security Officer Neal Chesterfield, 41, was sentenced before District Judge Curtis Gomez to 70 months incarceration for his conviction of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney Gretchen Shappert announced today. Gomez also sentenced Chesterfield to five years of supervised release and $100 special assessment.
According to the plea agreement filed with the court on December 1, 2016, Chesterfield was a member of a large-scale drug trafficking organization from 2011 through 2016. In 2011, Chesterfield, a security officer at the Office of the Governor, was recruited by a co-conspirator who convinced him to use his law enforcement credentials to bypass security screening at Cyril E. King Airport to smuggling large kilogram quantities of cocaine from St. Thomas to Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Once in Florida, Chesterfield delivered the cocaine to a co-conspirator for distribution in the continental United States at $33,000 per kilogram. During the course of the conspiracy, Chesterfield used his security clearance to smuggle over 200 kilograms of cocaine for the drug trafficking organization. The smuggling operation was dismantled on September 3, 2016, after a co-conspirator contacted a CBP agent and reported that Chesterfield was traveling on that day with cocaine and had to be stopped. Within one hour of receiving the tip, CBP agents seized 22 kilograms of cocaine from Chesterfield’s carryon suitcase.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigations and Drug Enforcement Administration, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Delia Smith.
Former Defense Contractor Sentenced for Unlawfully Retaining Classified InformationRead the Press Release
Weldon Marshall, 43, of Sherman, Texas, was sentenced today to 41 months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, for unlawfully retaining national defense information. Marshall pleaded guilty on March 5. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick of the Southern District of Texas made the announcement, after sentencing by U.S. District Judge George Hanks. In handing down the sentence, the court noted how Marshall violated an important trust the military had placed in him. From the early 2000s, Marshall unlawfully retained classified items he obtained while serving in the U.S. Navy and while working for a military contractor. Marshall served in the U.S. Navy from approximately January 1999 to January 2004, during which time he had access to highly sensitive classified material, including documents describing U.S. nuclear command, control and communications. Those classified documents, including other highly sensitive documents classified at the Secret level, were downloaded onto a compact disc labeled “My Secret TACAMO Stuff.” He later unlawfully stored the compact disc in a house he owned in Liverpool, Texas. After he left the Navy, until his arrest in January 2017, Marshall worked for various companies that had contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense. While employed with these companies, Marshall provided information technology services on military bases in Afghanistan where he also had access to classified material. During his employment overseas, and particularly while he was located in Afghanistan, Marshall shipped hard drives to his Liverpool home. The hard drives contained documents and writings classified at the Secret level about flight and ground operations in Afghanistan. Marshall has held a Top Secret security clearance since approximately 2003 and a Secret security clearance since approximately 2002. Previously released on bond, Marshall was taken into custody following the sentencing today where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Army’s 902d Military Intelligence Group and the FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Alamdar Hamdani and former AUSA Andrew Leuchtmann of the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case, along with Trial Attorney Matthew Walczewski of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Former Defense Contractor Sentenced for Unlawfully Retaining Classified InformationRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 43-year-old man residing in Sherman has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of unlawfully retaining national defense information, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick and Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers.
Weldon Marshall pleaded guilty March 5, 2018.
Today, U.S. District Judge George Hanks handed Marshall a 41-month sentence to be immediately followed by a year of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted how Marshall violated an important trust the military had placed in him.
From the early 2000s, Marshall unlawfully retained classified items while he served in the U.S. Navy and while working for a military contractor.
Marshall served in the U.S. Navy from approximately January 1999 to January 2004, during which time he had access to highly sensitive classified material, including documents describing U.S. nuclear command, control and communications. Those classified documents, including other highly sensitive documents classified at the secret level, were downloaded onto a compact disc labeled “My Secret TACAMO Stuff.” He later unlawfully stored the compact disc in a house he owned in Liverpool.
After he left the Navy, until his arrest in January 2017, Marshall worked for various companies that had contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense. While employed with these companies, Marshall provided information technology services on military bases in Afghanistan where he also had access to classified material. During his employment overseas, and particularly while he was located in Afghanistan, Marshall shipped hard drives to his Liverpool, Texas, home. The hard drives contained documents and writings classified at the secret level about flight and ground operations in Afghanistan.
Marshall has held a top secret security clearance since approximately 2003 and a secret security clearance since approximately 2002.
Previously released on bond, Marshall was taken into custody following the sentencing today where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Army’s 902d Military Intelligence Group and the FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) Alamdar Hamdani and former AUSA Andrew Leuchtmann prosecuted the case along with Trial Attorney Matthew Walczewski of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Former DPD Officer Sentenced to 26 Months in Prison for ExtortionRead the Press Release
Former Detroit Police Department Officer Charles Wills was sentenced today to twenty-six months’ imprisonment for accepting bribes from an owner of an automobile collision shop in exchange for referring stolen and abandoned vehicles recovered in the City of Detroit to that shop, United States Attorney Matthew Schneider announced today.
Schneider was joined in the announcement by Timothy Slater, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Patricia Armstrong, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Detroit Division and Chief James Craig, Detroit Police Department, Patricia Armstrong, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Detroit Division and Chief James Craig, Detroit Police Department. The defendant was actively employed with the Detroit Police Department at the time of the offense.
Charles Wills, age 53, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland. Wills previously pleaded guilty to two counts of extortion.
According to the facts alleged in the superseding indictment and further developed at the plea hearing and in sentencing briefing, Wills accepted cash payments from the owner/operator of a Detroit collision shop in exchange for referring abandoned vehicles to that shop for repairs. Wills also accepted cash from other collision shops, wrote false police reports, and introduced another officer to the scheme of accepting cash in exchange for referring vehicles to collision shops.
This is the fifth defendant to have been sentenced as a result of this investigation. The sixth defendant, Deonne Dotson, is awaiting trial.
All of the Officers were charged with engaging in extortion for using their official positions as Police Officers to refer cars to certain collision shops in exchange for cash payments.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Detroit Police Department and the following agencies from the FBI Detroit Area Corruption Task Force: Michigan State Police and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility, Investigative Operation Division.
The FBI Detroit Area Corruption Task Force is comprised of personnel from the Detroit Division of the FBI; Michigan State Police; Michigan Department of Attorney General; Detroit Police Department; U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility, Investigative Operations Division; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General; U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of the Inspector General; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General; U.S. Department of Education, Office of the Inspector General; and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of the Inspector General.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah Resnick Cohen and Craig A. Weier
Former CEO of Sunnyvale-Based Tech Company Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Insider Trading in His Company’s SecuritiesRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Peter C. Chang, founder and former chief executive officer of a Sunnyvale-based fiber optics equipment maker, was sentenced to 24 months in prison today for insider trading and tender offer fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Alex G. Tse and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Lucy H. Koh, United States District Judge.
Chang, 60, of Los Altos, Calif., was the President, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and Chair of the Board of Directors of Alliance Fiber Optic Products, Inc. (AFOP), a manufacturer of fiber optic components based in Sunnyvale, Calif. AFOP was publicly traded on the NASDAQ until the company was acquired in June 2016. According to his February 21, 2018, guilty plea, Chang used two brokerage accounts, held in the names of his brother and his wife, to purchase and sell AFOP stock. He admitted that he had access to material nonpublic information about the company, and that his duty of confidentiality and company policies regarding insider trading prevented him from trading on the information.
Further, Chang admitted that he sold AFOP stock in the days prior to two public announcements of the company’s earnings on October 28, 2015 and February 18, 2016. The timing of these sales allowed Chang to avoid losses he would otherwise have incurred when the stock price dropped after the announcements. Chang further admitted that in March 2016, he purchased AFOP stock while he knew material nonpublic information about a potential acquisition of the company by a larger public company. The acquisition of AFOP was publicly announced on April 7, 2016.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Koh ordered Chang to serve three years of supervised release. Chang is currently free on bond; Judge Koh ordered him to self-surrender on or before September 12, 2018, to begin serving his sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lloyd Farnham is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Claudia Hyslop, Phillip Villanueva, and Bridget Kilkenny. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI. Additional assistance was provided by the San Francisco Regional Office of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Former Bureau of Prisons Correctional Officer Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Participating in Prison-Based Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Former Bureau of Prisons (BOP) correctional officer Michael Mazar, 39, of Hollywood, was sentenced today to 5 years in prison and ordered to pay over $8 million in restitution for his participation in a mail and wire fraud scheme orchestrated from a Miami federal prison.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Robert F. Lasky, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and Robert A. Bourbon, Special Agent in Charge, United States Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
According to information disclosed in court, Mazar was employed as a BOP correctional officer at the Federal Detention Center in Miami, Florida, from July 2009 through April 2017. In February 2017, Mazar provided co-conspirator James Sabatino, an inmate, with several cellular telephones and other items. Using the contraband cellular telephones provided by Mazar, Sabatino contacted several retail and jewelry store employees and brand representatives via telephone calls, e-mails, and text messages. Sabatino pretended to be an employee of various film and music companies and convinced the victims to send retail items such as handbags, wristwatches, apparel, and jewelry to various locations in South Florida and elsewhere.
According to the Indictment, the victim companies shipped the retail items and jewelry to Sabatino’s co-conspirators, who then sold the fraudulently obtained items at pawnshops and jewelry stores in South Florida and elsewhere. Mazar received the ill-gotten proceeds, including retail items, jewelry, and U.S. currency, from these co-conspirators and stored them at his residence.
According to information disclosed in court, Sabatino, while in prison, directed Mazar and other co-conspirators to travel to Atlanta, Georgia, from South Florida, in order to transport and sell several pieces of fraudulently obtained jewelry valued at over $3 million. Mazar transported a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the stolen jewelry from Atlanta, Georgia, to South Florida.
Sabatino previously pled guilty to a related racketeering charge in the Southern District of Florida, Case Number 16-20519-CR-Lenard. On November 13, 2017, Sabatino was sentenced to a term of 20 years in prison.
Mazar previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349. U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke sentenced Mazar to 60 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. Mazar was also ordered to pay $8,949,025.11 in restitution.
Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and DOJ-OIG. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Browne and Nalina Sombuntham.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
El Departamento de Justicia y el Tribunal de Circuito del Condado de Eau Claire, Wisconsin Colaboran para Asegurar la Igualdad de Acceso para Usuarios del Tribunal con un Dominio Limitado del Inglés Mediante una Clase Operada por el TribunalRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo con el Tribunal de Circuito del Condado de Eau Claire para resolver una denuncia que había recibido de la Asociación Hmong para Asistencia Mutua de la Zona de Eau Claire que alegó que el Tribunal de Circuito del Condado de Eau Claire no brindó los servicios apropiados de apoyo lingüístico a usuarios del tribunal con un dominio limitado del inglés (LEP, por sus siglas en inglés). En concreto, la denuncia alegó que el tribunal requería que personas que querían divorciarse asistieran a una clase que se llama «Familias en Transición», pero la clase solo estaba disponible en inglés.
El Departamento comenzó a trabajar con el Tribunal de Circuito del Condado de Eau Claire en septiembre del 2017, cuando el denunciante presentó su denuncia alegando que los obstáculos existentes en los procedimientos de divorcio con base en el dominio lingüístico vulneran la prohibición contra la discriminación por motivos de nacionalidad de origen contenida en el Título VI de la ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964 (el Título VI). El Título VI requiere que recipientes de fondos federales, tales como las cortes, ofrezcan servicios lingüísticos significativos a individuos LEP en todos los procedimientos y operaciones del tribunal.
El acuerdo entre el Departamento y el Tribunal de Circuito del Condado de Eau Claire describe las acciones que el tribunal ha comenzado a tomar para responder a las preocupaciones planteadas durante la revisión federal, así como los esfuerzos actuales y futuros del tribunal por garantizar la provisión continua de apoyo lingüístico integral para la clase de «Familias en Transición», la participación comunitaria y la capacitación del personal del tribunal que interactúe con usuarios del tribunal que son LEP.
«Felicitamos al Tribunal de Circuito del Condado de Eau Claire por su compromiso a garantizar el acceso significativo en los tribunales para todos, independiente de su nacionalidad de origen», declaró el Fiscal General Auxiliar en funciones, John Gore. «Esta colaboración entre el Departamento de Justicia y el Tribunal de Circuito del Condado de Eau Claire mejorará la capacidad del Tribunal por ofrecer la igualdad de acceso durante el proceso judicial completo».
Esta denuncia se resolvió como parte de los esfuerzos de la Sección Federal de Coordinación y Cumplimiento (FCS) de la División de Derechos Civiles por asegurar que los tribunales estatales cumplan con los requisitos para el acceso lingüístico del Título VI. Ningún individuo LEP debe ser denegado el acceso a la justicia porque un tribunal no proporciona servicios lingüísticos. El equipo de la FCS para los tribunales proporciona una orientación política y apoyo técnico a los sistemas de tribunales estatales y se encarga de acciones de aplicación de la ley por todo el país.
Enlace al acuerdo (en inglés)
Eagle Butte Woman Sentenced for AssaultRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, woman convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury was sentenced on June 11, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Lynsi Bad Warrior, age 34, was sentenced to 34 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Bad Warrior was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 18, 2017. She pled guilty on March 19, 2018.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on April 7, 2017, when Bad Warrior was drinking. Bad Warrior heard that a certain individual was at the tree line behind the Lakota Thrifty Mart in Eagle Butte. Bad Warrior caught a ride to the tree line to look for that individual. When Bad Warrior found the individual, she assaulted them. Bad Warrior punched the victim approximately 16 times, and also kicked and stomped on their head and throughout their body approximately 14 times, while the victim laid on the ground defenseless. Bad Warrior was wearing shoes at the time. A video was made of the assault and posted on You Tube. Law enforcement was called and two officers from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services responded. When they arrived on scene, they found the victim laying on the ground unconscious, and an ambulance was requested. The victim began having seizures prior to the ambulance arriving. The victim was transported by ambulance to the Indian Health Services Emergency Room.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Bad Warrior was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Meets with Canadian Law Enforcement OfficialsRead the Press Release
A Department of Justice official released the following statement at the conclusion of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein’s trip to Canada, where he met with senior government officials from the Quebec Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, the Canadian Department of Justice, the Canadian Ministry of Public Safety, and the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, as well as representatives of the Department of State and several U.S. law enforcement agencies.
"Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein held productive meetings with Canadian law enforcement officials in Montreal and Ottawa. He met with Deputy Minister of Public Safety Malcolm Brown and Canadian Department of Justice Associate Deputy Minister Francois Daigle and their respective teams, as well as officials from the Quebec Provincial Prosecutor’s Office and the Public Prosecution Service of Canada. He thanked them for their critical partnership in the fight against transnational criminal organizations and cyber criminals, and discussed ways to further limit the flow of illegal drugs and firearms across our borders. Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein emphasized the Trump Administration’s commitment to sharing information about terrorists and other criminals, to cutting red tape and reducing inefficient bureaucratic processes, and to fighting against threats to the safety and security of all Americans and Canadians.
“The Deputy Attorney General also met with U.S. Ambassador Kelly Craft, with officials of the U.S. Consulate in Montreal and the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, and with Canada-based representatives of U.S. law enforcement agencies, including ATF, DEA, FBI, IRS, ICE-HSI, and Customs & Border Protection. Finally, Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein visited the Canadian Parliament, where he had the pleasure of meeting the Senate Speaker, several Senators, and their staffs, and attending sessions of the Canadian Senate and House. He also spoke at the International Economic Forum in Montreal. He appreciated the hospitality extended in Montreal and Ottawa and looks forward to continued close cross-border collaboration with our Canadian law enforcement partners.”Department of Justice Announces Place to Worship InitiativeRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced the “Place to Worship Initiative,” which will focus on protecting the ability of houses of worship and other religious institutions to build, expand, buy, or rent facilities—as provided by the land use provisions of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).
In announcing the initiative, Attorney General Sessions provided the following statement:
“The Constitution doesn't just protect freedom to worship in private—it protects the public exercise of religious belief, including where people worship together," Attorney General Sessions said. "Under the laws of this country, government cannot discriminate against people based on their religion--not in law enforcement, not in grant-making, not in hiring, and not in local zoning laws. President Trump is an unwavering defender of the right of free exercise, and under his leadership, the Department of Justice is standing up for the rights of all Americans. By raising awareness about our legal rights, the Place to Worship Initiative will help us bring more civil rights cases, win more cases, and prevent discrimination from happening in the first place."
The Department will work with the United States Attorney’s Offices to strengthen awareness of the land use provisions of RLUIPA by: hosting community outreach events across the country, educating municipal officials and religious organizations about RLUIPA’s requirements, and providing additional training and resources for federal prosecutors. The first community outreach event under the initiative will be held on June 25, in Newark, New Jersey, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey. The Department today is also launching a new web page, including an information page and easily accessible complaint portal, a new Q and A document on RLUIPA, and other materials. In addition, the Department has created a new RLUIPA tool kit for Department lawyers working on RLUIPA cases, and is holding a webinar on June 26 for providing training and resources for U.S. Attorney’s offices.
RLUIPA is a federal law that protects religious institutions from unduly burdensome or discriminatory land use regulations. Specifically, RLUIPA bars land use regulations that impose a substantial burden on religious exercise without a compelling justification, requires governments to treat houses of worship as favorably as nonreligious assemblies, and bars governments from discriminating among religions and from totally or unreasonably excluding houses of worship.
The Justice Department also announced today that it brought a RLUIPA complaint against the Borough of Woodcliff Lake and the Woodcliff Lake Zoning Board of Adjustment in New Jersey.
Persons who believe their rights under RLUIPA have been violated may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Hotline at (855) 281-3339 or the Civil Rights Division Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (800) 896-7743.
More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at http://www.justice.gov/crt/rluipa.
Department of Justice Announces Place to Worship InitiativeRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced the “Place to Worship Initiative,” which will focus on protecting the ability of houses of worship and other religious institutions to build, expand, buy, or rent facilities—as provided by the land use provisions of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).
In announcing the initiative, Attorney General Sessions provided the following statement:
“The Constitution doesn't just protect freedom to worship in private—it protects the public exercise of religious belief, including where people worship together," Attorney General Sessions said. "Under the laws of this country, government cannot discriminate against people based on their religion--not in law enforcement, not in grant-making, not in hiring, and not in local zoning laws. President Trump is an unwavering defender of the right of free exercise, and under his leadership, the Department of Justice is standing up for the rights of all Americans. By raising awareness about our legal rights, the Place to Worship Initiative will help us bring more civil rights cases, win more cases, and prevent discrimination from happening in the first place."
The Department will work with the United States Attorney’s Offices to strengthen awareness of the land use provisions of RLUIPA by: hosting community outreach events across the country, educating municipal officials and religious organizations about RLUIPA’s requirements, and providing additional training and resources for federal prosecutors. The first community outreach event under the initiative will be held on June 25, in Newark, New Jersey, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
The Department today is also launching a new web page, including an information page and easily accessible complaint portal, a new Q and A document on RLUIPA, and other materials (https://www.justice.gov/crt/place-worship-initiative). In addition, the Department has created a new RLUIPA tool kit for Department lawyers working on RLUIPA cases, and is holding a webinar on June 26 for providing training and resources for U.S. Attorney’s offices.
RLUIPA is a federal law that protects religious institutions from unduly burdensome or discriminatory land use regulations. Specifically, RLUIPA bars land use regulations that impose a substantial burden on religious exercise without a compelling justification, requires governments to treat houses of worship as favorably as nonreligious assemblies, and bars governments from discriminating among religions and from totally or unreasonably excluding houses of worship.
The Justice Department also announced today that it brought a RLUIPA complaint against the Borough of Woodcliff Lake and the Woodcliff Lake Zoning Board of Adjustment in New Jersey (https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-files-lawsuit-against-borough-woodcliff-lake-new-jersey-over-denial-zoni-0?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery).
Persons who believe their rights under RLUIPA have been violated may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Hotline at (855) 281-3339, the Civil Rights Division Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (800) 896-7743, or the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at (305) 961-9327.
More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at http://www.justice.gov/crt/rluipa.
Daly City Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to Ten Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Carlos Maturana was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Alex G. Tse and Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Special Agent in Charge Jerry A. Miller. The sentence was handed down today by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, U.S. District Judge.
Maturana, 26, of Daly City, pleaded guilty on January 31, 2018. He admitted that from June 6, 2016, through August 15, 2016, he participated in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Specifically, Maturana admitted that on June 8, 2016, he supplied his co-defendant, Juan Guillermo Estrada-Zapata, 28, of Daly City, with approximately one-half pound of methamphetamine. Later that day, Estrada-Zapata sold that one-half pound of methamphetamine to an undercover DEA agent for $2,200. Further, Maturana admitted that on August 3, 2016, he again supplied Estrada-Zapata with approximately one-half of a pound of methamphetamine. Later that day, Estrada-Zapata again sold the one-half pound of methamphetamine to the undercover DEA agent for $2,200.
Maturana was arrested on August 15, 2016. On that day, Maturana arranged to supply Estrada-Zapata with approximately three pounds of methamphetamine that was supposed to besold the undercover agent for $11,000. Law enforcement authorities arrived at Maturana’s house prepared to execute a search warrant prior to the planned drug transaction. The authorities saw Maturana walk from his house to his car while carrying a brown shopping bag and a black gym bag. Authorities approached Maturana, searched the bags he was carrying, and executed the search warrant. Authorities seized approximately seven and a half pounds of methamphetamine, a Bersa .45 caliber pistol loaded with a magazine containing six rounds of ammunition, approximately 62 grams of cocaine, almost $3,000 in cash, a Browning .40 caliber pistol, one loaded magazine containing seven rounds of .45 caliber ammunition, 12 rounds of .38 caliber ammunition, and almost 800 grams of marijuana.
On May 4, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted Maturana and Estrada-Zapata with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 United States, Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(A) as well as substantive distribution charges. Pursuant to his plea agreement, Maturana pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and the distribution charge was dismissed.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Breyer also sentenced Maturana to a five-year period of supervised release.
Estrada-Zapata pleaded guilty on December 6, 2017, to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. On May 2, 2018, Judge Breyer sentenced Estrada-Zapata to two years in prison and a five-year term of supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christiaan Highsmith is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Adria Trgovcich, Linda Love, and Theresa Benitez. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration Metro Task Force, the San Mateo County Narcotics Task Force, and the San Francisco Police Department Narcotics Unit.
Crossett Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
El Dorado, Arkansas – Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced today that Ian Mitchell Ashcraft, age 28, of Crossett, Arkansas was sentenced yesterday to 72 months in federal prison followed by fifteen years of supervised release on one count each of Receiving Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography. The Honorable Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in El Dorado.
According to court records, in October of 2015, the United States Secret Service intercepted an Internet Protocol address which was downloading images of child pornography from the file sharing program Freenet. A subsequent search warrant to internet service provider, returned to the residence of Ian Mitchell Ashcraft of Crossett, Arkansas. On February 8, 2016, law enforcement officers with the Arkansas State Police Cyber Crimes Unit, United States Secret Service and Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant of Ashcraft’s residence. Several electronic devices capable of accessing the internet, owned by Ashcraft, were seized by agents. A subsequent forensic examination of an external hard drive seized from Ashcraft’s bedroom yielded numerous images and videos depicting child pornography.
Ashcraft was indicted in July 2017 on federal charges and plead guilty in September 2017.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service (USSS) and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Assistant United States Attorney Denis Dean prosecuted the case for the United States.
Crips Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder in-Aid-of Racketeering and Other CrimesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Eric Smith, also known as “Esama” and “Esco,” a member of the Long Island-based Rollin’ 60s Crips street gang, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert to four consecutive terms of life in prison plus 30 years. Smith was convicted by a federal jury on June 15, 2017, following five weeks of trial, on 11 counts including murder in-aid-of racketeering, racketeering, Hobbs Act robbery and conspiracy to commit murder. These charges arose out of Smith’s participation in the Rollin’ 60s set of the Crips that for more than a decade engaged in violent criminal activity in Roosevelt, New York.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Madeline Singas, Nassau County District Attorney; and Patrick Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), announced the sentence.
“Eric Smith took a life for his gang, and now he will be serving life in prison,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “The violence committed by this defendant harmed not only his murder and shooting victims, but also the larger community, which is now significantly safer as a result of the efforts by this Office and our law enforcement partners to dismantle the Rollin’ 60 Crips. We will continue to work tirelessly to prosecute violent gangs that plague Long Island communities like Roosevelt with violence, drugs and fear.” Mr. Donoghue extended his grateful appreciation to the law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation, in particular, the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force and the Gang Investigations Squad of the NCPD.
“Eric Smith showed no regard for the life of his victim, and he’ll now pay for his actions by spending the rest of his life in prison,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “Members of the community in Roosevelt, and neighboring communities, should be able to live in a safe environment, and not fear the endless violence this gang inflicted on them. The FBI Long Island Gang Task Force has been dogged and diligent in successfully eradicating these criminals from communities that deserve better.”
“The brutal Rollin’ 60s Crips terrorized the Roosevelt community, and our neighborhoods are safer with this murderer behind bars for life,” stated Nassau County District Attorney Singas. “Law enforcement at the federal, state, and local levels is united in our commitment to rid Long Island of the violent gangs that have destroyed so many lives, and we will continue our unprecedented collaboration and partnership to keep our communities safe from these predators.”
“The initial arrest and subsequent sentencing of defendant Smith is a clear sign that this type of gang activity will never be tolerated,” stated NCPD Commissioner Ryder. “The Roosevelt community is a safer place with this arrest and we will continue our efforts to keep all communities safe. I would also like to thank all of the associated agencies and their investigators on a job well done.”
At trial, the government proved that Smith was a high-ranking member of the Rollin’ 60s set of the Crips, a racketeering enterprise based in Roosevelt that engaged in murder, attempted murder, narcotics trafficking and firearms trafficking to maintain control of their turf for nearly a decade. Between 2003 and 2013, the gang followed an “on-sight” rule, created by the gang’s leader Raphael Osborne, which required members to attack members of the rival Bloods street gang in the Roosevelt community. In observance of this rule, Smith participated in over a dozen shootings. The evidence at trial also established Smith’s participation in robberies with fellow gang members to acquire cash and drugs to be resold on the streets of Roosevelt. Smith was convicted for his role in two robberies that he committed in the fall of 2010 with fellow gang members.
Smith also was convicted of the December 15, 2010 murder of 19-year-old James McClenic, a member of the rival Bloods street gang. After hours of searching for McClenic, Smith found him sitting in a parked car at a gas station in Hempstead. Smith, wearing a black ski mask and armed with a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, crept up to McClenic and opened fire at close range killing him. In the wake of McClenic’s murder, the Bloods retaliated against Smith and other members of the Crips street gang. Smith and the leader of the Rollin’ 60s dispatched younger members of the Crips to strike back, igniting a gang war on the streets of Roosevelt.
The government’s investigation has led to the arrest and conviction of more than 20 members and associates of the Rollin’ 60s Crips. During the 10 months prior to the defendants’ arrests, Roosevelt averaged more than one shooting incident every two weeks. Following the arrests of these individuals, Roosevelt, New York went 109 days without a shooting incident. To date, 13 defendants, including Smith, have been sentenced:
- on June 21, 2016, Jahmani Hamilton was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment
- on August 4, 2016, Kurtis Philip was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment
- on August 5, 2016, Courtney Smith was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment
- on September 23, 2016, Merlyn Benitez was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment
- on October 13, 2016, Derick Hernandez was sentenced to a term of 20 years’ imprisonment that will run consecutively to a four-year state sentence he is presently serving
- on October 19, 2016, Kwame Lake was sentenced to a term of five years’ imprisonment that will run consecutively to an eight-year state sentence he is presently serving
- on November 4, 2016, Tyshawn Gitto was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment
- on January 13, 2017, Branden Short was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment
- on January 13, 2017, the gang’s leader Raphael Osborne was convicted after trial and sentenced to three life sentences plus 135 years
- on April 21, 2017, Rommel Lobban was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment
- on April 25, 2017, Daquanne Nunn was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment
- on January 12, 2018, Rudy Montour was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment that will run consecutively to a 13-year state sentence he is presently serving.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Boeckmann, Christopher Caffarone and Michael Maffei are in charge of the prosecution.The Defendant
ERIC SMITH (also known as “Esama” and “Esco”)
Age: 29
Roosevelt, Long IslandE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 14-CR-264 (JS), 15-CR428 (JS)
- on June 21, 2016, Jahmani Hamilton was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment
Court Orders Former Postmaster to Pay $353,441.42 for Defrauding the United States Postal ServiceRead the Press Release
A man from Arlington, South Dakota, has been ordered to pay $353,441.42 to the United States for defrauding the United States Postal Service. As postmaster from 2010 until 2015, Craig Christeson devised a scheme whereby he falsely certified receipt of spoiled postage meter strips, printed and cashed money orders, then kept the money. On June 27, 2016, Christeson pleaded guilty to Theft of Government Funds, 8 U.S.C. § 641, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $8,970.71 (United States v. Craig John Christeson, CR 15-40117-1).
The U.S. Attorney’s Office then brought a civil action pursuant to the False Claims Act (FCA), 31 U.S.C. § 3729(a)(1), the Government's primary litigation tool in combating fraud. The FCA imposes significant civil penalties on persons and companies who knowingly submit false claims to obtain federal funds. Persons who submit a false claim must pay to the United States a civil penalty between $5,500 and $11,000 for each false claim, plus three times the amount of damages the government sustained. Pursuant to the FCA, the Court has ordered Christeson to pay a civil judgment of $353,441.42 to the United States. As a basis for that holding, District Judge Karen E. Schreier noted that the fraud was intentional, and that it continued over multiple years. Criminal restitution, penalties, and debts obtained by fraud are not dischargeable in bankruptcy. 11 U.S.C. § 523.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office places a high priority on criminal and civil enforcement in cases involving all types of fraud committed against the government, and works with various law enforcement agencies to identify and investigate these matters. “Crime does not pay,” said U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons. “This case should serve notice that we are going to come after anyone who steals from the United States government with every tool we have.”
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ann M. Hoffman and Cheryl Schrempp DuPris prosecuted the criminal and civil cases respectively.
Clay County Man Found with More than 5 Pounds of Methamphetamine Sentenced to 16 YearsRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky.— Richard Walker, 33, of Manchester, Ky., was sentenced Tuesday to 16 years in federal prison, by United States District Court Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a methamphetamine mixture.
Walker pleaded guilty to the charges in February of 2017. During his guilty plea, Walker admitted that he had regularly obtained kilogram quantities of methamphetamine and sold it in Laurel County and Clay County, Kentucky. These charges were related to the seizure of more than five pounds of methamphetamine from Walker, in May of 2016.
Under federal law, Walker must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence, and, upon release, will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for 10 years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Stuart Lowrey, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Chris Fultz, Manchester Police Chief, jointly made the announcement. The United States Marshals Service and the Kentucky State Police also assisted in the investigation. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew H. Trimble.
Cedar Rapids Synthetic Drug Distributor Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who sold synthetic cannabinoids (K2) to homeless people was sentenced on June 13, 2018, to nearly 20 years in federal prison.
Benjamin Michael McCauley, age 45, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 5, 2017, guilty plea to possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances called XLR-11, AB‑PINACA, and AB‑CHMINACA, AB‑FUBINACA.
In a plea agreement, McCauley admitted he started selling synthetic cannabinoids in 2014. McCauley’s brother, Matthew McCauley, was prosecuted in federal court at that time for using his Cedar Rapids business, the Fragrance Hut, as a place to sell illegal synthetic drugs. Benjamin McCauley admitted that after his brother was arrested on the federal drug charges, Benjamin reached out to Matthew’s online suppliers to purchase synthetic cannabinoid products, but was rejected. McCauley and an associate then used the associate’s name to order the synthetic drugs. McCauley also admitted that he regularly supplied another individual with synthetic cannabinoids to sell to people in the free lunch line in Iowa City.
In March 2015, officers conducted a search of McCauley’s residence and seized over 240 grams of synthetic cannabinoids in product packaging labeled “Buddah Shack,” “Joker,” and “Get Real.” The packaging also contained disclaimers that the products were “not for human consumption.” McCauley admitted he possessed the synthetic cannabinoids and intended to distribute some or all of them to others, whom he knew would consume the products. McCauley also admitted that he used and distributed methamphetamine. Court documents reflect that McCauley and his associates would also recruit homeless people to purchase boxes of pseudoephedrine so McCauley and his associates could manufacture methamphetamine. McCauley and his associates would sometimes pay the homeless people for the pseudoephedrine with synthetic cannabinoids.
McCauley was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Reade noted that McCauley had 68 prior criminal convictions, including several for violent offenses. Court records reflect that McCauley’s criminal history included a conviction for domestic abuse assault causing bodily injury in which he assaulted a woman by “grabbing her and hitting her on the back of her head several times” and “[w]hen she turned and looked up at the defendant and pleaded for him to stop, he struck her between the eyes, knocking her unconscious.”
McCauley was sentenced to 235 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
McCauley is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case investigated by the High Risk Unit of the Sixth Judicial District Department of Corrections and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-74-LRR.
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Cedar Rapids Felon Sentenced to Twenty Years in Federal Prison after Attempting to Extort Internet Domain Name in an Armed Home InvasionRead the Press Release
A federal felon who entered a Cedar Rapids home armed with a stolen firearm and pistol-whipped and Tased its owner was sentenced today to twenty years in prison in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Sherman Hopkins, Jr., age 43, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 2017 guilty plea to one count of interference and attempted interference with commerce by threats and violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951. The case is the first Hobbs Act Extortion prosecution in the district involving the attempt to steal an Internet domain name.
At the plea hearing and in a plea agreement, Hopkins admitted that on June 21, 2017, he entered the victim’s home and assaulted the victim in an attempt to obtain the victim’s property, specifically, the Internet domain “doitforstate.com.” Hopkins carried and brandished a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, which was stolen from Michigan in 2014. Hopkins was a convicted felon as the result of a 2006 conviction for perjury in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa.
Information from the plea agreement and court hearings showed that on June 21, 2017, Hopkins entered the victim’s home in Cedar Rapids. Hopkins was carrying a cellular telephone and the gun and was wearing a hat, pantyhose on his head, and dark sunglasses on his face.
The victim was upstairs and heard Hopkins enter the home. From the top of a staircase, the victim saw Hopkins with the gun on the first floor. Hopkins shouted at the victim, who then ran into an upstairs bedroom and shut the door, leaning up against the door to stop Hopkins from entering. Hopkins went upstairs and kicked the door open.
Hopkins grabbed the victim by the arm and demanded to know where he kept his computer. When the victim told Hopkins that he kept his computer in his home office, Hopkins forcibly moved the victim to the office. Hopkins ordered the victim to turn on his computer and connect to the Internet. Hopkins pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket, which contained a series of directions on how to change an Internet domain name from one GoDaddy account to another GoDaddy account. Hopkins put the firearm against the victim’s head and ordered him to follow the directions on the piece of paper. Hopkins also took the victim’s cell phone and threw it so that he could not call for help.
The victim asked Hopkins for a mailing address and phone number, because GoDaddy required the transferee’s mailing address and phone number to effectuate the change of ownership of the domain name. Hopkins then pistol whipped the victim several times in the victim’s head. Hopkins also pulled out a Taser and “Tased” the victim several times in his left arm, back, and neck.
Hopkins became more violent, hitting the victim in the head and berated the victim. Hopkins then cocked the gun. Fearing for his life, the victim quickly turned to move the gun away from his head. The victim then managed to gain control of the gun, but during the struggle, he was shot in the leg. The victim shot Hopkins multiple times in his chest. He then contacted law enforcement.
Hopkins is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tim Vavricek and Dan Tvedt and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-59-LRR.
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Career Robber Pleads Guilty to Robbery of Ice Cream Store in Central West EndRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Rodney Gardner, 52, St. Louis, pleaded guilty to one count of interfering with interstate commerce by robbing Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. He appeared in federal court this morning before U.S. District Judge E. Richard Webber.
According to court documents, on March 6, 2018, Gardner entered the Central West End ice cream shop and posed as a customer before he demanded that employees hand over money from the cash register. Gardner punched one employee multiple times in the face, breaking her nose, grabbed the cash register, and ran from the store. Police officers arrested him after a brief foot chase.
Gardner faces up to 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine or both. In determining the actual sentences, a Judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges. Gardner has prior convictions for robbery for which he was previously imprisoned in the Missouri Department of Corrections. Sentencing is set for September 11, 2018.
This case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer J. Roy is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
California Man Charged in White Plains Federal Court with Operating Multimillion-Dollar Mail Fraud Scheme Targeting Small BusinessesRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, New York Field Division (“USPIS”), announced today that MARK MUSHKIN was arrested today and charged with mail fraud for operating a multi-year, multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud small businesses. MUSHKIN is expected to be presented this afternoon in the Central District of California.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, the defendant tricked hundreds of small businesses into paying him over $3 million for products that were never ordered or received. Over more than five years, the defendant was unjustly enriched by money sent to him from businesses throughout the country under false pretenses.”
USPIS Inspector in Charge Peter R. Rendina said: “Mr. Mushkin banked on each companies' belief the invoice received was from a legitimate vendor, not an alleged scammer. What he didn't bank on was the resolve of Postal Inspectors and the US Attorney to uncover his greedy scheme and bring him to justice for his crimes against unsuspecting businesses.”
According to the Complaint[1] unsealed today in federal court:
Between about 2011 and 2017, MARK MUSHKIN operated a scheme in which he sent false invoices to small businesses throughout the country, predominately law firms, from a purported company run by MUSHKIN called IT Tech Products. The invoices falsely stated shipment dates for copier toner and demanded payment to IT Tech Products. Over 800 businesses mailed over 1,900 checks to IT Tech Products based on their mistaken belief that the invoices were legitimate. These checks totaled approximately $3.3 million and were deposited into a bank account controlled by MUSHKIN. In the event that a business inquired about the origin of the invoice after payment had been made, MUSHKIN or a representative of IT Tech Products would send a refund, allowing him to continue operating his scheme undetected.
* * *
MARK MUSHKIN, 52, of Laguna Beach, California, is charged with one count of mail fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The statutory maximum potential penalty in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the work of the Postal Inspection Service for their investigative efforts and ongoing support and assistance with the case. Mr. Berman also thanked the Federal Trade Commission for their assistance in this case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Allison Nichols and Jamie Bagliebter are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and 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 herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Bridgeville Man Admits Possessing Child Pornography VideosRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
John Edward Desalome, age 30, of Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that on November 23, 2016, Desalome possessed videos in computer graphic files, the production of which involved the use of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, some of whom had not yet attained 12 years of age.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer scheduled sentencing for October 23, 2018 at 11 a.m. The law provides for a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a maximum term of supervised release of life, and a fine of $250,000.00. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Lieber Smolar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Desalome.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Bowdoin Man Sentenced to Two Years for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that David Forrest Noel, 40 of Bowdoin, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge D. Brock Hornby to two years in prison and five years of supervised release for failing to register as a sex offender. Noel pleaded guilty on June 22, 2017.
According to court records, Noel was required by law to register as a sex offender because he was convicted in Massachusetts in 2010 of indecent assault and battery on a child. After that conviction, Noel registered as a sex offender in Massachusetts. He moved to Maine in 2016 and failed to notify appropriate authorities of the move and failed to register as a sex offender in Maine.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Bergen County Man Admits Producing Phony Massage Therapy Training Certificates for Prostitution BusinessesRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. - A Closter, New Jersey, man today admitted producing and selling fraudulent massage therapy training certificates for use in various New Jersey massage parlors that engaged in prostitution, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Naresh Rane, 64, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson to Count 1 of an indictment charging him with knowingly and intentionally using and causing the use of facilities in interstate commerce to promote, manage, establish, carry on, and facilitate the business of prostitution in violation of New Jersey law.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Rane owned and operated Axiom Healthcare Academy, which purported to provide classes in massage therapy training. Rane held himself out as a businessman who, for a fee that ranged from $1,000 to $2,600, could provide massage therapy training certificates to anyone who wished to obtain a massage license without the required training. Rane was also willing to provide phony transcripts listing classes and grades.
Between November 2013 and March 2014, Rane provided 10 fraudulent massage therapy training certificates and transcripts to a former Westwood, New Jersey, councilman who then gave them to prostitutes working in different massage parlors located in Union, Passaic, Hudson and Middlesex Counties. Rane admitted today that he knew the documents he was producing and selling were used to disguise prostitution activities as legitimate massage services.
The charge to which Rane pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 2, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel Mark J. McCarren of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: David A. Schwartz Esq., Eatontown
Benton Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Southern Illinois HealthcareRead the Press Release
On June 13, 2018, Cary E. Mosley, 48, of Benton, Illinois, pled guilty to defrauding his former employer, Southern Illinois Healthcare ("SIH"), announced Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. A federal grand jury had returned an indictment on January 4, 2018, charging Mosley with wire fraud and mail fraud.
From December 1, 2006, through July 13, 2013, Mosley was employed as the manager of SIH’s radiation oncology department. During that same time frame, Mosley held a second job with Q.E.D. Medical Physics, Inc. ("QED"), a contractor based in Lebanon, Tennessee, that provides support services for radiation oncology departments operated by smaller hospitals.
As part of his guilty plea, Mosley admitted that he was paid by QED for work he allegedly performed at SIH, and that he made entries in QED’s electronic timekeeping system which falsely claimed he had performed work at SIH that he had not actually performed. Mosley also admitted to claiming compensation from QED for work he performed as part of his normal employment duties with SIH. Based upon Mosley’s fraudulent timekeeping entries, QED submitted invoices to SIH that were falsely inflated. The indictment alleges that Mosley was paid over $500,000 by QED for work he performed at SIH.
Mosley admitted in his guilty plea that he concealed his fraud scheme by altering the documents that were sent to SIH’s Accounts Payable Department in support of the QED invoices.
Each month, QED sent to SIH an "Hours and Details" sheet, which identified the QED employees who had worked at SIH, the work they had performed, the number of hours they had worked, and the dates they had worked. During the initial portion of his scheme, Mosley altered the "Hours and Details" sheets by removing his name and inserting the names of other QED employees. During the latter portion of his scheme, Mosley simply discarded the "Hours and Details" sheets before the QED invoices were sent to SIH’s Accounts Payable Department.
Mosley pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud. Both charges carry maximum sentences of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and fines of up to $250,000. In addition, Mosley could be ordered to pay full restitution to SIH.
Mosley’s sentencing is currently scheduled for September 25, 2018, at 9:30 a.m., at the United States District Court in Benton, Illinois.
The case was investigated by agents from the Springfield Division, Fairview Heights Resident Agency, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI"). Both SIH and QED have cooperated with the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Scott A. Verseman.
Beckley Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley convicted felon pled guilty today to federal drug and gun charges, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Anthony Harvey, 42, of Beckley, West Virginia, entered his guilty plea to distributing a quantity of methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. Attorney Stuart commended the investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley Police Department.
“Recidivism is a real problem,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “With two previous felony convictions prohibiting him from possessing guns, Harvey continues to break the law -- by possessing firearms and selling methamphetamine. Now he faces significant time behind bars.”
On June 14, 2016, Harvey sold a quantity of methamphetamine to a confidential informant working with the Beckley Police Department. On August 16, 2016, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Harvey’s home. At that time Harvey was a twice convicted felon and was in possession of firearms. Specifically, Harvey possessed a Davis Industries, Model DM-22, .22 caliber pistol and a F.I.E. Model Titan, .25 caliber revolver. Harvey was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because of two prior convictions, one for assault with a firearm in California in 1995, and the other was the sale of marijuana in California in 2004.
Harvey faces up to 30 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on October 3, 2018.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the plea hearing.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
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Bank of Oswego Executives Sentenced to Federal Prison After Jury Conviction for FraudRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore. – Today in federal court, Dan Heine and Diana Yates were sentenced to 24 and 18 months in prison, respectively, for bank fraud and falsifying bank entries, reports, and transactions.
A jury convicted Heine and Yates, former executives at the Bank of Oswego in Lake Oswego, Oregon, of one count each of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and twelve counts each of falsifying bank entries, reports, and transactions in a trial ending in November 2017.
“Dan Heine and Diane Yates orchestrated one of the largest and most complex bank fraud schemes in Oregon’s history. Their selfish acts of greed are deplorable,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “While we urged the court to impose longer sentences, these sentences still serve as a warning to bank executives and others entrusted with fiduciary responsibilities. We will continue to work with federal investigators to protect investors and ensure the trustworthiness of our financial institutions.”
“For centuries, the American banking system has served as the bedrock of the U.S. economy. Honest bankers are critical to our financial system. By addressing lies and conspiracies at the Bank of Oswego, the FBI and Department of Justice have helped re-establish the integrity of the financial system we all rely on,” said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon.
Dan Heine, a co-founder of the bank, was president, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and member of the board of directors from September 2004 through September 2014. Diana Yates was executive vice president, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and secretary of the board of directors from 2004 through March 2012. During the conspiracy Heine and Yates concealed the true financial condition of the bank to regulators and the board of directors by falsely reporting that the bank had title to a property in a straw buyer transaction, falsely reporting that delinquent loans were paid, and falsely reporting the sale of bank owned property.
A forfeiture and restitution hearing has been scheduled for August 7, 2018. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) and prosecuted by Claire Fay, Quinn Harrington, and Michelle Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Aurora Man Who Was Prior Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug and Gun TraffickingRead the Press Release
DENVER – George Amaya, age 29, of Aurora, Colorado, was sentenced on June 8, 2018, by U.S. District Court Judge Philip A. Brimmer to serve 264 months in federal prison for drug and firearm trafficking, U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer and ATF Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Debbie Livingston announced. Following his prison sentence, Amaya was ordered to serve 4 years on supervised release. The defendant, who appeared at the sentencing hearing in custody, was remanded at its conclusion.
On May 23, 2017, a federal grand jury in Denver returned a superseding indictment against Amaya and three others. Co-defendant Diego Molina-Chavez pled guilty and was previously sentenced to serve 72 months’ imprisonment. Two additional defendants, Juan Amaya, aka “Pee Wee”, and Keith Reed, also pled guilty and will be sentenced on July 13, and August 31, 2018. Juan Amaya is the brother of George Amaya.
According to court documents and facts presented at the sentencing hearing, from October 1, 2016 to May 2, 2017, the defendant was the subject of an on-going, long-term narcotics and firearms trafficking investigation. He began his criminal conduct in this case while he was still in custody of the Bureau of Prisons from previous charges and while in a halfway house. On October 5, 2016, Amaya sold 25 grams of actual methamphetamine to a confidential informant. After that sale, the defendant sold more methamphetamine and firearms to undercover ATF agents. On May 2, 2017, the defendant agreed to sell 8 ounces of methamphetamine and two firearms to an undercover agent. The defendant was intercepted by members of the Aurora SWAT team prior to this deal. In his vehicle, within his reach, were two firearms. When officers went to arrest the defendant, one officer saw the defendant look over his shoulder at the officer and then reach to the center console area of the car, near the stereo, where a firearm was later located. Also, Amaya had 212 grams of actual methamphetamine in his vehicle.
“Amaya’s long absence from our community will tangibly improve our safety,” said U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer. “He is exactly who we want off our streets.”
“We go after the worst of the worst and Amaya fits in that category,” said Debbie Livingston, ATF Denver Special Agent in Charge. “He is a documented gang member who was selling guns and drugs while on federal parole. It is a good day knowing he has been removed from our streets. I am proud of our work with the DEA, and the Aurora, Denver, and Lakewood Police Departments that made this possible.”
This case was investigated by the ATF, with substantial assistance by the DEA, and the Aurora, Denver, and Lakewood Police Departments. The defendant is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Celeste Rangel.
Atlantic County, New Jersey, Man Arrested on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man was arrested and charged today with receiving and distributing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Carlos Santiago Gomez, 27, of Absecon, New Jersey, turned himself in at the Atlantic City Resident Office of the FBI this morning after returning from a business trip to Texas. He is charged by complaint with one count of receiving child pornography and one count of distributing child pornography. Santiago Gomez made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From April 2016 through March 27, 2018, Santiago Gomez allegedly viewed, received and distributed images of child sexual abuse, including images of prepubescent children. Santiago Gomez, who was employed in the IT field, administered a KIK group in which participants traded images and videos of child sexual abuse. (KIK is an instant messaging app). While administering the group, Santiago provided instructions, including:
“New comers, welcome. There are just some rules to keep in mind when posting and maintaining your position. 1. Girls only 2. No Toddler 3. Videos only, no links no pictures. 4. Goes without saying but be active. Thanks and enjoy.”
“Please don’t post adult videos.”
“If you’re using FREENET, you might as well call the cops and turn yourself in. TOR, though not 100% safe by default, is slow but way better than FREENET.”
On March 27, 2018, law enforcement officers searched Santiago Gomez’ residence and seized numerous computers and electronic devices, including Santiago Gomez’ cellular telephone. Although law enforcement officers have not yet fully completed their analysis of Santiago’s electronic devices, agents have uncovered more than 1,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse.
Each count of receiving or distributing child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie; and the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner, with the investigation leading to today’s charge and arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diana Vondra Carrig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
The charges and allegations in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Armed Drug Trafficker Convicted at TrialRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that a federal jury has convicted JOSHUAL HILTON, age 33, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, of drug trafficking and firearm violations. Earlier this afternoon, after a two and a half day trial, the jury unanimously returned guilty verdicts on all three counts presented at trial, namely, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, marijuana and promethazine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
As the evidence at trial demonstrated, HILTON distributed methamphetamine, marijuana and promethazine in a Baton Rouge neighborhood near Sherwood Forest Boulevard. A search warrant executed at his residence on Silverest Drive on September 22, 2016, resulted in the seizure of two kilograms of methamphetamine, over 5 pounds of marijuana, and 20 bottles of promethazine syrup. Law enforcement officers also recovered a stolen loaded Glock .40 semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine and over $36,000 in drug proceeds. HILTON led police on a high-speed chase through neighborhoods near St. Thomas More School, tossing drugs out of the window as he fled, prior to his arrest.
As a result of his convictions and a sentencing enhancement based upon prior drug convictions, HILTON faces a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin stated, “The evidence clearly showed that Mr. Hilton is an unrepentant drug dealer who continued to ply a very dangerous trade in our community. Today reaffirms, yet again, that armed drug traffickers will find no safe quarter in our communities – and certainly not in federal court. I applaud the thoughtful decisions of the unanimous jury, and the excellent work of the prosecutors and the federal and local law enforcement agencies who worked seamlessly together to bring this drug trafficker to justice. Our collective work to make our communities safer must and will continue with vigor.”
ATF New Orleans Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Jeffrey Powell stated, “With today’s guilty verdict, the armed drug traffickers that prey on our communities should be nervous. ATF, along with our state and local law enforcement partners, will pursue these violent criminals until they are removed from our neighborhoods for good.”
This matter is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office. The investigation received valuable assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney and Deputy Criminal Chief Jennifer Kleinpeter and Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Rezaei.
12 June 2018
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day - June 15, 2018Read the Press Release
One of the most cherished segments of any community is its elders. Our elders are the women and men who have lived through more than many of us can imagine, who shaped the world into its present state and have passed the baton to future generations to continue improving upon the foundation they built, and whose hearts and minds possess invaluable wisdom, experience, and lessons from which we all should take heed. Unfortunately, this most precious portion of our population is also the most susceptible to fraud, neglect, and abuse by those who fail to hold our elders in the revered esteem each of us should.
June 15, 2018 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. This day provides an opportunity for the Department of Justice and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia to promote a better understanding of the abuse, fraud, neglect, and schemes perpetrated against older persons by raising awareness of the financial, physical, and economic processes affecting elders. The impact of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation is nothing to take lightly:
- Elder abuse triples the risk of premature death and causes unnecessary illness, injury, and suffering.
- Victims of elder abuse are four times more likely to be admitted to a nursing home and three times more likely to be admitted to a hospital.
- Financial exploitation causes large economic losses for businesses, families, elders, and government programs, and increases reliance on federal and state health care programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid.
- Older adults with cognitive incapacity suffer significantly greater economic losses than those without such incapacity.
- As a result of providing care for an older adult, some caregivers experience declines in their own physical and mental health which can result in a continued cycle of neglect and abuse.[1]
From family members and caregivers taking advantage of a person who no longer has the physical or mental capacity to fend off a would-be abuser to domestic and international criminals operating online, via phone, and through our postal system to target vulnerable elders and access the money they have earned over a lifetime of hard work and sacrifice, there are many who seek to take advantage of our senior citizens.
Congress, through the enactment of the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act, in partnership with our state and local law enforcement, has given us the tools necessary to target, stop, and prevent these bad actors from taking advantage of elders in Middle Georgia. Over the course of the next year, our office will be conducting a series of public forums educating senior community members and concerned citizens about various aspects of elder financial fraud. We are also working with our state and local law enforcement partners who already prosecute and investigate elder fraud cases to conduct enhanced training and seek out opportunities to assist in their work by prosecuting cases in federal court where there is no parole for fraudsters sent to prison. Please be on the lookout for information about these programs and other Elder Justice initiatives in your local area as we would love for you to join us at the community forums.
Protecting elder Americans is the responsibility of every member of the communities throughout Middle Georgia. I encourage you to visit www.elderjustice.gov and learn more about the ways you can assist in our efforts to prevent fraud, neglect, and abuse of elders. Take time to visit an older adult often and talk with them in private. Speak up when you think something seems wrong. To report abuse of seniors or adults with disabilities, please call Adult Protective Services at 1-866-55AGING or you may report anonymously through the web at https://aging.georgia.gov/report-elder-abuse. To report financial exploitation, please go to www.justice.gov/elderjustice/roadmap.
[1] Department of Justice – Elder Justice Initiative (www.elderjustice.gov)
Westmoreland County Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Plum Boro Key Bank in June 2017Read the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A former resident of Jeannette, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a bank robbery charge, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady.
Michael Moschetti, age 39, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of bank robbery before United States Chief District Judge Joy Flowers Conti.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on June 19, 2017, at 12:35 p.m., Michael Moschetti entered the Key Bank located at 1801 Route 286, Pittsburgh, PA 15239 wearing a black sweatshirt over a white t-shirt, a black baseball cap, and white shorts. Moschetti waited in line to be called forward by one of the tellers, then approached the open teller station. Moschetti then handed the teller a demand note indicating that if the teller gave him the money from the drawer, nobody would be hurt. Moschetti then urged the teller to move quickly. The teller retrieved $2,235.00 from a nearby drawer. The teller then set the cash on top of Moschetti’s demand note, and Moschetti exited the bank with the money and note.
Moschetti faces a total maximum sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Lanni is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The FBI Pittsburgh’s Violent Crimes Task Force conducted the investigation leading to the guilty plea in this case.
Vermont’s Multidisciplinary Human Trafficking Task Force Partnerships FormalizedRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont and the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Vermont are pleased to announce that on June 7, 2018, the Vermont Human Trafficking Task Force (VT HTTF) executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) contractually implementing the state’s multidisciplinary approach to combating human trafficking affecting the State of Vermont and its residents. Vermont recognizes that the act of trafficking another human being is a violation of basic human rights and is determined to bring an end to the exploitation of human beings for labor or commercial sex.
Since 2013, under the leadership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Vermont Attorney General’s Office, the HTTF has worked to facilitate a collaborative effort to eliminate and prevent the trafficking of persons within the State of Vermont; to pursue prosecution of perpetrators; and to protect, rehabilitate, and empower survivors of human trafficking through comprehensive social, medical, and legal services. Human trafficking is a crime that causes deep and lasting trauma to even the strongest of its survivors. This formal agreement to work collaboratively across disciplines illustrates Vermont’s commitment to bringing a victim-centered and trauma-informed approach to our work as we fight to end human trafficking. Executing a formal MOU is a significant and crucial step forward to eradicate the modern-day slavery known as human trafficking, a crisis facing the nation and Vermont.
Human trafficking is the act of compelling a person by force, fraud, or coercion to provide labor or a commercial sex act. Coercion may be subtle and insidious, and traffickers often threaten serious physical, psychological, and emotional harm. Human trafficking is a global, national, and local problem, and Vermont is not immune to this crisis. Drug addicts and other vulnerable people such as children, the disabled, and the undocumented are specifically targeted and recruited by traffickers for exploitation. Between 2014 and mid-2017, in the Chittenden County area alone, the HTTF’s data collection efforts estimate that there were over 250 suspected incidents of human trafficking. Due to the inherent challenges of counting those whose activities are deliberately shielded from sight, we believe that the incidence of sex and labor trafficking in Vermont statewide is substantially higher than these numbers suggest.
Vermont’s United States Attorney, Christina E. Nolan, emphasized the link between human trafficking and the opiate crisis in Vermont, stating, “Human trafficking continues to be one of the most dangerous, but least understood, aspects of the opioid trade in Vermont. Drug dealers coerce addicts to perform commercial sex acts for the benefit of the dealers’ illegal organizations, deliberately perpetuating the victims’ addiction in order to exploit them for commercial gain. Trafficking in people compounds the damage that trafficking in opioids has caused our state, and often involves use of brutal violence and abuse against victims. Our response to that epidemic must continue to bring the problem of human trafficking out of the shadows, get trafficking survivors the help and services they need, and prosecute the traffickers who prey on some of our most vulnerable Vermonters by intentionally exacerbating their addictions for financial gain. From an enforcement perspective, those who engage in this horrific crime should be on notice that they will be targets for federal prosecution.”
Vermont’s Attorney General, T.J. Donovan, added, “I'm proud to partner with U.S. Attorney Christina Nolan and her team to combat human trafficking. This is about protecting basic human rights and ensuring that survivors have the help and services they deserve.”
Anyone can be a victim of human trafficking, regardless of race, age, gender, nationality, socio-economic status, or sexual orientation. Trafficking victims are often manipulated via false promises concerning relationships, employment, lifestyle, or drug availability, and victims are lured into situations where their will is deliberately broken down, so that they can be controlled by the trafficker. Human trafficking does not necessarily occur behind closed doors. In many cases, the trafficker’s control over the victim is so profound that the trafficker can control the victim even when he or she is out in the community, interacting with people on a daily basis.
MOU signing members include the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont, the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Vermont, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Vermont State Police, Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services, and Give Way to Freedom. Partnering agencies include the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Department of Labor OIG, Vermont Department for Children and Families, Burlington Police Department, South Burlington Police Department, Colchester Police Department, Rutland Police Department, Office of the Chittenden County State’s Attorney, United Way, Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, Vermont Coalition of Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs, HOPE Works, Spectrum Youth and Family Services, and Disability Rights Vermont.
To make a report to law enforcement, call The Vermont Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-98HUMAN (1-888-984-8626). Information regarding the human trafficking of a youth (under the age of 18) should be reported to the Department for Children and Families by calling Vermont Centralized Intake: 1-800-649-5285.
If you become aware of an instance of human trafficking and would like to speak with a trained specialist who can help assess the situation and provide information and referrals, call: 211. For more information about human trafficking, please visit https://humantraffickinghotline.org or www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
The Vermont Human Trafficking Task Force is led by co-chairs Assistant United States Attorney Abigail Averbach and Assistant Attorney General Cindy Maguire and is comprised of subcommittees dedicated to Law Enforcement, Victim Services, and Training and Outreach. Any professionals or community members interested in a training or awareness event should contact the Vermont U.S. Attorney’s Office at (802) 951-6725.
VA Employee and Former Vendor Charged with Fraud in Alleged Bogus Invoice SchemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Two Houston women have been taken into custody on charges they committed fraud against the Veterans Administration (VA) by generating purchase orders for fictitious goods and services, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Authorities arrested Eduora McDaniel aka Eudora McDaniel, 75, today, and she is expected to make her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy Johnson at 1:00 p.m. Co-defendant Angela Hunter aka Angelia Hunter, 53, is expected to appear in federal court Thursday at 2:00 p.m.
The 11-count indictment, returned June 7, 2018, alleges McDaniel was a prosthetics representative at the VA, while Hunter co-owned Divine Iron Works - a company that was an approved VA prosthetics vendor. They allegedly entered into an agreement to split VA payments for goods and services Hunter’s company never provided.
While Divine Iron Works was an approved vendor to provide prosthetic goods and services for the VA, the company was effectively defunct from January 2011 to December 2014 and provided no actual goods or services, according to the charges. The indictment alleges that as a VA prosthetics representative, McDaniel had the authority to obtain prosthetic goods and services if a Veterans Administration physician found it medically necessary, which she was authorized to pay using a government-issued VISA credit card. McDaniel allegedly created bogus purchase orders for Hunter’s company, which Hunter used to obtain payment on McDaniel’s government credit cards. McDaniel and Hunter split the payments according to the charges.
Each is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and face up to five years in prison, upon conviction. McDaniel is also charged with 10 counts of wire fraud and one count of theft of government property. Each count of wire fraud carries a possible sentence of 20 years in prison, while theft of government property could result in a maximum of 10 years imprisonment. All the charges also carry a possible fine of $250,000.
VA - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.U.S. Marshals Service and Law Enforcement Partners Conduct “Operation Triple Beam” in Southern District of MississippiRead the Press Release
First Name
Last Name
Age
Charge
City of Residence
ADAMS
Ashley
28
Probation/Parole - Drugs
Biloxi
Aday-Cazorla
Jorge Carlos
28
Sexual Battery
Fort Myers, FL
Adcock
Kimberly
42
Firearms Violation
Hattiesburg
Agee
Jasmine
28
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Gulfport
ALBERT
Donte
22
FTA - Drugs
Biloxi
Albritton
Stephen
34
Poss. Of Drug Para
Biloxi
Alexander
Justin
28
Firearms Violation
Biloxi
ALEXANDER
Donte
41
Probation/Parole - Drugs
Gulfport
ALLEN
Randy
29
Escape - Burglary
Forest
ARNOLD
Brian
39
Probation/Parole - Drugs
Pelahatchie
Bailey
Roderick
21
Aggravated Assault
Jackson
Bailus
Jeffery
29
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Gulfport
BALL
Amos
21
Probation/Parole - Drugs
Gulfport
BARNES
Adrian
19
Firearms
Hattiesburg
BARNES
Dootroe
19
Firearms
Gulfport
BARNES
Byron
33
Drugs
Gulfport
BARNETT
Ashley
31
Child Abuse
Lumberton
BAZOR
Brandy
34
Probation/Parole - Drugs
Gulfport
BEAUCHAINE
Bradley
30
Crimes Against a Person
Biloxi
BEAUCHAINE
Molly Lynn
32
Fraud
Biloxi
BELL
Garyion
18
Drugs
Gulfport
BENOIT, JR.
Derrick
23
Firearms
Gulfport
BETTS
Altorion
27
Aggravated Assault
Hattiesburg
BLACKSTONE
Carl
61
Probation/Parole - Drugs
Hattiesburg
BLANKS
Danielle
32
Homicide
Quitman
BOBBITT
Camron
19
Armed Robbery/Drugs
Brandon
Bogan
Jermel
31
Poss. w/ Intent
Biloxi
Bonin
Paul
55
Probation Violation
Biloxi
BRANDON
Deondra
27
Firearms/Drugs
Gulfport
BROADUX
Willie
66
Failure to Reg as a Sex Offender
Jackson
Brown
Martha
28
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Biloxi
BROWN
Andra
30
Probation/Parole - Drugs
Meridian
BROWN
Daniel
30
Firearms/Drugs
Gulfport
BROWN
Felix
31
Firearms
Jackson
BROWN
Oselee
40
Probation/Parole - Homicide
Jackson
Brown
Jelani
44
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Meridian
Brown
Jon
46
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Biloxi
Brown
Lester
48
Probation Violation
Hattiesburg
Brumfield
Michael
29
Poss. w/ Intent
Biloxi
BURNSIDE
Gary
32
Probation/Parole - Firearms
Jackson
Butler
Milton
32
Sale of Controlled Substance
Gulfport
BYNUM
Joshua
39
Aggravated Assault/Armed Robbery
Brandon
Byrd
Javon
23
Firearms
Gulfport
CAMERON
Ashley
37
Probation/Parole - Drugs
Hattiesburg
Carden
Thomas
37
Probation Violation
Gautier
CARTER
Jaquan
21
Firearms
Gulfport
CARTER
Brandon
35
Probation/Parole - Crimes Against a Person
Jackson
CASEY
Christopher
32
Drugs
Gulfport
CHEN
Zong
40
Failure to Reg as a Sex Offender
Pearl
CHRISTIAN
Emanuel
34
Drugs
Brandon
CHRISTOPHER
Adam
24
Drugs
Hattiesburg
CLARK
Darrius
22
Probation/Parole - Burglary
Gulfport
CLARK
Harlee
23
FTA - Drugs
Jackson
CLARK
Ebony
27
Drugs
Gulfport
CLARK
Douglas
41
Probation/Parole - Drugs
Gulfport
CLARK
Stephaney
44
Strong Armed Robbery
Jackson
Clements
Joseph
55
Supervised Release violation
Biloxi
CLEMONS
Eric
36
Probation/Parole - Drugs
Gulfport
COHN
Antonio
35
Probation/Parole - Drugs
Columbia
Coleman
Victor
33
Probation Violation
Laurel
Collier
Ricky
48
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Jackson
Collins
Marquel
28
Aggravated Assault
Ridgeland
Conaway
Jashauen
19
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Gulfport
Cox
Sabrina
40
Firearms Violation
Jackson
Crelia
Lena
44
Poss. Of Drug Para
Biloxi
Crump
Trent
27
Aggravated Assault
Flowood
CRUMPTON
Chancy
34
Drugs
Gulfport
CULLEN
Chad
39
Child Molestation
Picayune
DEAN
Jamie
34
Drugs
Gulfport
DICKERSON
Jessica
28
Probation/Parole - Drugs
Jackson
Digennaro
John
29
Armed robbery
Clinton
Dixon
Telly
37
Poss. Controlled Substance
Biloxi
DOBSON
Christopher
40
Drugs
Petal
Donelson
Tony
23
Poss of Controlled Substance
Jackson
DONERSON
Dominique
28
Firearms
Jackson
Dortch
Marcus
34
Aggravated Assault
Newark, NJ
DUCKWORTH
Andrew
51
Drugs
Hattiesburg
DUGGER
James
78
Firearms
Moss Point
Duncan
Nikarra
40
Poss. Controlled Substance
Hattiesburg
DUNNING
William
25
Firearms
Pearl
DYSE
April
26
Aggravated Assault/Firearms
Jackson
EDMONDS
Christopher
27
Sexual Assault
Madison
Evans
Sydereck
30
Sale of Controlled Substance
Gulfport
FAIRLEY
Juacoby
25
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Biloxi
FAIRLEY
Gerald
42
Probation/Parole - Firearms
Hattiesburg
Falcone
Peter
62
FTR-Sex Offender
Gulfport
Farris
Richard
51
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Gulfport
FIELDS
Darius
28
Drugs
Biloxi
FORD
Derrick
37
Probation/Parole - Burglary
Jackson
FREDERICK, JR.
Broderick
19
Drugs
Gulfport
FREELS
Chad
41
Probation/Parole - Agg Assault
Pearl
GADSON
Billie
54
Drugs
Biloxi
GARDNER
Jameel
22
Drugs
Gulfport
GARNER
Isaac
33
Probation/Parole - Burglary
Jackson
Garraway
Jonah
29
Probation Violation
Hattiesburg
Gibson
Lanieka
21
Arson
Jackson
Glaze
Sara
35
poss of drug para
Pearl
GLENN
Darryl
39
Probation/Parole - Drugs
Hattiesburg
GOLIDAY
Odell
26
Aggravated Assault
Jackson
GREEN
Royce
33
Aggravated Assault
Jackson
HALL
Adam
24
Drugs
Hattiesburg
HALL
Felicia
47
Drugs
Hattiesburg
Hamby
John
51
FTR-Sex Offender
Biloxi
Hannah
Joshua
21
Homicide
Jackson
HARE
Darnell
25
Aggravated Assault/Firearms
Meridian
HARRIEN
Roshunda
30
Aggravated Assault
Jackson
HARRIS
Alicia
20
Aggravated Assault
Canton
Harris
Mackenzie
28
Probation Violation
Hattiesburg
HARRIS
Israel
34
Drugs
Biloxi
HARRIS
Kasson
38
Aggravated Assault
Jackson
Harris
Kasson
38
Aggravated Assault
Jackson
Henton
Jeremy
29
Probation Violation
Jackson
HICKS
Robert
43
Probation/Parole - Burglary
Jackson
HILL
Shareeka
24
Simple Assault
Hattiesburg
HILL, JR.
Harvey
38
Firearms
Jackson
HITT
Clinton
56
Probation/Parole - Burglary
Brandon
HOLMES
Darion
28
Drugs
Biloxi
Hosey
Sidney
28
Homicide
Laurel
Houston
Sandie
27
Poss of Controlled Substance
Diamondhead
JACKSON
Isaiah
26
Assault
Gulfport
Jarnign
John
68
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Gulfport
JOHNSON
Delace
28
Escape - Burglary
Jackson
Johnson
Justin
35
Poss. Of Controlled Substance/ Fraud
Biloxi
Joiner
Shawn
49
Crimes Against a Person
Biloxi
JONES
Jaquan
18
Drugs
Hattiesburg
Jones
Jonathan
27
Homicide
Quitman
JONES
Antoine
41
Failure to Reg as a Sex Offender
Gulfport
Kendrick
Tommy
28
Aggravated Assault
Jackson
KEYS
Floyd
52
Probation/Parole - Agg Assault
Gulfport
KITTLE
James
37
Failure to Reg as a Sex Offender
Saucier
Knauss
Jason
31
Weapon/Poss of Controlled Substance
Jackson
LADNER
Brandie
35
FTA - Felony Arrest
Bay St. Louis
LADNER
Curvis
37
Probation/Parole - Drugs
Kiln
LAKE
Dashaun
18
Robbery/Drugs
Brandon
Lane
Christian
27
Probation Violation
Pearl
Lebeau
Willie John
48
Probation Violation
Gulfport
LEWIS
Derrius
40
Escape - Drugs
McComb
LEWIS
Howard
62
Firearms
Hattiesburg
LIAS
Adrian
20
Aggravated Assault
Jackson
Little
Jerry
61
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Hattiesburg
Lofton
Kenitra
38
Aggravated Assault
Ridgeland
LOPER
Culuante
32
Drugs
Biloxi
Lowe
Reginald
50
Probation Violation
Gulfport
LOWELL
Dustin
34
Drugs
Gulfport
LOYD
Janet
50
Drugs
Gulfport
Luffman
Jennifer
37
Poss. w/ Intent
Gulfport
Luvene
Lorenza
33
Poss. Of Stolen Property
Hattiesburg
Madewell
Sabrina
28
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Pearl
MALLARD
Jamuric
34
Firearms
Jackson
Mangum
Willie
53
Aggravated Assault
Jackson
MASON
Courtney
26
Probation/Parole - Drugs
Hattiesburg
Mason
Jeremy
29
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Gulfport
MASSEY
Cornelius
20
Firearms
Jackson
May
Michael
39
Burglary
Biloxi
MCCASKILL
Guy
55
Probation/Parole - Agg Assault
Yazoo City
McClendon
Melvin
56
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Hattiesburg
McElroy
Nolan
59
Parole Violation
Jackson
MILLER
Christian
26
Drugs
Gulfport
Miller
Kenneth
28
FTR-Sex Offender
Gulfport
Moncree
Vontarius
28
poss w/intent
Hattiesburg
Moore
Traunta
24
Aggravated Assault
Jackson
MORGAN
Alicia
35
Drugs
Hattiesburg
Morris
Mindy Jo
34
Poss. Controlled Substance
Biloxi
MUCHA
Gary
37
Drugs
Biloxi
Myer
Kenneth
45
Poss. w/ Intent
Biloxi
Myles
John
43
Probation FTR
Brandon
NEDLEY
Brent
36
Drugs
Gulfport
NELSON, JR.
Freddie
24
Drugs
Hattiesburg
Newell
Malcolm
38
Burglary
Jackson
Nguyen
Michael
38
Sale of Marijuana
Biloxi
Nordain
Jason
35
Parole Violation
Jackson
Norman
Michael
40
poss w/intent
Hattiesburg
Norwood
Tyler
21
Homicide
Brandon
Norwood
LaPatrick
37
Aggravated Assault
Jackson
O'QUINN
Deshay
45
Firearms
Jackson
Palmer
Melissa
44
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Jackson
Pearson
Renaldo
41
FTR-Sex Offender
Biloxi
Perkins
Joshua
30
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Gulfport
Pickrom
Remi
24
Poss. Controlled Substance
Biloxi
PRESNELL
Grayson
29
Felony Arrest
Biloxi
Radovics
Laszlo
57
FTR-Sex Offender
Houston, TX
REED
Chauncy
26
Homicide
Jackson
Rhone
Jontaidrae
23
Aggravated Assault
Meridian
Richardson
Steffon
37
FTR-Sex Offender
Moss Point
Richardson
Robert Earl
53
Probation Violation
Yazoo City
Richbury
Joshua
19
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Biloxi
RIGGS
Burgandy
44
Drugs
Gulfport
ROBERTS
Christopher
37
Probation/Parole - Drugs
Hattiesburg
Robinson
Reginald
21
Burglary
Madison
Robinson
Sherry
38
Robbery
Jackson
Rockingham
Kynjarious
21
Armed Robbery/ Auto theft
Jackson
RODGERS
Angela
36
Drugs
Hattiesburg
ROLLINS
Clarence
32
Drugs
Gulfport
Roper
Johnny
29
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Biloxi
RUSH
Christopher
23
Drugs
Gulfport
RUSHING, JR
Darryl
32
Probation/Parole - Drugs
Clinton
SABA
Candace
35
Drugs
Hattiesburg
Saleem
Karim
34
Probation Violation
Jackson
Sandifer
Vincent
18
poss of stolen weapon
Hattiesburg
Schmidt
Richard
31
FTR-Sex Offender
Picayune
SCHOON
Eric
53
Failure to Reg as a Sex Offender
Pascagoula
Scott
Reginald
48
FTR-Sex Offender
Gulfport
SELLERS
Anthony
31
Drugs
Biloxi
Shabazz
Montarius
18
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Biloxi
SHOEMAKER
Alexis
23
Drugs
Biloxi
SMITH
Charles
22
Burglary
Hattiesburg
SMITH
Antonio
23
Probation/Parole - Agg Assault
Hattiesburg
SMITH
Durrell
28
Firearms/Drugs
Gulfport
Smith
Terrance
30
Felon in Poss of Firearm
Meridian
SMITH
Cornell
39
Aggravated Assault
Pass Christian
Southern
Quentin
38
Probation Violation
Jackson
Sparkman
Qwenten
28
Sale of Controlled Substance
Gulfport
SPRINKLE
Gracie
29
Drugs
Biloxi
Stevens
Charles
64
Parole Violation
Jackson
STEVENSON
David
30
Probation/Parole - Felony Conviction
Jackson
Sullivan
Sabrina
40
Firearms Violation
Mendenhall
Summers
Michael
36
Firearms Violation
Terry
Swickard
Joel
41
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Jackson
Swilley
Marquell
23
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Hattiesburg
Tabrakus
Mark
18
Poss. Of Stolen Weapon / Poss. w/ intent
Hattiesburg
Taite
Quintin
24
Probation Violation
Ocean Springs
TAYLOR
Dalvin
20
Probation/Parole - Firearms
Hattiesburg
Taylor
Christopher
36
Firearms Violation
Carthage
Taylor
Mario
41
Aggravated Assault
Jackson
Temple
Joshua
25
FTR-Sex Offender
Byram
THOMAS
Daryl
25
Drugs
Jackson
Thomas Jr
Willie
31
Felon in Poss of Firearm
Jackson
THOMPSON
Corey
29
Probation/Parole
Jackson
Thompson
Jarmal
29
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Biloxi
THOMPSON
Christopher
35
Drugs
Hattiesburg
THOMPSON
Christopher
35
Drugs
Gulfport
Thompson Jr
Walter
28
Aggravated Assault
Jackson
Tillman
Melissa
47
Sale of Controlled Substance
Gulfport
Towner
Jasmine
23
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Gulfport
Trunnell
Jimmy
40
Burglary
Jackson
TURNER
Courtney
36
Drugs
Gulfport
TYLER
Broderick
35
Probation/Parole - Burglary
Gulfport
Waits
Kenny
34
Supervised Release violation
Jackson
WALKER
Brandon
18
Drugs
Biloxi
Walker
Tyland
21
Firearms Violation
Hattiesburg
Walker
Jeremy
32
Federal firearms Violation
Jackson
Walters
Michael
31
Probation Violation
Hattiesburg
WALTON
Henry
64
Failure to Reg as a Sex Offender
New Orleans, LA
Ward
Raphiel
36
Poss. Controlled Substance
Gulfport
Warren
Clinton
44
Probation Violation
Hattiesburg
Wendell
Gattis
20
Homicide
Jackson
Wetzel
Michael
19
poss of drug para
Biloxi
White
Thaddeus
40
FTR-Sex Offender
Gulfport
WILLETT
Evans
23
Drugs
Biloxi
Williams
Rajee
20
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Biloxi
Williams
Walter
20
Firearms violation/Drugs
Gulfport
Williams
Shane C
25
Felon in Poss of Firearms
Jackson
WILLIS
Brandon
35
Probation/Parole - Drugs
Gulfport
WINTER
Phillip
35
Probation violation
Byram
WINTERS
Amber
23
Firearms
Jackson
WITT
Cheyenna
21
Aggravated Assault
Hattiesburg
Woodard
Starlena
30
Aggravated Assault
Gulfport
WORLDS
Garrid
27
Probation/Parole - Drugs
Gulfport
Yarnall
Jordan
24
Poss. Of Controlled Substance
Biloxi
U.S. Marshals Service and Law Enforcement Partners Conduct “Operation Triple Beam” in Southern District of MississippiRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – The U.S. Marshals Service’s Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, along with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, recently completed a six-week-long violence reduction initiative in the Southern District of Mississippi known as "Operation Triple Beam," resulting in the arrests of 270 individuals for various crimes. While the Marshals Service has conducted these types of initiatives elsewhere around the country, this is the first time Operation Triple Beam has been conducted throughout an entire U.S. Attorney’s district and is believed to be one of the most successful Operation Triple Beams of this scale that the Marshals have ever accomplished since the program began in 2010.
"When law enforcement officers work together, we get results," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "The arrest of more than 270 people – including 90 gang members – throughout the Southern District of Mississippi is the result of collaboration between federal officers and our state and local partners. It’s also an example of how customizing our strategy at the local level through the Project Safe Neighborhoods program helps us use our resources more effectively. I want to thank our Deputy U.S. Marshals and all of the task force members who played a role in these arrests. They exemplify the proven law enforcement methods that we will continue to prioritize going forward."
From April 9, 2018, through May 17, 2018, the Task Force, along with more than 25 other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, worked to target and arrest violent fugitives and criminal offenders who had committed or were committing crimes such as homicide, felony assault and sexual assault, illegal possession of firearms, illegal drug distribution, robbery, failure to register as sex offenders, and arson. Of the 270 individuals arrested, approximately 90 were gang members, representing various affiliations including the Gangster Disciples, Vice Lords, Simon City Royals, Latin Kings, and the Aryan Brotherhood.
Operation Triple Beam also resulted in the seizure of 50 firearms, including military style assault rifles, illegal narcotics valued at approximately $7,500, and approximately $26,000 in cash.
In the counties of Simpson, Pearl River, Hancock, and Jefferson Davis, approximately 300 registered sex offenders were individually checked for compliance, resulting in approximately 20 arrests for sex offender registry violations.
The Task Force spent two weeks conducting Operation Triple Beam in the City of Jackson, where it is believed that some of those arrested will be presented to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecution under Project EJECT. Project EJECT is an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime. EJECT stands for "Empower Jackson Expel Crime Together."
Operation Triple Beam brought together numerous agencies to work as a force multiplier to identify violent offenders, target street-level gang activity, and collect criminal intelligence to systematically remove the most violent gang members and criminal offenders from the Southern District of Mississippi. Law enforcement efforts took place primarily in the cities of Jackson, Gulfport, Biloxi, Hattiesburg, and Meridian and focused on fugitive apprehension investigations, firearms and narcotics investigations, gang-related intelligence gathering, and proactive sex offender compliance initiatives.
United States Marshal for the Southern District of Mississippi George White praised the collaboration between the many federal and state law enforcement agencies that took part in the operation to make a difference in our communities. "This initiative gives the public a small glimpse of what law enforcement does on a daily basis," White said. "It’s always a good ending when everyone makes it home safe. I couldn’t be more proud of the men and women who worked diligently during this highly effective operation. This all-hands-on-deck approach was pivotal in the success of this operation. Many of these cases will be prosecuted in federal court. Furthermore, many of these investigations will lead to future arrests in the pursuit of dismantling the criminal element in the Southern District of Mississippi."
"I appreciate and commend the U.S. Marshals Service, its Deputy Marshals, Task Force Officers, and its leadership, for implementing Operation Triple Beam throughout the Southern District of Mississippi," said U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst. "By collaborating with and incorporating other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies into this initiative, Operation Triple Beam was able to aggressively and proactively target certain ‘hot spot’ areas in our district. Due to the hard work and collective efforts of these law enforcement officers, Operation Triple Beam has made a huge impact in our district, sending a strong message to the criminal element that there will be consequences for violating the law, while also reassuring our communities and our citizens that their safety and security is our highest priority."
Case Highlights:
On April 10, three gang members in Jackson were arrested. Vice Lord member Jeremy Walker was arrested on state and federal firearm charges. During Walker’s arrest, he was in possession of a substantial amount of marijuana. Gangster Disciple member Royce Green was arrested on charges of armed robbery and aggravated assault. Vice Lord member Tommy Kendrick was arrested on charges from the Jackson Police Department for shooting into an occupied dwelling. During Kendrick’s arrest, he was in possession of a military style assault weapon and in possession of marijuana.
On April 16, Simon City Royal member Richard Lee Schmidt was arrested in Pearl River County. Schmidt was arrested for failure to register as a sex offender.
During the week of April 16, Operation Triple Beam focused its resources in the City of Gulfport, targeting local street gang members. Gangster Disciple member Daniel Brown was arrested for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Deondra Brandon was also arrested during this week for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Both of these individuals were in possession of semi-automatic pistols with extended magazines.
On April 17, Gangster Disciple member Jaquan Cater of Gulfport was arrested and was in possession of a semi-automatic pistol and a military style assault rifle. Reginald Scott, a general with The Bloods street gang, was also arrested for failure to register as a sex offender.
On April 18, three Guap Gang Empire members -- Javon Byrd, Walter Williams, and Christopher Rush -- were arrested in Gulfport for federal firearms violations. These individuals were in possession of illegal weapons and narcotics at the time of their arrests.
On April 19, Marcus Dortch was arrested in Forest. Dortch was wanted out of Newark, New Jersey, on two counts of aggravated assault, robbery and weapon possession charges. At the time of his arrest, he was in possession of a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol.
During the week of April 23, three members of the "All Can Get It" (ACG) gang, Rajee Williams, Joshua Richbury, and Montarius Shabazz, were arrested in Biloxi for Possession of Marijuana. A military-style assault rifle was also seized from these individuals at the time of their arrest. Also during this week in Biloxi, Michael Brumfield was arrested for possession of a half-pound of marijuana with intent to distribute.
On April 26, Simon City Royal gang members Justin Johnson, Gary Mucha, and Alexi Shoemaker were arrested for possession of crystal methamphetamine.
On May 2, Vice Lord member Mark Tabrakus was arrested for possession of a stolen firearm and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Vice Lord member Marguell Swilley was also arrested for possession of Ecstasy and possession of a semi-automatic pistol.
On May 7, Jackson resident Joshua Hannah was arrested for the stabbing death on April 2 of his girlfriend’s mother, Serenthia Harris, 61.
A complete list of those arrested during Operation Triple Beam and their charges may be obtained from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Operation Triple Beam (OTB) was a joint crime reduction initiative of the following agencies: U.S. Marshals Service
Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms
Drug Enforcement Agency
Department of Homeland Security Investigations
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics
Mississippi Bureau of Investigations
Mississippi Department of Corrections
Jackson Police Department
Madison Police Department
Ridgeland Police Department
Gulfport Police Department
Biloxi Police Department
Hattiesburg Police Department
Pearl Police Department
Meridian Police Department
Hinds County Sheriff’s Office
Rankin County Sheriff’s Office
Madison County Sheriff’s Office
Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office
Simpson County Sheriff’s Office
Hancock County Sheriff’s Office
Jefferson Davis County Sheriff’s Office
Harrison County Sheriff’s Office
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office
Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office
Lamar County Sheriff’s Office
The strategy used in Operation Triple Beam has been applied by the U.S. Marshals Service and its law enforcement partners in 47 other cities across the country since 2010.
The public is reminded that an arrest is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers Seized 335 Pounds of Methamphetamine at New Mexico Ports of Entry Last WeekRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Officers of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized 335 pounds of methamphetamine and arrested two Mexican nationals during two border inspections at ports of entry in New Mexico last week announced U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson of New Mexico, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jack P. Staton of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in El Paso, and Director of Field Operations Hector A. Mancha of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, El Paso Field Office.
CBP officers arrested Conception Rosas-Villafuerte, 30, on June 6, 2018, after seizing approximately 73.16 kilograms (161 pounds) of methamphetamine allegedly concealed in the tires of Rosas-Villafuerte’s vehicle. According to the criminal complaint, the agents allegedly found the methamphetamine during an inspection at the U.S. Port of Entry in Santa Teresa in Dona Ana County, N.M.
CBP officers arrested Jose Alfonso Zuniga-Barraza, 38, on June 8, 2018, after the officers seized approximately 79.4 kilograms (174.5 pounds) of methamphetamine allegedly concealed in Zuniga-Barraza’s vehicle while conducting an inspection at the U.S. Port of Entry in Antelope Wells in Hidalgo County, N.M. According to the criminal complaint, the officers allegedly found approximately 150 bundles of methamphetamine concealed throughout Zuniga-Barraza’s vehicle.
Both men made their initial appearances in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M. Rosas-Villafuerte made his initial appearance on June 8, 2018, and Zuniga-Barraza made his initial appearance on June 11, 2018. Both men remain in federal custody pending preliminary hearings and detention hearings, which are scheduled for June 13, 2018 and June 14, 2018, respectively.
If convicted of the charges against them, each man faces a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of ten years and a maximum of life in federal prison. Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations and criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The two cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin C. Segovia of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Las Cruces Branch Office.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Speaks to Pacific Judicial Council and Elder Justice Community Stakeholders at Elder Abuse WorkshopRead the Press Release
SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands (NMI), announced that he and Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Alcantara, Elder Justice Coordinator, were guest speakers at the “2018 Enhancing Judicial Skills in Elder Abuse Cases Workshop,” organized by Guam Supreme Court Justice F. Philip Carbullido, Chairperson of the Pacific Judicial Council Education Committee. U.S. Attorney Anderson and AUSA Alcantara spoke about the DOJ Elder Justice Program, elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation, and resources available on the DOJ webpage elderjustice.gov. The workshop, held at the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa on June 4-6, 2018, was attended by judges from Guam, our neighboring islands of Saipan, Rota, Tinian, Pohnpei, Chuuk, American Samoa, and Palau, law enforcement and community stakeholders. Presenters at the workshop also included speakers from the National Judicial Institute on Domestic Violence, which included judges and speakers from North Carolina, Washington, the District of Columbia, Minnesota, and Nevada.
The Elder Justice Program stems from the DOJ Elder Justice Initiative (EJI) to prevent and combat financial fraud and scams that target seniors, elder abuse, and neglect. The mission of the EJI is to strengthen awareness about elder abuse and financial exploitation through education, build law enforcement capacity to respond to elder justice issues, and facilitate prosecution efforts to make our community safer for all.
Some examples of the elder financial exploitation prosecuted by DOJ:
• “Lottery phone scams,” in which callers convince seniors that a large fee or taxes be paid before one can receive lottery winnings;
• “IRS imposter schemes,” which defraud victims by posing as IRS agents and claiming those victims owe back taxes;
• “Inheritance or business opportunity scams,” which lure victims to believe that a business opportunity or inheritance awaits them, deceiving them to part with monies or carry an innocuous “gift or package” on an airline which turns out to be contraband;
• “Tech support scams” in which telemarketers convince seniors to give remote access to their personal computers or pay for software not needed;
• “Guardianship schemes,” which siphon seniors’ financial resources into the bank accounts of deceitful relatives or guardians.
Many of these cases illustrate how an elderly American can lose his or her life savings to a relative, guardian, or stranger who gains the victim’s trust. The devastating effects these cases have on victims and their families, both financially and psychologically, make prosecuting elder fraud a key Department of Justice priority.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Guam and the NMI will be conducting outreach to various senior citizens centers in Guam and the NMI. Anyone interested in learning more about the program can log on to https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
USA Shawn N. Anderson at Pacific Judicial Council Workshop
USA Anderson and AUSA Belinda Alcantara sharing on DOJ’s Elder Justice Program Initiative
U-Haul and Employee Charged with Violations of Hazardous Materials Regulations in Fatal ExplosionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – First Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams today announced that U-Haul Company of Pennsylvania and Miguel Rivera, the general manager of U-Haul’s Hunting Park location, were charged today with violating hazardous materials regulations. One of the alleged violations led to two fatalities.
The six-count indictment alleges the defendants violated United States Department of Transportation regulations related to classifying, handling, and packaging hazardous materials. The indictment further alleges that defendants filled two propane cylinders on June 29, 2014, and that one of those cylinders ruptured on July 1, 2014 while attached to a food truck parked on a Philadelphia public street. The indictment alleges the escaping propane ignited and briefly enveloped the food truck in a fireball, leading to the deaths of two people and grave injury to others nearby.
If convicted, U-Haul Company of Pennsylvania faces a maximum possible sentence of 5 years of probation, with a mandatory minimum term of 1 year of probation, a $3,000,000 fine, and a special assessment of $2,400. Miguel Rivera faces 15 years in prison, a 3-year period of supervised release, a $500,000 fine and a $200 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Philadelphia Police and the Philadelphia Fire Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Abrams.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two California Men Charged with Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Two California men have been charged in federal court after being stopped on Interstate 44 with five kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in their vehicle.
Margarito Morales-Alvarez, 28, of California, and Jorge Armando Camacho-Sanchez, 38, a citizen of Mexico residing in California, were charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo., on Monday, June 11, 2018.
The federal criminal complaint charges Morales-Alvarez and Camacho-Sanchez with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Jasper County, Mo., from June 8 to 10, 2018.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper stopped the 2015 Nissan Altima being driven by Morales-Alvarez on Sunday, June 10, 2018, on Interstate 44 in Jasper County. The trooper became suspicious because Morales-Alvarez and Camacho-Sanchez could not identify the specific city of their destination and the vehicle they were driving belonged to a third party, whom they had difficulty identifying.
The trooper deployed his canine, which indicated the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle. The trooper searched the vehicle and found five cellophane-wrapped plastic bags, each containing approximately a kilogram of methamphetamine, in a large speaker box in the trunk of the vehicle. Morales-Alvarez later told investigators that they were en route to Indiana to deliver the vehicle.
The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jody M. Larison. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Three Osceola Defendants Facing Federal Drug and Firearms Charges in Ongoing InvestigationRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Cody Hiland, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Diane Upchurch, Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Field Office of the FBI, announced today the unsealing of a federal indictment and arrests of three defendants charged with committing federal drug and firearms offenses in Osceola.
James Cordell Scott, 30, and Sedrick Askew, 36, both of Osceola, were arrested Tuesday in their hometown. Marquette Lamar Smith, 38, also of Osceola, was arrested in Fayetteville. Askew and Scott appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joe J. Volpe on Tuesday for plea and arraignment. Smith will make an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Erin L. Wiedemann in the Western District of Arkansas on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m., and will then appear before Judge Volpe for plea and arraignment at a later date.
The arrests resulted from the continuation of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, Operation Blynd Justice, worked jointly with the FBI, Second Judicial District Drug Task Force, Blytheville Police Department, Osceola Police Department, and Arkansas Community Correction. During the course of the investigation in 2017, law enforcement utilized a Title III court-authorized wiretap, intercepting hundreds of drug-trafficking calls. Law enforcement agents conducted controlled buys totaling more than 200 grams of crack cocaine, and during search warrants executed in Osceola in August 2017, seized two loaded firearms, and quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and approximately $1,500 in cash.
“If you illegally possess guns and drugs in the Eastern District of Arkansas, we are coming for you,” Hiland said. “The individuals arrested this morning endangered and poisoned the Osceola community, and it is my hope that the law-abiding citizens of that community can rest a little easier tonight. But, to be clear, there is work that remains to be done and we intend to do it.”
Based on the investigation, it is alleged that between January and August 2017, Marquette Lamar Smith, Sedrick Askew, and James Cordell Scott distributed crack cocaine and cocaine in Osceola, including from a highly-trafficked “yellow house” on Second Street in Osceola. The investigation continued after August 2017 and is ongoing, with more arrests expected.
“Today’s arrests play an important role in keeping our communities safe,” FBI SAC Upchurch said. “We will continue to focus on violent offenders who bring illegal drugs and guns into our neighborhoods. We appreciate the efforts of the Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District, the Second Judicial District Drug Task Force, Blytheville Police Department, Osceola Police Department, and Arkansas Community Correction. Together, we are committed to identifying and removing these dangerous criminals from our communities.”
“I am very pleased with the arrests made this morning and I am very appreciative of the hard work that went into this investigation,” Osceola Police Chief Ollie Collins said. “This type of investigation is made possible by the cooperative efforts of our local, state, and federal agencies. The long hours and dedicated investigative work that made this investigation possible is indicative of our commitment to making our streets safer. Drug sales and the associated crime has saturated our communities for far too long. The Osceola Police Department and the Second Judicial District Drug Task Force will continue to cooperate with our federal partners in our efforts to disrupt the supply and sales of controlled substances in our city.”
The charges in today’s unsealed indictment include conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine; distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and felon in possession of a firearm. The maximum penalty for the drug charges is not less than five years in prison, not more than 40 years, and a $5,000,000 fine. Possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime has a minimum sentence of five years, and a maximum of life, and the maximum penalty for being a felon in possession of a firearm in not more than 10 years’ imprisonment.
The case, docketed as Case No. 4:18CR00325 DPM, is pending before U.S. District Judge D. Price Marshall, with a trial scheduled for July 30, 2018.
The investigation was conducted by FBI, the Second Judicial District Drug Task Force, Blytheville Police Department, Osceola Police Department, and Arkansas Community Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Peters.
An indictment contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
# # #
This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available on-line at http://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter: @EDARNEWS
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and Project Safe Neighborhoods: Town Hall Meeting: Kirwan Terrace Community June 14th at 6:00 p.m.Read the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI - United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced that she and federal law enforcement partners, plus members of the District’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force, will participate in a Town Hall Meeting at the Kirwan Terrace Community on Thursday, June 14th at 6:00 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to provide community members with an opportunity to share their ideas and concerns about public safety. The United States Attorney will also discuss the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative.
According to U.S. Attorney Shappert, "Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of our crime reduction strategy. It is a tested and proven program to invest in our communities and foster vital partnerships. PSN enables the United States Attorney’s Office, together with our law enforcement partners, to target and prioritize criminal prosecutions on the most violent people in the most violent areas. Second, we engage with a wide variety of stakeholders—from federal and local law enforcement, to community groups, educators, faith-based organizations, and victims’ advocates—in order to identify the needs specific to our communities and to develop strategies to reduce crime. The Kirwan Terrace Community Town Hall Meeting is a wonderful opportunity for us to hear what matters most to the citizens who live there." U.S. Attorney Shappert emphasized that the June 14th Town Hall is only one of several PSN outreach activities planned for the next several months.
Additional information about Project Safe Neighborhoods can be found on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website, https://www.justice.gov/usao-vi.
Tax Return Preparers Charged with Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that the owners of a Yeadon, PA, tax preparation business were charged today in connection with a scheme to prepare fraudulent tax returns in order to generate unwarranted refunds.
Deron Joe and Edmund Dassin, the owners of Edron Tax Preparation Services, were charged today by superseding indictment with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and 15 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of a false tax return.
According to the superseding indictment, Joe and Dassin prepared certain tax returns for clients for tax years 2008 to 2010 and falsely claimed on these returns that these clients had incurred unreimbursed employee business expenses. The indictment alleges the defendants knew their clients were not entitled to such refunds, as the clients had neither reported these expenses to the defendants nor provided any documentation to support such deductions. One of their clients was an IRS agent acting in an undercover capacity.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum possible sentence of 47 years of imprisonment and a fine of $3.75 million.
The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division and is being prosecuted by Department of Justice Tax Division Attorneys Chris O’Donnell and Kathryn Sparks and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tomika N.S. Patterson.
Tampa Man Sentenced for Threatening to Burn Down a Home Being Purchased by Muslim FamilyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that David H. Howard, 59, of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Mary S. Scriven of the Middle District of Florida to serve eight months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and required to pay $30,000 in restitution. Howard pleaded guilty to a felony civil rights violation on Feb. 27, after he intimidated and interfered with a family who sought to purchase a home in the Davis Islands neighborhood of Tampa, Florida, by threatening to burn down the home simply because it was being purchased by a Muslim family.
According to court documents, on Nov. 3, 2016, a Muslim man, identified as K.A., and his wife were conducting the final walk-through of a home they had placed under contract. As K.A. arrived for the final walk-through, the defendant approached K.A. and the seller identified as H.D., and the accompanying realtors, and yelled, “This sale will not take place!” Howard threatened to burn the house down, and told K.A., “You are not welcome here!” K.A. and his wife hurried away from the house and cancelled the closing of the home purchase that was scheduled to take place the next day. In the days that followed, Howard retold his version of the incident to neighbors, making insulting remarks about Muslims.
“This Justice Department will not stand by when individuals use violence and intimidation to deny fair housing rights,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to prosecute crimes like this one that deprive families of a safe place to live.”
“Today’s sentence should send a clear message that we will vigorously uphold our nation’s civil rights laws,” said United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez. “Crimes perpetrated against people because of who they are or what they believe simply cannot be tolerated.”
“The FBI’s mission is to protect the American people and uphold the laws of the United States, and that’s what we did in this case. We will not allow hate motivated crimes to infiltrate our communities and threaten our citizens,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Tampa Division, Eric W. Sporre.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josephine W. Thomas of the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney William E. Nolan of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Tampa Man Sentenced for Threatening to Burn Down A Home Being Purchased by Muslim FamilyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department today announced that David H. Howard, 59, of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Mary S. Scriven of the Middle District of Florida to serve eight months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and required to pay $30,000 in restitution. Howard pleaded guilty to a felony civil rights violation on Feb. 27, after he intimidated and interfered with a family who sought to purchase a home in the Davis Islands neighborhood of Tampa, Florida, by threatening to burn down the home simply because it was being purchased by a Muslim family.
According to court documents, on Nov. 3, 2016, a Muslim man, identified as K.A., and his wife were conducting the final walk-through of a home they had placed under contract. As K.A. arrived for the final walk-through, the defendant approached K.A. and the seller identified as H.D., and the accompanying realtors, and yelled, “This sale will not take place!” Howard threatened to burn the house down, and told K.A., “You are not welcome here!” K.A. and his wife hurried away from the house and cancelled the closing of the home purchase that was scheduled to take place the next day. In the days that followed, Howard retold his version of the incident to neighbors, making insulting remarks about Muslims.
“This Justice Department will not stand by when individuals use violence and intimidation to deny fair housing rights,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to prosecute crimes like this one that deprive families of a safe place to live.”
“Today’s sentence should send a clear message that we will vigorously uphold our nation’s civil rights laws,” said United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez. “Crimes perpetrated against people because of who they are or what they believe simply cannot be tolerated.”
“The FBI’s mission is to protect the American people and uphold the laws of the United States, and that’s what we did in this case. We will not allow hate motivated crimes to infiltrate our communities and threaten our citizens,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Tampa Division, Eric W. Sporre.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josephine W. Thomas of the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney William E. Nolan of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
South Charleston Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Money from a Labor UnionRead the Press Release
She stole over 183,000 dollars between 2010 and 2014 from Charleston Building and Construction Trades Council
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A South Charleston woman pled guilty yesterday to the felony offense of embezzlement and theft of labor union assets, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Joan Matthews, 70, faces up to five years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment when she is scheduled to be sentenced on September 11, 2018. She will also owe restitution in an amount up to $183, 667.11. U.S. Attorney Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the United States Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards.
“Matthews used her position to steal from her employer for four years,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “My Office takes cases like this very seriously and we will prosecute embezzlers to the fullest extent of the law.”
Matthews admitted that she was employed as a bookkeeper by the Charleston Building and Construction Trades Council (“CBCTC”). Matthews told the Court that she began embezzling CBCTC union monies in 2010. To accomplish the theft, she would prepare and cash unauthorized union checks, use union funds to pay credit card bills, and make personal charges to the CBCTC credit cards. Her embezzlement continued until September 2014 when her crimes were discovered by other union employees. Matthews is no longer employed by the CBCTC. The CBCTC is chartered by the Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL-CIO and has jurisdiction over local construction unions, and unions in the building and trades industries throughout West Virginia.
Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is in charge of the prosecution. United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. conducted the plea hearing.
Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart
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Sixth Member of Drug Trafficking Organization that Distributed High Grade Marijuana Throughout New Mexico Pleads Guilty to Marijuana Trafficking and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Robert D. Moreno, 38, of Ukiah, Calif., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to marijuana trafficking and money laundering charges. Moreno entered the guilty plea under a plea agreement that recommends that he be sentenced to not more than 20 months of imprisonment to be followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the Court.
Moreno is one of ten defendants charged as the result of a two-year investigation by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation into a drug trafficking organization led by Enrique Cavazos, 32, of Tijeras, N.M., that distributed high-grade marijuana throughout New Mexico and across the country. The investigation revealed that the Cavazos drug trafficking organization cultivated and purchased high-grade marijuana in California, distributed the marijuana throughout the country, and laundered its drug proceeds through a number of businesses and bank accounts in New Mexico.
Moreno, Enrique Cavazos, his wife Lindsey Cavazos, 33, his father Felix Cavazos, 59, of Albuquerque, Joaquin Alaniz, 41, and Daniel Nieto, 30, both of Carlsbad, N.M., Eliberto Nava, 36, of Madera, Calif., and Antonio Ruelas, 32, of Rio Rancho, N.M., were charged by indictment in Nov. 2015, with marijuana trafficking and money laundering offenses. The indictment charged the co-conspirators with participating in a marijuana trafficking conspiracy that existed from at least Jan. 2008 through Nov. 2015, and operated in the District of New Mexico and elsewhere.
According to court filings, Enrique Cavazos operated a marijuana trafficking business by directing his co-conspirators to purchase large quantities of marijuana in California and distribute the marijuana in New Mexico and other destinations across the country. Lindsey Cavazos was responsible for keeping the books on businesses she and her husband established with proceeds from their marijuana trafficking activities and for the purpose of laundering their drug proceeds. The couple engaged in a money laundering conspiracy and used bank accounts in the names of several of their businesses, including a restaurant and a car dealership, to launder their drug proceeds.
The indictment was superseded in Aug. 2016, to add money laundering charges against three new defendants: Steven Becerra, 62, the owner of the Becerra Group Tax and Accounting Firm in Albuquerque, who previously was employed by the IRS for 18 years; Deborah Gutierrez, 55, who operated Automated Financial Technologies, which is no longer in business; and Glen F. Lucero, 66, a retired school teacher. The superseding indictment also removed Felix Cavazos, Enrique Cavazos’s father who passed away after the original indictment was filed, from the list of defendants.
During today’s proceedings, Moreno pled guilty to a felony information charging him with conspiracy to distribute marijuana and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In entering the guilty plea, Moreno admitted that from Jan. 2011 through Nov. 2015, he helped purchase a property in California with proceeds derived from the illegal sale of marijuana for the purpose of cultivating marijuana to be distributed in New Mexico and elsewhere. A sentencing hearing for Moreno has yet to be scheduled.
Five of Moreno’s co-defendants have entered guilty pleas, and two have been sentenced. Enrique Cavazos pled guilty on May 24, 2017, and was sentenced on May 9, 2018, to 72 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Ruelas pled guilty on Sept. 8, 2017, and was sentenced on May 2, 2018, to 30 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Lindsey A. Cavazos pled guilty on May 24, 2017, Nieto pled guilty on May 25, 2017, and Navia pled guilty on May 22, 2018. Sentencing hearings for these three defendants have yet to be scheduled.
The remaining four defendants, who have entered not guilty pleas to the superseding indictment, are pending trial, which is currently scheduled for July 2018. Charges in indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation of this case was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, a program that combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations. It was conducted by the Albuquerque offices of the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation and the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer M. Rozzoni, Timothy S. Vasquez and Joel R. Meyers are prosecuting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen R. Kotz is handling the forfeiture matters.
Sarasota Woman Convicted of Arson ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa Florida – A federal jury has found Rashica Shaguana Ford (39, Sarasota) guilty of conspiracy to commit arson. She faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison. Her sentencing hearing has not yet been set. Ford was indicted on November 24, 2017, along with two co-conspirators, Jodarin Marquis Whitfield and Herbert Adelphus Pinckney.
According to testimony presented at trial, in the early morning hours of March 11, 2015, Whitfield and Pinckney set fire to an individual’s home by attempting to throw a Molotov cocktail through the victim’s bedroom window. In addition to the owner, two adults and five children were inside the home at the time of the incident. The Molotov cocktail did not break the window and only damaged the exterior of the home. All occupants of the home escaped safely.
The arson was orchestrated by Ford (Whitfield’s girlfriend/Pinckney’s sister) as retaliation stemming from an altercation between Ford and the victim.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the State Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations, the Bradenton Police Department, the Bradenton Fire Department, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In October 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to develop districtwide crime reduction strategies, incorporating the lessons learned since the program’s inception in 2001. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Russian and Syrian Nationals Charged with Laundering Millions of U.S. Dollars for Designated Russian Company That Shipped Jet Fuel to Syria in Violation of U.S. SanctionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Eight businessmen, including five Russian nationals and three Syrian nationals, were indicted today on federal charges alleging that they conspired to violate U.S. economic sanctions against Syria and Crimea, by sending jet fuel to Syria and making U.S. dollar wires to Syria and to sanctioned entities in Syria without receiving a license from the U.S. Treasury Department.
The indictment was returned in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and involves transactions conducted by Joint Stock Company Sovfracht (Sovfracht), a Russian shipping company and freight forwarder.
The five Russian nationals – Ivan Okorokov, Ilya Loginov, Karen Stepanyan, Alexey Konkov and Liudmila Shmelkova – are employees of Sovfracht. Yaser Naser is a Syrian national who has worked on behalf of Sovfracht in Syria to coordinate its business there. Farid Bitar and Gabriel Bitar are petroleum inspectors at Port Banias, Syria. All eight individuals were charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. A forfeiture allegation was also included in the indictment.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, and Special Agent in Charge Timothy Dunham of the FBI Washington Field Office Counterintelligence Division made the announcement.
“The U.S. sanctions on Syria and Crimea thwart Syria’s support of terrorism and its pursuit and use of weapons of mass destruction, as well as the actions of those who seek to undermine Ukraine’s democratic processes and territorial integrity. The National Security Division will not tolerate any attempts to evade these important foreign policy and national security tools,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “The defendants allegedly conspired to defy our sanctions against Syria and Crimea, endangering both American interests in the region as well as our foreign policy and national security at home. I applaud the investigators who helped bring these alleged violations to light and the violators to justice.”
“The indictment in this case demonstrates that we will vigorously investigate and prosecute violations of U.S. economic sanctions, including the use of our financial system to promote and facilitate the activities of sanctioned entities, such as the delivery of jet fuel to Syria,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “The charges also reflect the tireless dedication of the FBI to rooting out this illegal activity.”
“The FBI takes sanctions violations extremely seriously and will not hesitate to use our full investigative resources to stop this type of alleged illegal activity,” said Special Agent in Charge Dunham. “This investigation underscores the determination of the special agents and intelligence analysts who pursue those who violate United States laws, no matter where they reside.”
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As noted in the indictment, on May 11, 2004, the President declared a national emergency to deal with the threat to the national security, foreign policy and economy of the United States posed by the actions of the Government of Syria. That and subsequent Executive Orders imposed economic sanctions on Syria, which prohibited, among other things, the exportation, re-exportation, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, to Syria of any goods, technology, or services from the United States, which includes the processing of U.S. dollar wires for transactions conducted overseas.
According to the indictment, as early as 2011, banks began rejecting U.S. dollar wires by Sovfracht that were destined for Syria. The alleged conspirators began using front companies and falsifying information in shipping records and the related U.S. dollar wires in order to circumvent the sanctions. In subsequent conversations in 2015, the defendants allegedly sent e-mails warning about the effect of “Western sanctions” and the related prohibition on U.S. dollar transactions.
The indictment alleges that the defendants used vessels owned by Transpetrochart Co. Ltd. (Transpetrochart), a Russian based company that owned the petroleum tankers Mukhalatka and Yaz, to transship jet fuel and other items surreptitiously to Syria.
The indictment also notes that on May 8, 2014, the Treasury Department, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), designated the Banias Refinery Company, a Syrian based petroleum processing company owned by the Syrian regime, for processing petroleum that was imported into the Syrian Port of Banias. According to the indictment, in spite of these sanctions, the defendants engaged in U.S. dollar transactions beginning in 2015 to deliver jet fuel to Syria via the Banias Refinery Company. On or about Jan. 13, 2016, OFAC blocked two wires from Sovfracht that passed through the United States totaling $2,585,340 for the delivery of jet fuel to Syria. As a result, the defendants allegedly began to use third party companies to continue making U.S. dollar payments for shipments to Syria.
On Sept. 1, 2016, OFAC designated Sovfracht for Crimean sanctions violations. Following these sanctions, Sovfracht was prohibited from transacting in U.S. dollars without first receiving a license from OFAC, regardless of whether or not the transaction was for the supply of goods to Syria. On Sept. 9, 2016, the government sent notice to Sovfracht of a forfeiture action against the blocked $2,585,340. On Dec. 20, 2016, OFAC designated Transpetrochart for working with Sovfracht.
According to the indictment, in October 2016, following Sovfracht’s designation, the defendants utilized Maritime Assistance LLC (Maritime) as a front company for Sovfracht, as part of the scheme to circumvent U.S. sanctions and conduct U.S. dollar transactions. Maritime was operated by employees, including several of the defendants, of Sovfracht. The indictment alleges that Sovfracht and Maritime employees acted interchangeably. Maritime assumed debts previously owed by Sovfracht and paid third parties on contracts previously negotiated by Sovfracht. The indictment alleges that these activities allowed the defendants to continue engaging in U.S. dollar transactions, which passed through the United States, in spite of Sovfracht’s designation.
According to the indictment, following designation, Sovfracht, acting through Maritime, continued to transact in U.S. dollars for the delivery of jet fuel to Syria, in violation of both the Crimean and Syrian sanctions. For example, on or about May 11, 2017, OFAC blocked two wires from Sovfracht that passed through the United States totaling $2,957,983 for the delivery of jet fuel to Syria. In response to the blocking, Ilya Loginov allegedly stated to co-conspirators that Maritime “has been burned,” that it was “unadvisable to make further use of it,” and that they had “to create a new … clean company.”
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
The maximum statutory penalty for conspiracy to violate IEEPA is five years in prison, and for conspiracy to commit money laundering is 20 years in prison. The charges also carry potential financial penalties and forfeitures of blocked funds and facilitating property such as the vessels in question. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. If convicted of any offense, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
The government is represented by Trial Attorney David Recker of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section; and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zia Faruqui and Erik Kenerson, Arvind K. Lal, Chief of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker Tobin, Paralegal Specialist Toni Anne Donato, and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick of the District of Columbia. Assistance earlier was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Russian and Syrian Nationals Charged with Laundering Millions of U.S. Dollars for Designated Russian Company That Shipped Jet Fuel to Syria in Violation of U.S. SanctionsRead the Press Release
Eight businessmen, including five Russian nationals and three Syrian nationals, were indicted today on federal charges alleging that they conspired to violate U.S. economic sanctions against Syria and Crimea, by sending jet fuel to Syria and making U.S. dollar wires to Syria and to sanctioned entities in Syria without receiving a license from the U.S. Treasury Department.
The indictment was returned in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and involves transactions conducted by Joint Stock Company Sovfracht (Sovfracht), a Russian shipping company and freight forwarder.
The five Russian nationals – Ivan Okorokov, Ilya Loginov, Karen Stepanyan, Alexey Konkov and Liudmila Shmelkova – are employees of Sovfracht. Yaser Naser is a Syrian national who has worked on behalf of Sovfracht in Syria to coordinate its business there. Farid Bitar and Gabriel Bitar are petroleum inspectors at Port Banias, Syria. All eight individuals were charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. A forfeiture allegation was also included in the indictment.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, and Special Agent in Charge Timothy Dunham of the FBI Washington Field Office Counterintelligence Division made the announcement.
“The U.S. sanctions on Syria and Crimea thwart Syria’s support of terrorism and its pursuit and use of weapons of mass destruction, as well as the actions of those who seek to undermine Ukraine’s democratic processes and territorial integrity. The National Security Division will not tolerate any attempts to evade these important foreign policy and national security tools,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “The defendants allegedly conspired to defy our sanctions against Syria and Crimea, endangering both American interests in the region as well as our foreign policy and national security at home. I applaud the investigators who helped bring these alleged violations to light and the violators to justice.”
“The indictment in this case demonstrates that we will vigorously investigate and prosecute violations of U.S. economic sanctions, including the use of our financial system to promote and facilitate the activities of sanctioned entities, such as the delivery of jet fuel to Syria,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “The charges also reflect the tireless dedication of the FBI to rooting out this illegal activity.”
“The FBI takes sanctions violations extremely seriously and will not hesitate to use our full investigative resources to stop this type of alleged illegal activity,” said Special Agent in Charge Dunham. “This investigation underscores the determination of the special agents and intelligence analysts who pursue those who violate United States laws, no matter where they reside.”
***
As noted in the indictment, on May 11, 2004, the President declared a national emergency to deal with the threat to the national security, foreign policy and economy of the United States posed by the actions of the Government of Syria. That and subsequent Executive Orders imposed economic sanctions on Syria, which prohibited, among other things, the exportation, re-exportation, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, to Syria of any goods, technology, or services from the United States, which includes the processing of U.S. dollar wires for transactions conducted overseas.
According to the indictment, as early as 2011, banks began rejecting U.S. dollar wires by Sovfracht that were destined for Syria. The alleged conspirators began using front companies and falsifying information in shipping records and the related U.S. dollar wires in order to circumvent the sanctions. In subsequent conversations in 2015, the defendants allegedly sent e-mails warning about the effect of “Western sanctions” and the related prohibition on U.S. dollar transactions.
The indictment alleges that the defendants used vessels owned by Transpetrochart Co. Ltd. (Transpetrochart), a Russian based company that owned the petroleum tankers Mukhalatka and Yaz, to transship jet fuel and other items surreptitiously to Syria.
The indictment also notes that on May 8, 2014, the Treasury Department, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), designated the Banias Refinery Company, a Syrian based petroleum processing company owned by the Syrian regime, for processing petroleum that was imported into the Syrian Port of Banias. According to the indictment, in spite of these sanctions, the defendants engaged in U.S. dollar transactions beginning in 2015 to deliver jet fuel to Syria via the Banias Refinery Company. On or about Jan. 13, 2016, OFAC blocked two wires from Sovfracht that passed through the United States totaling $2,585,340 for the delivery of jet fuel to Syria. As a result, the defendants allegedly began to use third party companies to continue making U.S. dollar payments for shipments to Syria.
On Sept. 1, 2016, OFAC designated Sovfracht for Crimean sanctions violations. Following these sanctions, Sovfracht was prohibited from transacting in U.S. dollars without first receiving a license from OFAC, regardless of whether or not the transaction was for the supply of goods to Syria. On Sept. 9, 2016, the government sent notice to Sovfracht of a forfeiture action against the blocked $2,585,340. On Dec. 20, 2016, OFAC designated Transpetrochart for working with Sovfracht.
According to the indictment, in October 2016, following Sovfracht’s designation, the defendants utilized Maritime Assistance LLC (Maritime) as a front company for Sovfracht, as part of the scheme to circumvent U.S. sanctions and conduct U.S. dollar transactions. Maritime was operated by employees, including several of the defendants, of Sovfracht. The indictment alleges that Sovfracht and Maritime employees acted interchangeably. Maritime assumed debts previously owed by Sovfracht and paid third parties on contracts previously negotiated by Sovfracht. The indictment alleges that these activities allowed the defendants to continue engaging in U.S. dollar transactions, which passed through the United States, in spite of Sovfracht’s designation.
According to the indictment, following designation, Sovfracht, acting through Maritime, continued to transact in U.S. dollars for the delivery of jet fuel to Syria, in violation of both the Crimean and Syrian sanctions. For example, on or about May 11, 2017, OFAC blocked two wires from Sovfracht that passed through the United States totaling $2,957,983 for the delivery of jet fuel to Syria. In response to the blocking, Ilya Loginov allegedly stated to co-conspirators that Maritime “has been burned,” that it was “unadvisable to make further use of it,” and that they had “to create a new … clean company.”
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
The maximum statutory penalty for conspiracy to violate IEEPA is five years in prison, and for conspiracy to commit money laundering is 20 years in prison. The charges also carry potential financial penalties and forfeitures of blocked funds and facilitating property such as the vessels in question. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. If convicted of any offense, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
The government is represented by Trial Attorney David Recker of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section; and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zia Faruqui and Erik Kenerson, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker Tobin, Paralegal Specialist Toni Anne Donato, and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick of the District of Columbia. Assistance earlier was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Retired Soldier Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A retired soldier pleaded guilty today to receiving and selling stolen government property that had been initially delivered to at Fort Eustis.
According to court documents, Francis “Edward” Roach, 55, of Yorktown, is a retired soldier who served in the U.S. Army from 1982-2006. He owned and operated A & E Automotive Repair of Denbigh, Inc., a local repair shop based in Newport News. From August 2010 through mid-2015, Roy E. Friend, who worked as the Chief of Logistics and Program Management, Aviation and Missile Command at Fort Eustis, made over 600 orders and fraudulently obtained over approximately $2.3 million worth of goods through the General Services Administration (GSA) Advantage website using his GSA Advantage account. All of the orders were paid for with funds belonging to the United States. Some of these items, including boxes of tools and or other equipment, were taken to A & E Automotive where they were resold by Roach for private financial gain. Roach sold items to individuals at discounted prices providing false explanations as to how he obtained the equipment.
The property received and stolen by Roach was a portion of an over $800,000 fraud committed by civilian employees of the Department of Defense, who were also retired soldiers.
Friend pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 33 months in prison for his role in the scheme, along with another former Department of Defense employee. Roach pleaded guilty to theft of government property and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on October 18. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Carol Fortine Ochoa, Inspector General, General Services Administration (GSA), Robert E. Craig, Special Agent in Charge for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office, and Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Samuels is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:17-cr-108.