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Wednesday 18 April 2018
Fort Peck Meth Dealer Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that Landon Dupree, a 32-year-old resident of Poplar, was sentenced to 70 months in prison, four years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. U.S. District Judge Brian Morris presided over the hearing.
Dupree previously entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In January 2017, Dupree was arrested on an outstanding warrant for violating the terms of his supervised release, drugs and drug paraphernalia on his person during the subsequent arrest.
In July 2017, the Montana Highway Patrol stopped the vehicle Dupree was driving and following a search of the vehicle, located a digital scale, methamphetamine, and syringes. Dupree was a mid-level distributor selling methamphetamine on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, primarily in Poplar.
In a sentencing memorandum filed in federal court, federal prosecutors noted, “Methamphetamine … is destroying lives, breaking up families, and undermining tribal cultures”. It continued “Dupree’s conduct contributed directly to this problem. He provided meth to people needing a quick fix and seemingly fails to understand the broad implications of his criminal conduct.”
Judge Morris sentenced Dupree to more than five years in federal prison, with four years of supervised release to follow. Because there is no parole in the federal system, Dupree will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, Dupree does have the opportunity to shorten the term of custody by earning credit for good behavior. However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.
The Dupree case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice, Montana Highway Patrol, and other federal, state, and local agencies.
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.
Former Waterbury Resident Sentenced to Prison for Violating Conditions of ProbationRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALEA CRUZ, 20, formerly of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah A. L. Merriam in New Haven to six months of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for violating the conditions of her probation.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in July 2016, as part of a DEA New Haven Task Force investigation that followed an overdose death, law enforcement officers made two controlled purchases of heroin from CRUZ’s boyfriend, Teddy Stuart Lopez, Jr., in Waterbury. On July 5, 2016, at Lopez’s direction, CRUZ delivered 20 bags of heroin to an individual for $100. CRUZ and Lopez were arrested on July 19, 2016.
On December 1, 2016, CRUZ pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor offense. On February 27, 2017, Judge Merriam sentenced CRUZ to three years of probation and ordered her to pay a $1,000 fine at a rate of $40 per month.
Lopez pleaded guilty to a related heroin distribution offense and was sentenced to 15 months of imprisonment.
While on probation and under the supervision of U.S. Probation officers in Virginia and, most recently, Rhode Island, where she was residing, CRUZ tested positive for marijuana nine times and, on one occasion, provided a diluted urine specimen. She also failed to report to probation officers and failed to submit to drug screenings on multiple occasions, and failed to participate in substance abuse treatment as ordered. In addition, CRUZ violated her probation by associating with Lopez, a convicted felon, through email and the telephone. She also failed to make any installment payments on her court-ordered fine even though she had the ability to do so, and had made more than 50 payments totaling more than $1,800 to Lopez’s prison account.
At the conclusion of today’s court proceeding, CRUZ was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving her sentence.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Jongbloed.
Former U.S. Soldier and Two North Carolina Men Found Guilty for Conspiring to Kidnap and Murder as Part of A Murder-For-Hire Scheme OverseasRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JOSEPH MANUEL HUNTER, a U.S. citizen and former member of the U.S. Army, and two co-defendants, ADAM SAMIA and CARL DAVID STILLWELL, both U.S. citizens, were convicted by a federal jury today of offenses relating to the February 2012 murder of a woman in the Philippines. The defendants’ conviction followed a 12-day trial before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams of the Southern District of New York. Sentencing has been scheduled for HUNTER on September 7, 2018, and for SAMIA and STILLWELL for September 14, 2018, before Judge Abrams.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “This horrifying real-life murder-for-hire case included details usually seen in action movies. Hunter, Samia, and Stillwell conspired to end the lives of people overseas whom they had never met. Today a unanimous jury convicted them for their craven indifference to human life. I commend the DEA for bringing this tragic story to a just ending.”
According to the Superseding Indictment against HUNTER, SAMIA, and STILLWELL, other filings in Manhattan federal court, and the evidence admitted at trial:
HUNTER served from 1983 to 2004 in the U.S. Army, where he attained the rank of sergeant first class. While in the Army, HUNTER led air-assault and airborne infantry squads; served as a sniper instructor; and trained soldiers in marksmanship and tactics as a senior drill sergeant. Since leaving the Army in 2004, HUNTER has arranged for the murders of multiple victims in exchange for money, among other completed acts of violence undertaken for pay.
SAMIA is a self-described “Personal Protection/Security Industry” professional. According to SAMIA’s résumé, he has worked as an “Independent Contractor” for clients in the Philippines, China, Papua New Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of the Congo; and has training in tactics and weapons, including handguns, shotguns, rifles, sniper rifles, and machineguns. STILLWELL also purported to have training and experience in the field of information technology and to have worked at a firm in North Carolina that provides firearms training.
In 2011 and 2012, HUNTER, SAMIA, and STILLWELL agreed to commit murders-for-hire in overseas locations in exchange for salaries and bonus payments for each victim. In early 2012, SAMIA and STILLWELL traveled from North Carolina to the Philippines, where HUNTER provided them with, among other things, information about their intended victims and firearms to use to commit the murders.
In January and February 2012, SAMIA and STILLWELL surveilled their intended victims in the Philippines as they formulated their murder plans. On February 12, 2012, SAMIA and STILLWELL killed one of their intended victims – a Filipino woman – in the Philippines by shooting her multiple times in the face (“Victim-1”). After killing Victim-1, SAMIA and STILLWELL disposed of her body on a pile of garbage, where it was later found by local authorities. HUNTER paid SAMIA and STILLWELL $35,000 each for completing the murder, and SAMIA and STILLWELL sent thousands of dollars from the payments they received to the United States using, among other methods, structured wire transfers in amounts under $10,000.
In late February and early March 2012, SAMIA and STILLWELL returned from the Philippines to North Carolina, where they continued to reside until their July 2015 arrests on these charges.
* * *
HUNTER, 52, of Owensboro, Kentucky, SAMIA, 43, of Roxboro, North Carolina, and STILLWELL, 50, of Roxboro, North Carolina, were each convicted of one count of conspiring to commit murder-for-hire and one count of committing murder-for-hire, each of which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison; and one count of conspiring to murder and kidnap in a foreign country and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, each of which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. SAMIA and STILLWELL were also each convicted of conspiring to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
The charges against the defendants were the result of the close cooperative efforts of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York; DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit; DEA’s Manila Country Office; DEA’s Atlanta Field Division, Raleigh Resident Office; DEA’s Louisville Field Division; the Durham Police Department; the Raleigh Police Department; the Harnett County Sherriff’s Office; the Wake County Sherriff’s Office; the Person County Sherriff’s Office; the Cary Police Department; the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Greensboro Field Office; the Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center; the Royal Thai Police; the Philippines National Bureau of Investigation; and the Philippines National Police; and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs. Mr. Berman also thanked the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina and the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section for their support and assistance.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Rebekah Donaleski, Patrick Egan, and Emil J. Bove III are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Police Officer Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting an Individual in His CustodyRead the Press Release
Jerry Lynn Gragg Jr., 41, a former police officer with the Savanna Police Department in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, was sentenced today in federal court in Muskogee, Oklahoma, to 100 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release. Gragg previously pleaded guilty to one count of violating the civil rights of a female whom he sexually assaulted during a routine traffic stop. As part of his sentence, Gragg must forfeit his law enforcement certification and comply with federal and state sex offender registration requirements.
According to court documents, on Jan. 21, 2017, Gragg, while on-duty, stopped a vehicle during the early hours of the morning while it was still dark outside. After approaching the vehicle, Gragg brought the female driver back to his marked patrol unit and directed her to sit in the front passenger seat. Given the coercive power of Gragg’s position as a law enforcement offer, and the physical disparity in size between Gragg and the victim, she could not escape from the patrol car. Thereafter, Gragg caused the victim to perform a sexual act on him against her will. Gragg admitted that he knew what he was doing was wrong and against the law, yet he did so anyway. Gragg further admitted that his acts included aggravated sexual abuse, which under federal law, requires force or putting the victim in fear of serious bodily injury, kidnapping, or death.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate the actions of law enforcement officers who exploit their authority and sexually abuse individuals in their custody,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division. “Gragg’s sentencing today reflects the Justice Department’s commitment to holding officers who violate an individual’s civil rights accountable for their egregious actions. The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigorously prosecute these cases.”
"I commend the victim for her strength and courage to come forward and provide law enforcement with the information necessary to hold the Defendant accountable for committing this heinous act and for violating his oath to protect and serve his community." said U.S. Attorney Brian Kuester. "While the majority of law enforcement officers follow the laws they are sworn to uphold, this Office will continue to investigate and prosecute those who choose otherwise."
“This deliberate abuse of authority is a disgrace and embarrassment to all members of the law enforcement community,” said FBI’s Oklahoma City Division Special Agent in Charge Kathryn Peterson. “There is an added sense of betrayal when a fellow law enforcement official preys on the citizens he has sworn to protect.”
This case was investigated by the Oklahoma City Division of the FBI and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation in cooperation with the Pittsburg County District Attorney’s Office and the Savanna Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Henson of the Eastern District of Oklahoma and Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Former Police Officer Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting an Individual in CustodyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jerry Lynn Gragg Jr., 41, a former police officer with the Savanna Police Department in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, was sentenced today in federal court in Muskogee, Oklahoma, to 100 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release. Gragg previously pleaded guilty to one count of violating the civil rights of a female whom he sexually assaulted during a routine traffic stop. As part of his sentence, Gragg must forfeit his law enforcement certification and comply with federal and state sex offender registration requirements.
According to court documents, on Jan. 21, 2017, Gragg, while on-duty, stopped a vehicle during the early hours of the morning while it was still dark outside. After approaching the vehicle, Gragg brought the female driver back to his marked patrol unit and directed her to sit in the front passenger seat. Given the coercive power of Gragg’s position as a law enforcement officer, and the physical disparity in size between Gragg and the victim, she could not escape from the patrol car. Thereafter, Gragg caused the victim to perform a sexual act on him against her will. Gragg admitted that he knew what he was doing was wrong and against the law, yet he did so anyway. Gragg further admitted that his acts included aggravated sexual abuse, which under federal law, requires force or putting the victim in fear of serious bodily injury, kidnapping, or death.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate the actions of law enforcement officers who exploit their authority and sexually abuse individuals in their custody,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division. “Gragg’s sentencing today reflects the Justice Department’s commitment to holding officers who violate an individual’s civil rights accountable for their egregious actions. The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigorously prosecute these cases.”
"I commend the victim for her strength and courage to come forward and provide law enforcement with the information necessary to hold the Defendant accountable for committing this heinous act and for violating his oath to protect and serve his community." said U.S. Attorney Brian Kuester. "While the majority of law enforcement officers follow the laws they are sworn to uphold, this Office will continue to investigate and prosecute those who choose otherwise."
“This deliberate abuse of authority is a disgrace and embarrassment to all members of the law enforcement community,” said FBI’s Oklahoma City Division Special Agent in Charge Kathryn Peterson. “There is an added sense of betrayal when a fellow law enforcement official preys on the citizens he has sworn to protect.”
This case was investigated by the Oklahoma City Division of the FBI and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation in cooperation with the Pittsburg County District Attorney’s Office and the Savanna Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Henson of the Eastern District of Oklahoma and Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Former Pasco County Aircraft Mechanic Sentenced to 15 Years for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Russel Lee Orr (42, Trinity) to 15 years in federal prison for attempted online enticement of a child to engage in sexual activity, attempted production of child pornography, and for soliciting for child pornography online. A federal jury found Orr found guilty on July 1, 2016. Prior to his arrest, Orr had worked as an aircraft mechanic in the Tampa area.
According to testimony and evidence introduced during the four-day trial, between March 10 and May 20, 2015, Orr engaged in a series of text messages and email conversations with an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. The “child” was actually a detective with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. During the course of the conversations, Orr discussed in detail his desire to meet the “child” for sex. He also repeatedly solicited the “child” to produce and send photos of her genitalia to him.
On May 21, 2015, FBI agents and other law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Orr’s apartment and arrested him. During the search of the home, the agents located and seized a smart phone that Orr had used to communicate with the “child” and also to search the internet for materials related to the sexual exploitation of children.
This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI in Jacksonville and Tampa. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Housing Authority Executive Director Sent to PrisonRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas ‐ The former director of the La Joya Housing Authority and another man have been ordered to federal prison for a bid rigging scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Juan Jose Garza, 50, of La Joya, and Mexican national Armando Jimenez, 53, pleaded guilty to wire fraud May 3, 2017.
Today, U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa ordered Garza to serve 37 months in prison, while Jimenez received an 18-month-prison term. In imposing the sentence, the court ruled Garza abused his position of trust to facilitate the wire fraud scheme, commenting that “the public trusts people in public office to do the right thing.” Judge Hinojosa further noted in regard to Garza “that trust was broken.” Garza will also serve two years of supervised release. Not a U.S. citizen, Jimenez is expected to face deportation proceedings following his sentence.
From 1999 through 2016, Garza was the executive director of the La Joya Housing Authority. From July 2013 through March 2013, Garza and Jimenez engaged in bid rigging for construction contracts with the Alamo and Donna Housing Authorities. They submitted false bids to guarantee Jimenez Construction would be the low bidder and then awarded construction projects. Jimenez then falsely submitted invoices for work he claimed his construction company did, but that had been completed by subcontractors working for Garza.
Garza and Jimenez were permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development - Office of Inspector General and the FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Rees prosecuted the case.
Former Flint Police Officers Plead Guilty to Theft Conspiracy Targeting Flint Police DepartmentRead the Press Release
Two former police officers of the Flint Police Department (FPD) pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan to conspiring to commit theft from an organization receiving federal funds, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
According to documents filed with the court, Richard Besson, 53, of Davison, Michigan, served as an FPD officer from 1989 to 2011 and Jason Groulx, 44, of Flint, Michigan, served as an FPD officer from 1998 to 2018. From June 2011 to June 2013, Besson and Groulx conspired together and with others to steal traffic crash reports from the FPD in exchange for cash payments. Many of the stolen reports were marked “unapproved” and were not publicly available.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 31. Besson and Groulx face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg commended special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Tax Division Trial Attorneys Mark McDonald and William Guappone, who are prosecuting the case, and thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan for their assistance.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Former Elementary School Teacher Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Robert Krietzman was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution for possession of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Alex G. Tse and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Spradlin. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Beth L. Freeman, U.S. District Judge.
On April 17, 2018, Krietzman, 53, of Watsonville, Calif., pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4). According to the plea agreement, Krietzman admitted to possessing over 600 images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Many of the images depicted prepubescent female children engaged in masturbation, sexual intercourse with adult males, or in bondage. The images were discovered in May of 2016 by Santa Cruz Police detectives executing a search warrant at Krietzman’s home in Watsonville. The case later was referred for federal prosecution. Krietzman was a credentialed first grade teacher in Watsonville at the time the images were located on electronic devices in his home.
Krietzman was charged by information on September 6, 2017, with one count of possession of child pornography. Pursuant to his April 17, 2018, plea agreement, pleaded guilty to this count. He was sentenced the same day.
In addition to the prison term and restitution, Judge Freeman also sentenced the defendant to a five-year period of supervised release and required him to pay a $5,100 special assessment fee. The Court also imposed forfeiture of all devices recovered from Krietzman’s home containing child pornography. Judge Freeman also ordered Krietzman to register as a sex offender and participate in sex offender treatment and counseling. The defendant was immediately remanded into custody to begin serving his sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marissa Harris is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Susan Kreider. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the HSI and the Santa Cruz Police Department.
Former Director of East St. Louis Public Library Indicted for Fraud and EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
Marlon P. Bush, 47, formerly the Director of the East St. Louis Public Library, was charged in a six-count Indictment with three counts of Wire Fraud and three counts of Embezzlement from the City of East St. Louis Public Library, A Unit of Government That Received Federal Funds, Don Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today. Counts One through Three of the Indictment, Wire Fraud, each carry a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, while Counts Four through Six, Embezzlement, each carry a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Each of the offenses is punishable by a fine of up to $250,000, with mandatory restitution.
The Indictment charges that from September 2014 through December 2016, Bush took excess salary and charged personal purchases to the East St. Louis Public Library’s credit card that included professional sports tickets, concert tickets, personal apparel, jewelry, firearm accessories, and personal travel expenses. Specific counts of the Indictment charge Bush with using the Library’s credit card to purchase tickets for the Dallas Mavericks and the entertainer Bootsy Collins, as well as throwing knives, a machete, and an axe.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The investigation was conducted by the Metro-East Public Corruption Task Force, consisting of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service/Criminal Investigations, and the Illinois State Police. Anyone with information concerning public corruption can call the Southern Illinois Public Corruption Task Force Tip Line: 618-589-7353. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Norman R. Smith.
Former Detroit Deputy Chief of Police Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison for BriberyRead the Press Release
Former Deputy Chief of Police for the Detroit Police Department, Celia Washington, 57, of Detroit, was sentenced to twelve months in prison today based on her conviction for conspiring with Gasper Fiore to commit bribery in connection with the corruption of towing permits in Detroit, United States Attorney Matthew Schneider announced today.
Schneider was joined in the announcement by Timothy Slater, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Manny Muriel, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service.
Washington was sentenced today before United States District Judge David Lawson who also ordered Washington to pay a fine of $2,500 and be under supervision of the court for a period of two years following completion of her sentence.
While serving as a Deputy Police Chief and the legal advisor to the Chief of Police, Washington accepted multiple bribes from the owners of towing companies while Washington’s responsibilities included overseeing the Detroit Police Department’s permitting, licensing, and use of private towing companies. Washington was convicted of bribery conspiracy in January 2018 after she admitted accepting $4,000 in cash from tow company owner Gasper Fiore. Previously, in December 2017, Fiore had pleaded guilty to bribing Clinton Township Trustee Dean Reynolds in connection with a Clinton Township towing contract.
At her guilty plea hearing, Washington had admitted that she knew that Fiore was using the cash bribe to seek to influence her in the selection of tow rotations in the City of Detroit for Fiore’s towing companies. Under the city’s towing rotation, private towing companies are called by the police to tow cars that are seized by the police or had been stolen. When she accepted the bribe, Washington was aware that Fiore was violating the City of Detroit’s rules prohibiting a towing company owner from having more than one company in the rotation for a particular police precinct or district. After she accepted the $3,000 cash bribe from Fiore, Washington assisted in issuing a police towing rotation list that continued to allow Fiore to violate the city’s towing rules and that significantly benefited Fiore’s companies.
Besides accepting $4,000 in cash from Fiore in 2016, Washington had accepted other bribes from Fiore and another owner of a towing company. Fiore had paid over $800 for drinks at Washington’s birthday party at the Granite City restaurant. Washington also accepted $2,400 in repairs on her personal car from another tow company owner, as well as a $2,700 cash “loan” from that same owner, half of which Washington claimed she paid back. Finally, Washington purchased a car for $5,000 from one tow company owner, and then Fiore gave Washington $5,000 in cash to pay for the car purchase for her.
United States Attorney Schneider said, “Former Deputy Police Chief Washington’s corruption was particularly egregious because she was a high-level police official and a licensed attorney at the same time. While the grand majority of police officers are honest and dedicated, we will not tolerate bribery by any police officer charged with protecting the rule of law and our community.”
“Former Deputy Police Chief Washington violated the public’s trust by accepting bribes for her own financial gain,” said Timothy R. Slater, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit FBI. “These actions are not representative of the dedicated men and women of the Detroit Police Department. The FBI will continue to investigate individuals who commit criminal acts that erode the public’s confidence.”
This case is part of the government’s wide-ranging corruption investigation centered in Macomb County, Michigan. The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David A. Gardey and R. Michael Bullotta.
Five More Sentenced for Role in Heroin EnterpriseRead the Press Release
Harrisonburg, VIRGINIA – An additional five defendants out of 13 convicted of trafficking more than 1,000 grams of heroin from Baltimore to Front Royal were sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced.
Tuesday in Federal Court, three Front Royal residents were sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy. Da’Shawn Lee Edwards, 22, was sentenced to 168 months in prison, Keon Rasheed Hackley, 20, was sentenced to 36 months in prison and Tiara Lachay Bailey, 24, was sentenced to 16 months in prison.
In addition, a pair of Baltimore men involved in the conspiracy were sentenced for their roles in the trafficking enterprise. Antwan Lucas, 21, was sentenced Tuesday to 108 months in prison and Antwan Wilson Cottman, 29, was sentenced to 180 months.
All five of the defendants sentenced Tuesday, as well as three members of the conspiracy sentenced Monday in federal court, and five defendants scheduled for sentencing Wednesday, were involved in a multi-year trafficking enterprise that brought significant amounts of heroin from Baltimore to Front Royal.
“Our office is committed to working with state and local law enforcement in the Northern Shenandoah Valley to disrupt opioid distribution networks and aggressively prosecute the dealers who are poisoning our communities,” U.S. Attorney Thomas T. Cullen said today. “With the help of our local partners, we will be increasing enforcement and federal prosecutions in this region.”
According to information and evidence presented at previous hearings by Assistant United States Attorney Donald R. Wolthuis, the conspiracy began as early as 2013 with the goal of trafficking heroin from Baltimore to the Front Royal area. On average, members of the conspiracy distributed one kilogram of heroin per week during the life of the conspiracy, which operated between 2013 and April 2016.
To insulate the identity of the sellers from the identity of the buyers, heroin customers in Virginia contacted a phone number in Maryland, either by voice call or text, which was controlled by conspiracy members and was known only as the “Chris phone.” “Chris” was not a real person, but rather was a fake name associated with the phone number customers contacted to place heroin orders. At the time an order was placed, customers were provided a street address in Baltimore where their order was to be picked up. When a customer arrived at the pre-determined address, the customer’s car was approached by other members of the conspiracy, a drug transaction took place, and the Virginia customers drove back to Front Royal. No socializing or small talk took place between the customer in the car and the seller on the street. The Virginia customers made these trips every day, sometimes multiple times per day. Once they returned to Front Royal, the customers used the heroin and sold it to others.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Winchester Office, the Front Royal Office of the Virginia State Police Northwest Regional Drug and Gang Task Force, the Baltimore City Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Frederick, Maryland Sheriff’s Office, the Loudoun County, Virginia, Sheriff’s Office and the Howard County, Maryland, Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Donald R. Wolthuis is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Five More Defendants Sentenced to Federal Prison for Marijuana Trafficking and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Five defendants were sentenced to federal prison this week after having pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The sentences were announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Yesterday, the following defendants were sentenced on both charges:
- Charles Zachariah Sindylek, 32, of Pensacola, 90 months in prison and
- David DelGiacco, 56, of Lake Forest, California, 30 days in custody of the Bureau of Prisons.
Today, the following defendants were sentenced on both charges:
- Brandon Craig Remeyer, 35, of Trabuco Canyon, California, 72 months in prison and
- Andrew Paul Marcelonis, 32, of Pensacola, 18 months in prison.
Also today, Steven Ryan Michael Sholly, 31, of Milton, was sentenced to 59 months in prison on conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
Co-defendants Sanford Eugene Johnson III, William Brett Brownell, and his father William Ezra Brownell had previously pled guilty and were sentenced last November.
Between 2014 and 2017, the defendants conspired to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana in the Northern District of Florida. Johnson, William Brett Brownell, Sholly, and others in the Pensacola area ordered the marijuana from Sindylek and Remeyer, who shipped packages of marijuana from California to Florida with the assistance of DelGiacco. Johnson, William Brett Brownell, and Sholly then sold the marijuana in Florida with the assistance of Marcelonis, William Ezra Brownell, and others. The cash proceeds of the marijuana distribution were laundered through bank accounts, and later mailed to addresses in California. More than $3.5 million in cash proceeds from the sale of marijuana was laundered during the time frame of the conspiracy.
This case resulted from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, the Pensacola Police Department, the Mobile Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Gulf Breeze Police Department, and the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Fifth Defendant in Multi-State Dog Fighting Prosecution Sentenced to Two Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – The fifth defendant to plead guilty in a multi-state dog fighting case was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for his role in dog fighting activities that took place in New Jersey and Virginia, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito of the District of New Jersey and Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division announced.
Mario Atkinson, 42, of Asbury Park, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty June 15, 2017, before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan an information charging him with one count of sponsoring and exhibiting a dog in a dog fight, and one count of unlawful possession of a dog intended to be used for the purpose of dog fighting. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents in this and other cases and statements made in court:
Atkinson admitted that in 2016, he had fought his dog in a dog fight in Virginia for a $1,000 wager. The investigation revealed that Atkinson’s dog perished after the dog fight while Atkinson was driving home, and that Atkinson placed the dog’s body in a trash receptacle. On June 1, 2016, agents seized 18 pit bull-type dogs from Atkinson. Some of these dogs had scarring and injuries consistent with fighting and were found near dog fighting equipment, including an electric treadmill specially outfitted with side panels and a leash clip to force dogs to run on the treadmill. Agents also found blood splatters in three areas of Atkinson’s basement that tested positive for canine blood.
Four other defendants in this case previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to a total of 111 months. The court set a trial date of Oct. 8, 2018, for the four remaining defendants in the case.
“Federal and local law enforcement agencies in New Jersey have ramped up their efforts recently to track down animal fighters and bring them to justice,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “We will continue to root out dog fighting in New Jersey and to work with our local and state partners to bring the offenders to justice.”
“Animal cruelty like the conduct in this case has no place in a civilized society,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Wood. “Today’s sentencing sends a strong message that we are bringing to justice those who engage in illegal dog fighting and that anyone who engages in this conduct does so at the risk of significant jail time.”
“The provisions of the Animal Welfare Act were designed to protect animals from being used in illegal fighting ventures, which often entail other forms of criminal activity involving drugs, firearms and gambling,” Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins for U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General said “Together with the Department of Justice, animal fighting is an investigative priority for USDA OIG, and we will work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and assist in the criminal prosecution of those who participate in animal fighting ventures.”
In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Atkinson to three years of supervised release and fined him $1,000.
The case is part of Operation Grand Champion, a coordinated effort across numerous federal judicial districts to combat organized dog fighting. The phrase “Grand Champion” is used by dog fighters to refer to a dog with more than five dog fighting “victories.” To date, 98 dogs have been rescued as part of Operation Grand Champion, and either surrendered or forfeited to the government. The Humane Society of the United States assisted with the care of the dogs seized by federal law enforcement.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen O’Leary of the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section.
Fifth Defendant in Multi-State Dog Fighting Prosecution Sentenced to 24 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
The fifth defendant to plead guilty in a multi-state dog fighting case was sentenced today in federal court in Trenton, New Jersey, for his role in dog fighting activities that took place in New Jersey and Virginia. Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito of the District of New Jersey made the announcement.
U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan sentenced Mario Atkinson, 42, of Asbury Park, New Jersey, to serve 24 months in prison to be followed by three years supervised release, and a $1000 fine. Atkinson pleaded guilty on June 15, 2017, to one felony count of sponsoring and exhibiting a dog in a dog fight, and one felony count of unlawful possession of dogs intended to be used for the purpose of dog fighting.
Atkinson admitted that, in 2016, he had fought his dog in a dog fight in Virginia for a $1,000 wager. The investigation revealed that Atkinson’s dog perished after the dog fight while Atkinson was driving home, and that Atkinson placed the dog’s body in a trash receptacle. On June 1, 2016, agents seized 18 pit bull-type dogs from Atkinson. Some of these dogs had scarring and injuries consistent with fighting and were found near dog fighting equipment, including an electric human treadmill specially outfitted with side panels and a leash clip to force dogs to run on the treadmill. Agents also found blood splatters in three areas of Atkinson’s basement that tested positive for canine blood.
Four other defendants in this case previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to a total of 111 months in prison. Trial for the remaining four defendants in the case is set for October 8, 2018.
“Animal cruelty like the conduct in this case has no place in a civilized society,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Wood. “Today’s sentencing sends a strong message that we are bringing to justice those who engage in illegal dog fighting and that anyone who engages in this conduct does so at the risk of significant jail time.”
“Federal and local law enforcement agencies in New Jersey have ramped up their efforts recently to track down animal fighters and bring them to justice,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “We will continue to root out dog fighting in New Jersey and to work with our local and state partners to bring the offenders to justice.”
“The provisions of the Animal Welfare Act were designed to protect animals from being used in illegal fighting ventures, which often entail other forms of criminal activity involving drugs, firearms and gambling,” said Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins for U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General. “Together with the Department of Justice, animal fighting is an investigative priority for USDA OIG, and we will work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and assist in the criminal prosecution of those who participate in animal fighting ventures.”
This case is part of Operation Grand Champion, a coordinated effort across numerous federal judicial districts to combat organized dog fighting. The phrase “Grand Champion” is used by dog fighters to refer to a dog with more than five dog fighting “victories.” To date, 98 dogs have been rescued as part of Operation Grand Champion, and either surrendered or forfeited to the government. The Humane Society of the United States assisted with the care of the dogs seized by federal law enforcement. The government is represented by Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen O’Leary. The case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Federal Jury Convicts Man of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon Who Brandished a Firearm Adjacent to a Local Business Following a Verbal ConfrontationRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI- After a one day trial, a federal jury on Monday found Rehelio Trant, 39, of St. Thomas, guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, United States Gretchen C. F. Shappert announced.
Trant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for August 16, 2018.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on October 16, 2017, the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) received a report from an individual that Trant brandished a firearm after a verbal confrontation with the individual adjacent to a local business. Trant had a prior conviction for a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and firearms are not manufactured in the Virgin Islands.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Virgin Islands Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.
Erie Man Indicted on Child Sexual Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The two-count indictment named Kenneth L. Blanks, 36, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment presented to the court, Blanks received and possessed computer images and movies depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
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.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. 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 Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the Erie Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Doctor Sentenced in Pharmaceutical Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DR. RAFAEL PRATS, age 64, a resident of Miami, Florida, was sentenced to three years probation today after previously pleading guilty to a twelve-count indictment charging conspiracy to commit theft of medical products, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to court documents, beginning sometime prior to December 2012, PRATS and others conspired to use Marea Distributors and Logistics, LLC, in Louisiana and Marea Distributors, LLC, in Florida to fraudulently re-sell diverted pharmaceuticals. Working together, the defendants would collect dispensed drugs of known and unknown origin, counterfeit drugs, expired drugs, and drugs not authorized for resale and then fraudulently reintroduce them into the pre-retail, wholesale market for eventual sale under false pretenses to pharmacies and end users. According to court documents PRATS served as a broker in obtaining the diverted pharmaceuticals from various sources.
Among other things, the defendants would create and scan fraudulent invoices and send them from Marea Distributors in Florida to Marea Distributors & Logistics in Louisiana by email. In Louisiana, Marea Distributors & Logistics would then send the fraudulent invoices by email from Louisiana to wherever the diverted pharmaceuticals were shipped. When necessary, Marea Distributors & Logistics in Louisiana would create invoices for the products and email them to customers who were making purchases.
During the course of the conspiracy the defendants opened or caused to be opened bank accounts in the names of various entities, including Marea Distributors & Logistics and Marea Distributors. The defendants used those accounts to deposit the proceeds obtained from the sale of diverted pharmaceuticals and then to further distribute those proceeds to bank accounts controlled by them.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Miami Dade Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Theodore R. Carter, III and David Haller were in charge of the prosecution.
Delta Sonic Employee Pleads Guilty in Connection with Oil Discharge into Cayuga CreekRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Michael Yount, 46, of Lancaster, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to making a materially false statement. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that on July 18, 2016, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation responded to an alleged oil spill in Cayuga Creek in Niagara Falls, NY. The NYS-DEC Spills Unit found a significant amount of suspected waste oil in the creek along Niagara Falls Boulevard near Tuscarora Road and in a large storm sewer water pipe along Niagara Falls Boulevard.
As part of a subsequent investigation, a DEC Environmental Programs Technician began looking into potential sources of the oil discharge—which the Technician estimated to be between 300 and 500 gallon oil spill—and whether a violation of the Clean Water Act had occurred. The Technician contacted the defendant, who was the Environmental Compliance Officer for Delta Sonic Car Wash Systems, Inc., which has a location on Niagara Falls Boulevard, approximately a half a mile from Cayuga Creek. During a meeting at the Delta Sonic location on Niagara Falls Boulevard, the Technician learned that Delta Sonic was renovating the oil change and lube shop garage, which involved the removal of concrete floors by a subcontractor. At that time, Yount stated that there had not been any problems except for a minor spill of approximately two gallons of oil which was immediately cleaned up.
The Technician returned to Delta Sonic the following day and observed an absorbent boom with oil on it in a storm sewer receiver located in the parking lot outside of the oil change garage. While the Technician was looking into the storm sewer receiver with the defendant, Yount, sought to mislead the Technician by stating that booms were often left in sewers and that the boom in question may have been in there for some time. However, the defendant knew that booms were not often left in the sewers at Delta Sonic and that this boom had been placed in the storm sewer receiver approximately six days earlier. Such boom had been placed in the storm sewer receiver as a result of a complaint by another Delta Sonic employee that oily wastewater was being pumped into it as a result of the renovation of the Delta Sonic oil change and lube shop garage.
“The Great Lakes, the Niagara River, and its tributaries are among the most precious natural resources in our community,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “We will continue to work vigilantly with our federal, state, and local partners to preserve and protect those valuable resources and to prosecute those whose actions bring them harm.”
“The failure of this defendant to supply accurate and timely information on this spill delayed a speedy response to rectify this environmental threat,” said NYS-DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “DEC’s spill response experts are on the frontlines every day protecting New Yorkers when incidents happen and need correct information to guide on-the-ground remediation efforts. I applaud the work of our DEC Investigators, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York and the Environmental Protection Agency for bringing this case to fruition.”
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Environmental Protection Agency –Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-In-Charge Tyler Amon; the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police, BECI, under the direction of Captain John Burke; and the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Chief Bryan DalPorto.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 23, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. before Judge Wolford.
Cyber Criminal Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Attempting to Steal More Than $3 Million from a Financial Institution and Government AgenciesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Dwayne C. Hans, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Sterling Johnson to 36 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $134,000.00 in restitution for orchestrating a series of frauds between July 2015 and October 2016, including by masquerading as an authorized representative of a U.S. financial institution and as a defense contractor. Hans previously pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of computer intrusion.
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 (FBI), New York Field Office, and Robert A. Westbrooks, Inspector General, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), announced the sentence.
“Hans has been held accountable for engaging in brazen fraud schemes intended to steal millions of dollars by using U.S. government websites,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Investigating and prosecuting cyber criminals is a priority of this Office, in order to protect the integrity of computer systems that help our government and the private sector operate.”
“Hans advanced his own interests at the expense of various government entities responsible for distributing taxpayer dollars,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “We have a responsibility to uphold the public’s confidence in the security of both government and private sector computer networks. Today’s sentencing brings us one step closer to achieving this goal.”
“We want to thank our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for bringing to justice those who attempt to steal from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation,” stated PBGC Inspector General Westbrooks. “The PBGC protects the retirement benefits of more than 40 million American workers and retirees. The Corporation does not receive tax dollars and relies upon premium income. Our office will remain vigilant in safeguarding PBGC insurance programs and the integrity of its web applications.”
Between July 2015 and December 2015, Hans submitted bids to the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), an agency within the United States Department of Defense, for contracts in the names of two different companies he created. The contracts on which Hans bid related to the provision of various items to the DLA, including electrical measurement equipment. Hans falsely claimed that those companies had numerous employees and were capable of filling the contracts. In reality, the companies had no employees and no ability to service the contracts. The DLA awarded at least 52 contracts, worth approximately $533,209.70, to Hans’s companies and sent at least $11,999.32 to those companies.
In early 2016, Hans created numerous bank accounts in the name of a U.S. financial institution (Financial Institution 1). In April 2016, Hans accessed a website maintained by the United States General Services Administration that allowed companies that worked with the U.S. government to provide information about how the government should disburse money to those companies. Hans modified payment information in an entry associated with Financial Institution 1 in order to redirect payments to accounts he controlled. As a result, a U.S. government agency transferred approximately $1.521 million to Hans instead of to Financial Institution 1. Those transfers were ultimately detected and disrupted before Hans withdrew or transferred the money.
In addition, between April 2016 and June 2016, Hans used a computer to initiate electronic transfers of approximately $134,000 from two corporate bank accounts held by Financial Institution 1. Hans directed the fund transfers to purchase publicly traded stock, invest in real estate in Brooklyn and to pay utility bills.
Finally, between June 2016 and October 2016, Hans accessed a website maintained by the PBGC, a U.S. government agency that insures certain pension plans, through which the administrators of pension plans can submit claims for reimbursements. Hans, who was not the administrator of any pension plan, created an account on the PBGC website and then submitted requests to be reimbursed a total of $1.633 million for expenses related to three pension plans. The three plans for which Hans requested reimbursements did not exist, and he had incurred no such expenses. The PBGC detected the fraud before any payments were issued.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorney David K. Kessler is in charge of the prosecution with assistance from the DLA and PBGC Office of Inspector General.
The Defendant:
DWAYNE C. HANS
Age: 28
Residence: Richland, WashingtonE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-256 (SJ)
Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc. Reaches Agreement with United States to Resolve Unauthorized Archaeological SurveyRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – April 17, 2018 – Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc. (CRA), headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, has entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the United States to resolve violations of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA), announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
On December 22, 2017, National Park Service Rangers with the Natchez Trace Parkway issued a notice of violation to CRA for conducting an unauthorized archaeological survey on Parkway lands, in connection with the proposed Stephen’s Valley development in Davidson and Williamson Counties in Tennessee.
According to the notice of violation, in November 2016, CRA conducted excavation activities, without the required ARPA permits, which resulted in the removal of Native American archaeological artifacts, which were more than 100 years old. The excavation was in advance of a proposed tree planting effort to screen the development from Parkway visitors’ view.
The agreement between the United States and CRA defers prosecution for criminal violations of the ARPA and requires CRA to pay a penalty in the amount of $15,024, the amount of damages determined from the unauthorized excavation, and to return all artifacts discovered during the process.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to enforcing laws that Congress enacted to protect archaeological resources,” said U.S. Attorney Cochran. “This agreement is fair and just and properly mitigates the damage by deferring criminal prosecution, requiring the return of the artifacts and imposing a penalty for failing to secure the required permits.”
“This situation could have easily been avoided had CRA applied for and received an ARPA permit,” said Superintendent Mary Risser, of the Natchez Trace Parkway. “Archaeological resources on National Park Service property belong to everyone and we have a responsibility to prevent their unauthorized removal. Parkway staff will use the funds paid by CRA to preserve cultural resources on the Parkway.”
This action was initiated by Rangers of National Park Service – Natchez Trace Parkway. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Beth Myers handled the case on behalf of the government.
Charlotte Man Sentenced to Prison for Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Today, United States District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. sentenced Boakai Boker, 29, of Charlotte, to 57 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, in connection with a stolen identity refund fraud scheme, announced R. Andrew Murray, United States Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
U.S. Attorney Murray is joined in making today’s announcement by Reginald DeMatteis, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office (USSS); David M. McGinnis, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service; and Matthew D. Line, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI).
According to court documents, trial, evidence, witness testimony, and today’s sentencing hearing, beginning in January 2014, Boker executed a scheme to submit fake tax returns to the IRS, using stolen personal identifying information, including names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers for dozens of individuals. For example, according to trial evidence, Boker used the personal information of an individual identified as “E.P.” to file a fake tax return, which resulted in Boker gaining access to more than $40,000 in fraudulent proceeds.
Court records show that Boker directed the IRS to send the fraudulent refund checks to addresses in Mooresville, N.C. which he controlled. Boker then deposited the proceeds of the scheme into fraudulent bank accounts to which he had access. In July 2017, a federal jury convicted Boker of wire fraud, bank fraud, false claims, and aggravated identity theft in connection with the scheme.
U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the Secret Service, USPIS, and IRS-CI for conducting the investigation and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for its assistance with this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Phillips of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
For 2018, the IRS, the states and the tax industry joined together to enact new safeguards and take additional actions to combat tax-related identity theft. Among other things, the IRS maintains an identity protection website with information and guidance that can be found at:
https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/identity-protection.
Cedar Rapids Marijuana & Cocaine Dealer Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who sold over 100 pounds of marijuana was sentenced on April 17, 2018, to 23 months in federal prison.
Vichit Kho, age 37, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 6, 2017, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and cocaine. At the guilty plea, Kho admitted he agreed to distribute more than 110 pounds of marijuana and quantities of cocaine in the Cedar Rapids area between 2011 and 2016.
Kho was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Kho was sentenced to 23 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Kho is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Reinert and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-00063.
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Castleton Man Sentenced to Five Years Imprisonment for Selling Heroin and Unlawful Possession of a Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated today that Leon Russell, 36, of Castleton was sentenced to five years imprisonment by Chief Judge Geoffrey Crawford in U.S. District Court in Rutland. Judge Crawford also sentenced Russell to three years supervised release, which is a period of supervision by the U.S. Probation Office, which will begin upon Russell’s release from prison.
According to court records, Russell previously pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon and distributing heroin. The firearm charge stems from Russell’s theft of a .380 caliber Bersa semiautomatic pistol from a vehicle parked in a Fair Haven driveway on December 6, 2016. Later that day, Russell traded that firearm in exchange for four small bags of heroin from another heroin dealer in the Walmart parking lot in Rutland. The firearm was subsequently recovered. Russell was disqualified from possessing a firearm under federal law because he was previously convicted of a 2009 burglary of American Legion Post #50 in Castleton, Vermont. Possession of a firearm by a felon is subject to a maximum sentence of ten years. Federal law also makes it a crime to knowingly possess a stolen firearm, regardless of whether a person has a prior felony conviction. This offense is also subject to a maximum ten years imprisonment.
The heroin offense to which Russell also pled guilty, concerned Russell’s sale of a bundle of heroin (ten small bags) in Castleton on May 27, 2015. The maximum sentence for this offense is twenty years.
In July 2017, with the support of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Court released Russell from jail to allow him to participate in residential drug rehabilitation and then the Federal Drug Court program in Rutland. If Russell had successfully completed the Drug Court program he would have received no further jail time; that is, a time-served sentence. In November 2017, however, Judge Crawford revoked Russell’s conditions of release based on the government’s allegations that Russell had resumed distributing heroin and crack cocaine and that he had continued to use drugs while in Drug Court.
At sentencing, the government argued that instead of proving through Drug Court that he could be trusted to be a law-abiding citizen, Russell proved just the opposite; that is, he remained a danger to the community. In sentencing Russell to 60 months imprisonment, Judge Crawford emphasized the potential dangerous consequences of trading guns for drugs.
U.S. Attorney Christina E. Nolan commended the collaboration of federal and local law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of Russell, citing specifically the substantial contributions of the Fair Haven and Rutland Police Departments and the DEA and ATF. She added, “trading firearms to drug dealers is inherently dangerous and creates an unacceptable public safety risk. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will work closely with our law enforcement partners to prioritize identification and prosecution of those who mix unlawful firearms activity with the drug trade. Further, federal prosecutors will pursue appropriate sanction for those who brazenly violate Court orders, as occurred in this case.”
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhood, a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in America. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Project Safe Neighborhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who violate federal gun laws. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhood and Project Safe Vermont, please visit: http://www.projectsafeneighborhoods.gov/
This case was investigated jointly by the Vermont State Police Drug Task Force, the Fair Haven Police Department, the Rutland Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Perella. Russell is represented by Richard Bothfeld, Esq. of Burlington.
Carthage Man Sentenced for $1 Million Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Carthage, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute more than $1 million worth of methamphetamine in southern Missouri and in the Kansas City, Mo., area.
Jarub Ray Baird, 27, of Carthage, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 11 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole.
On July 31, 2017, Baird pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Jan. 1, 2014, to Nov. 17, 2016, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Co-defendant Michael Ryan Nevatt, 28, of Springfield, was convicted at trial on Friday, April 6, 2018, of all seven counts contained in a Nov. 17, 2016, federal indictment. Co-defendant Kenneth Lake, 56, of Strafford, Mo., was the original head of the organization, coordinating vehicle transport shipments of methamphetamine from a Mexican cartel source in Texas to Springfield. Conspirators in Springfield divided the methamphetamine for distribution to the Lebanon, Mo., and Kansas City, Mo., areas. Lake has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
Nevatt subsequently became the head of the organization. Nevatt and other conspirators made regular trips, and sometimes travelled several times a week, to pick up multiple-pound supplies of methamphetamine. For example, Nevatt traveled to Texas regularly to pick up 10 pounds of methamphetamine and bring it back to Springfield. Nevatt would later return to Texas with approximately $100,000 in cash to pay for it. On one occasion, Nevatt met sources in Dallas, Texas, to purchase 40 pounds of methamphetamine. Mexican sources also delivered multiple-pound shipments of methamphetamine by truck or car to Springfield.
Baird assisted Nevatt with obtaining and distributing more than five kilograms of methamphetamine and with collecting drug proceeds for the methamphetamine that was distributed. On Aug. 28, 2015, Lake and co-defendant Kara Rene Baze, 25, of Springfield, were arrested during a search warrant at a hotel room in Springfield. Officers recovered $102,787, a loaded handgun and a small amount of methamphetamine. Nevatt and Baird arrived in a black Corvette and after a brief chase were apprehended. Baze has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
Baird is among 15 defendants who have been convicted in this case, and the third defendant to be sentenced. Scott Bryan Sands, 53, of Springfield, was sentenced on April 12, 2018, to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. Aaron Randall Stull, 53, of Springfield, was sentenced on Feb. 8, 2018, to eight years in federal prison without parole.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Rhoades and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh Ragner. It was investigated by the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the Buchanan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Central Oklahoma Metro Interdiction Team.
Campbell County Man Sentenced to 262 Months for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – On Tuesday, Nathan W. Balser, 31, of Campbell County, Kentucky, was sentenced to nearly 22 years in prison, by United States District Judge David Bunning, for Production of Child Pornography.
Balser previously admitted that, in January 2017, he took sexually explicit videos of his daughter, who was only 11 years old at the time. Balser pleaded guilty to the charges in December 2017.
Under federal law, Balser must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon release, he will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Steven L. Igyarto, Resident Agent in Charge, Homeland Security/ICE and Chief Craig Sorrell, Campbell County Police Department, jointly made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Campbell County Police Department conducted the investigation. Former Assistant United States Attorney Robert K. McBride and Assistant United States Attorney Wade T. Napier represented the United States.
California Resident Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to File Fraudulent Tax Returns Seeking More Than $9.7 Million in RefundsRead the Press Release
A Salinas, California, resident pleaded guilty today to conspiring to file fraudulent claims for income tax refunds, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Alex G. Tse for the Northern District of California.
According to documents and information provided to the court, during 2012, Ana Bajo a/k/a Ana Covarrubias, 43, conspired with others to obtain the personal identifying information of others and use it to file more than 2,300 fraudulent income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). These returns reported fake wages and fraudulently claimed dependents, education expenses and tax credits. In total, the returns sought approximately $9.7 million in refunds, of which the IRS paid more than $7.5 million. Bajo, and her co-conspirators, directed the fraudulently obtained refund checks into bank accounts that they controlled.
U.S. District Court Judge Koh scheduled sentencing for Sept. 26. Bajo faces a statutory maximum sentence of ten years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and Acting U.S. Attorney Tse commended special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael G. Pitman and Trial Attorney Christopher Magnani of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting this case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
California Resident Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to File Fraudulent Tax Returns Seeking More Than $9.7 Million in RefundsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Salinas resident Ana Bajo, a/k/a Ana Covarrubias, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to file fraudulent claims for income tax refunds, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Alex G. Tse and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
According to documents and information provided to the court, during 2012, Bajo, 43, conspired with others to obtain the personal identifying information of others and use it to file more than 2,300 fraudulent income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). These returns reported fake wages and fraudulently claimed dependents, education expenses, and tax credits. In total, the returns sought approximately $9.7 million in refunds, of which the IRS paid more than $7.5 million. Bajo and her co-conspirators directed the fraudulently obtained refund checks into bank accounts that they controlled. On July 13, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted Bajo charging her with conspiracy to submit false claims, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 286. Pursuant to today’s plea agreement, she pleaded guilty to the charge.
U.S. District Judge Lucy H. Koh scheduled Bajo’s sentencing hearing for September 26, 2018. Bajo faces a statutory maximum sentence of ten years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael G. Pitman and Trial Attorney Christopher Magnani of the Tax Division are prosecuting this case. This prosecution is a result of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation.
Buffalo Man Sentenced to 20 Years on Cocaine ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Clarence Adams, 35, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, was sentenced to 250 months in prison and 10 years supervised release by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who handled the case, stated that on May 13, 2016, law enforcement officers seized three packages containing cocaine that were shipped from Texas to Buffalo. The cocaine was hidden inside air purifiers. Officers seized two of the packages before they were delivered and set-up controlled deliveries to addresses on Tyler and Custer Streets in Buffalo. The packages contained a total of five kilograms of cocaine. Adams recruited five individuals to receive the packages. He and co-defendant Robert Hall paid those receiving the packages in money or crack cocaine. A total of 19 packages were shipped from Texas to Buffalo, and each package contained at least one kilogram of cocaine.
Robert Hall was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division; the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Police, under the direction of Chief George Gast; and the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Zack.
Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion; Owes over 1 Million Dollars to the IRSRead the Press Release
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Dorian Wills, 52, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to tax evasion before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
According to documents and information provided to the court, between April 2010 and October 2013, the defendant operated a debt collection business under various names, including Heritage Capital Services LLC; Performance Payment Processing LLC; Performance Payment Service LLC; Pinnacle Payment Service LLC; and Velocity Payment Solutions LLC. Wills resided in the Western District of New York but spent significant time in Cleveland, Ohio, and Atlanta, Georgia, where the debt collection companies were located. From approximately November 2010 through approximately October 2013, the defendant operated a business called Freestar World LLC, through which he did work for the debt collection companies.
The debt collection companies engaged in illegal debt collection practices such as making threatening and harassing phone calls, and collecting on debt that did not exist or debt to which the debt collection companies did not have title. To avoid detection by state and federal law enforcement authorities, Wills solicited two individuals to assist him with his businesses.
The defendant had these individuals incorporate several debt collection companies in Georgia and Ohio, open dozens of bank accounts in the names of the debt collection companies, and submit applications for merchant accounts in the names of the debt collection companies.
Between 2010 and 2013, none of the debt collection companies filed a tax return. In addition, Wills failed to file his 2011 and 2013 personal income tax returns, despite some of the debt collection companies earning approximately $4,000,000 in gross receipts.
For the tax year 2012, the defendant filed a personal income tax return but the return did not include income information from any businesses, some of which earned nearly $5,000,000 in gross receipts in 2012, except for Freestar.
As a result of unreported income and the unpaid 2012 taxes, the defendant owes $1,209,537.88 in federal income taxes for tax years 2011 through 2013.
Previously, Wills and the debt collection companies were the subject of a civil investigation by the Federal Trade Commission, with the defendant and the FTC stipulating to a final order for permanent injunction on August 8, 2014.
U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford scheduled sentencing for Aug. 23, 2018. Wills faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Kennedy thanked special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, AUSA Marie P. Grisanti, and Tax Division Trial Attorneys Jason M. Scheff and Thomas F. Koelbl, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion; Owes over $1,000,000 to the IRSRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division announced today that Dorian Wills, 52, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to tax evasion before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
According to documents and information provided to the court, between April 2010 and October 2013, the defendant operated a debt collection business under various names, including Heritage Capital Services LLC; Performance Payment Processing LLC; Performance Payment Service LLC; Pinnacle Payment Service LLC; and Velocity Payment Solutions LLC. Wills resided in the Western District of New York but spent significant time in Cleveland, Ohio, and Atlanta, Georgia, where the debt collection companies were located. From approximately November 2010 through approximately October 2013, the defendant operated a business called Freestar World LLC, through which he did work for the debt collection companies.
The debt collection companies engaged in illegal debt collection practices such as making threatening and harassing phone calls, and collecting on debt that did not exist or debt to which the debt collection companies did not have title. To avoid detection by state and federal law enforcement authorities, Wills solicited two individuals to assist him with his businesses.
The defendant had these individuals incorporate several debt collection companies in Georgia and Ohio, open dozens of bank accounts in the names of the debt collection companies, and submit applications for merchant accounts in the names of the debt collection companies.
Between 2010 and 2013, none of the debt collection companies filed a tax return. In addition, Wills failed to file his 2011 and 2013 personal income tax returns, despite some of the debt collection companies earning approximately $4,000,000 in gross receipts.
For the tax year 2012, the defendant filed a personal income tax return but the return did not include income information from any businesses, some of which earned nearly $5,000,000 in gross receipts in 2012, except for Freestar.
As a result of unreported income and the unpaid 2012 taxes, the defendant owes $1,209,537.88 in federal income taxes for tax years 2011 through 2013.
Previously, Wills and the debt collection companies were the subject of a civil investigation by the Federal Trade Commission, with the defendant and the FTC stipulating to a final order for permanent injunction on August 8, 2014.
Judge Wolford scheduled sentencing for Aug. 23, 2018. Wills faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Kennedy thanked special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, AUSA Marie P. Grisanti, and Tax Division Trial Attorneys Jason M. Scheff and Thomas F. Koelbl, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Baltimore Man Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison for RobberyRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Baltimore, Maryland – On April 17, 2018, United States District Judge Marvin J. Garbis sentenced Sean Shorb, age 38, of Frederick, Maryland to 100 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for Hobbs Act robbery.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Daniel L. Board Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Baltimore Field Division; and Chief Edward G. Hargis of the Frederick City Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, in March of 2017, Shorb committed two robberies of businesses in Frederick, Maryland. On March 19, 2017, Shorb walked into a fast food restaurant on Thomas Johnson Drive, pointed a handgun at an employee, and stated that he would shoot the employee unless the employee handed over money. The employee complied and handed over the money from the store’s cash register.
Later that same week, on March 23, 2017, Shorb walked into a convenience store on Amber Drive, pointed a pistol at an employee, and stated in substance: “Give me the money, give me the money, and don’t say anything.” The employee complied and handed over money from the store’s cash register.
Frederick City Police Department (“FPD”) investigators obtained red light camera footage that showed Shorb’s vehicle fleeing from one of the robberies. When an FPD police officer later attempted to conduct a traffic stop of Shorb for speeding, Shorb fled from police. Shorb was apprehended and later admitted to committing the robberies and said that he used a handgun that he tossed into a sewer in Baltimore.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised the ATF and the Frederick City Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew DellaBetta, who prosecuted the case.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions Appoints a U.S. Trustee and an Acting U.S. Trustee to Cover Two U.S. Trustee Program RegionsRead the Press Release
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has appointed Ilene J. Lashinsky as the U.S. Trustee for Kansas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma (Region 20) for an interim period, and Paul A. Randolph as the Acting U.S. Trustee for Kentucky and Tennessee (Region 8), the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees (EOUST) announced today. These appointments will be effective April 29, upon the retirement of Samuel K. Crocker, the current U.S. Trustee for these two Regions.
Ms. Lashinsky is the U.S. Trustee for the District of Arizona (Region 14), and Mr. Randolph is the Assistant U.S. Trustee in the U.S. Trustee Program’s St. Louis office. Under 28 U.S.C. § 585, the Attorney General may fill U.S. Trustee vacancies by appointing another individual to serve as an Acting U.S. Trustee or by designating an incumbent U. S. Trustee to serve in a second region. Both Ms. Lashinksy and Mr. Randolph bring a wealth of experience to these positions, having served in the U.S. Trustee Program for 16 and 28 years, respectively.
“On behalf of the U.S. Trustee Program, I congratulate and thank Mr. Crocker for his many years of invaluable service to the bankruptcy system, both as the U.S. Trustee and formerly as a private trustee,” said USTP Director Cliff White. “I also am grateful to our colleagues Ms. Lashinsky and Mr. Randolph for their commitment to the mission of the Program and their willingness to assume these additional roles.”
The U.S. Trustee Program is the component of the Justice Department that protects the integrity of the bankruptcy system by overseeing case administration and litigating to enforce the bankruptcy laws. The USTP has 21 regions and 92 field office locations. Region 8 is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee with additional offices in Chattanooga and Nashville, Tennessee, and Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky. Region 20 is headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, with additional offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Alleged Drug Dealer Charged with Overdose Death in ManhattanRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the arrest of DANIEL JONES and the unsealing of a Complaint charging him with distributing the heroin that resulted in the death of Robert Martin Hill in Manhattan. The Complaint also alleges that JONES conspired with others to distribute heroin between November 2017 and March 2018 in Manhattan, and that JONES distributed heroin on March 1 and March 6, 2018. JONES was arrested yesterday afternoon by the NYPD, and was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron in Manhattan federal court.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, Daniel Jones peddled potentially lethal heroin in the East Village of Manhattan, and a dose he sold to Robert Martin Hill resulted in Hill’s death. Working with the NYPD we will continue to combat the epidemic of lethal opioids.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint[1]:
On November 18, 2017, Robert Martin Hill, a 54-year-old resident of Manhattan, overdosed in his apartment. The NYPD began investigating Mr. Hill’s death. An autopsy conducted following Mr. Hill’s death revealed that he died from a lethal dose of opioids. Four glassine bags were recovered from Mr. Hill’s pants pocket, which had the word “Gorilla” and a picture of a gorilla stamped in black ink. The residue in the glassine bags tested positive for heroin. The NYPD also obtained Mr. Hill’s cellphone.
As detailed in the Complaint, the NYPD was able to trace the last completed call that Mr. Hill made before he overdosed on November 18, 2017, to a cellphone used by JONES. The NYPD learned that JONES was the superintendent of the building where Mr. Hill resided, and that JONES continued to sell heroin near that building in the East Village. In March 2018, the NYPD made undercover buys of heroin from JONES on two occasions. During the second undercover buy, JONES stated that he sold heroin to Mr. Hill, that he knew Mr. Hill recently died, and that he sold Mr. Hill heroin that was packaged in glassines with a gorilla stamp.
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JONES, 53, of Manhattan, was charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin, and with conspiring to distribute heroin. JONES faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison based upon his distribution of the heroin that killed Mr. Hill.
The statutory maximum and minimum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for information purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD in this case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Michael K. Krouse is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations and the defendants are 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.
Tuesday 17 April 2018
Zia Pueblo Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Child Abuse ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Dale Dominic Galvan, 40, an enrolled member of the Zia Pueblo, who resides in Englewood, Colo., was sentenced today in federal court in Santa Fe, N.M., to 23 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release for his conviction on a child abuse charge.
Galvan was indicted on May 12, 2015, and was charged with abandonment or abuse of a child under the age of 18 on April 15, 2014, on the Santa Clara Pueblo in Rio Arriba County, N.M.
On Sept. 18, 2017, Galvan pled guilty to an information charging him with child abuse. In entering the guilty plea, Galvan admitted that on April 15, 2014, he exposed a two-year-old child to inclement weather by leaving the child in a vehicle for at least 20 to 45 minutes on a cold night with a temperature of about 29 degrees Fahrenheit. The child was dressed only in a t-shirt, without a diaper, socks, or pants and was found to be cold and shivering. Galvan further admitted that his actions caused and permitted a substantial and unjustifiable risk of serious harm to the safety and health of the child.
This case was investigated by the Northern Pueblos Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services, and the Santa Clara Pueblo Tribal Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle T. Nayback.
Wilmington Woman Indicted for Obstructing Homicide Investigation and Lying to the FBIRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Delaware returned a five-count indictment on April 12, 2018, charging Jaclyn McCain, 26, of Wilmington, with one count of obstruction of justice and four counts of lying to the FBI.
According to the Indictment, on June 6, 2017, in Newark, Delaware, a female victim was followed and ultimately taken from a location near her apartment. A short time later, shots were fired at the victim’s boyfriend on Rt. 896. The victim was then taken by car to Elkton, Maryland. The victim’s body was found later that day in Elkton, near where shots had been heard around noon. The car used in the murder was a silver Hyundai Sonata registered to McCain’s mother.
The Indictment describes McCain’s telephone communications just hours before the victim’s homicide in Elkton. The Indictment further alleges that McCain swapped cars with her boyfriend at about 8 a.m. that morning, leaving the Hyundai Sonata with him and driving away in his car. Video surveillance shows the Hyundai Sonata near the murder scene in Elkton.
The Indictment further details the connection between the events described above and the shooting of a six-year-old child later that same day in Wilmington. The shots that gravely injured the six-year-old were intended for the same individual (the victim’s boyfriend) targeted in the Rt. 896 shooting earlier that day.
Four weeks after the murder, the FBI interviewed McCain and told her that her mother’s Hyundai Sonata was used in a homicide. Agents also told her that the homicide was related to the shooting of the six-year old that occurred later that same day. The Indictment alleges that, in the interview, McCain on multiple occasions denied letting anyone use, drive, or borrow her mother’s car.
Internet searches from the defendant’s phone, as early as three nights after the homicide, reference a homicide that occurred in Elkton.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated the following: “The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the homicide and shootings that occurred on June 6, 2017 is a matter of critical importance to this Office and our community. Witnesses to such events are expected to respond truthfully when questioned. The failure to do so will bring consequences. I want to thank the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their extraordinary and ongoing work on this case.”
If convicted of obstruction of justice as charged in the Indictment, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment.
This case is being investigated by the Wilmington Police Department, Delaware State Police, New Castle County Police Department, Elkton Police Department, Delaware Department of Justice, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is being prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon T. Hanson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Mackler.
Criminal indictments are only allegations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Wilkes-Barre Man Sentenced to 6 Months’ Imprisonment for Stealing and Depositing Checks from Mail ReceptaclesRead the Press Release
WILKES-BARRE – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that today United States District Court Judge A. Richard Caputo sentenced Michael Mejia, age 21, who resided in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to a time-served sentence of approximately six months of imprisonment and two years of supervised release.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, from approximately May 11, 2017 through August 23, 2017, Mejia conspired with others to steal checks from mail receptacles throughout Luzerne County, deposit the checks into accounts under their control, and withdraw the funds in cash. As part of the sentence, Judge Caputo also ordered Mejia to pay $16,310.91 to the victims of his crimes.
The investigation was conducted by United States Postal Investigators. Assistant United States Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case.
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United States Attorney Office Seeks Sentence Enhancement Due to Prior ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBANY: Charles E. Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announces that a Grand Jury, sitting in Macon Georgia, previously returned an indictment against Michael O’Neal Walker who is also known by the names Kevin Omar Foster, Kevin Nunyi Lewis, Mosiah Omar Wright and Nunyi Jacob Wright. The indictment alleges that in Albany in November 2017, Mr. Walker was in possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute it and a firearm, a pink SCCY 9mm handgun, in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
Based on a sentence enhancement information filed in his case because of a prior conviction, the marijuana charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $500,000. The gun charge carries a minimum mandatory term of imprisonment of five (5) years and a maximum possible term of imprisonment of life and a maximum fine of $250,000.
An indictment is only an allegation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by agents of the Albany Dougherty Drug Unit and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Leah McEwen.
Questions concerning this release should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.
Two New Jersey Men Arraigned in $2 Million Fraudulent Check Scheme Targeting Home Improvement StoresRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two men were arraigned today for their alleged roles in a phony check scheme that stole over $2 million in merchandise from multiple home-improvement stores throughout the country, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Lessie Dickerson III, 33, of Union, New Jersey, and John Muyeka, 42, of Sayreville, New Jersey, are charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts each of wire fraud. Muyeka is also charged with one count of producing false identification documents.Both defendants were arraigned this afternoon before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal Court and pleaded not guilty.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Starting in December 2013 and continuing through February 2017, several individuals, including Dickerson and Muyeka, conspired to obtain merchandise or store credit from home-improvement stores in locations along the eastern United States, including New Jersey, by purchasing items with fraudulent checks.
Muyeka allegedly produced false driver’s licenses from New Jersey and other states using photographs of his conspirators, along with fictitious names, addresses, and dates of birth. Muyeka provided the fraudulent identification documents to his conspirators.
Dickerson and others entered home-improvement and other retail stores and gathered several high-value items like air conditioners or hardwood flooring. Dickerson and others then typically “purchased” the items either by handing a cashier a fraudulent check with a phony name but authentic account and routing numbers, or by pretending to be an authorized signatory on a store credit account that Dickerson and others had previously opened with a phony check.
During some of the transactions, Dickerson and others allegedly displayed the fake driver’s licenses that had been created by Muyeka, which either duplicated the phony name imprinted on the fraudulent check they presented for payment or matched the name of an authorized signatory on a store credit account that they had previously opened.
In total, Dickerson, Muyeka, and others allegedly stole over $2 million in merchandise from various retailers in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, South Carolina, and Texas.
Dickerson and Muyeka each face 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the wire fraud charges. Muyeka faces 15 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for the producing false identification documents charge.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Ruth M. Mendonca, and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey, with the investigation. He also thanked the Union Township Police Department, the Holmdel Police Department, the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office, the Totowa Police Department, and the Monroe Township Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason S. Gould of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.Defense counsel:
Dickerson: Wanda M. Akin Esq., Newark
Muyeka: Ruth M. Liebesman Esq., Paramus, New JerseyTwo Men Sentenced for Series of Armed Robberies and Brandishing a Short-Barreled ShotgunRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that two men were sentenced to federal prison for multiple armed robberies, including the armed robbery of Wells Fargo Bank in August 2016.
Kaleem Tikori Fredericks, 24, was sentenced yesterday to serve 130 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to armed bank robbery, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, Hobbs Act conspiracy, and Hobbs Act Robbery. Calel Calvis Alexis Crofford, 25, was sentenced in January 2018, to serve 10 years and 2 days in prison after previously pleading guilty to armed bank robbery, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and Hobbs Act conspiracy.
According to court documents, between Aug. 11 and Aug. 18, 2016, Fredericks and Crofford conspired to commit a series of armed robberies. They pointed a loaded short-barreled shotgun, and a BB gun that appeared to be a real handgun, at customers and employees of a bank, three liquor stores, and a gas station. They also committed a smash-and-grab theft from a jewelry store. The series of robberies they committed are as follows:
- Aug. 11, 2016 – Fredericks and Crofford robbed the Captain Sparrow Liquor Store located at 1100 W. Benson Boulevard, using a short-barreled shotgun;
- Aug. 14, 2016 – Fredericks and Crofford robbed the Brown Jug Liquor Store located at 525 West Fireweed Lane, using a short-barreled shotgun;
- Aug. 15, 2016 – Fredericks and Crofford robbed the Tesoro Gas Station located at 545 Muldoon Road, using a loaded short-barreled shotgun;
- Aug. 15. 2016 – Fredericks and Crofford robbed the Brown Jug Liquor Store located at 119 Klevin Street, using a short-barreled shotgun;
- Aug. 18, 2016 – Fredericks and Crofford stole from the Jewelry World kiosk at the Dimond Center Mall;
- Aug. 18, 2016 – Fredericks and Crofford robbed Wells Fargo Bank, using a short-barreled shotgun and a BB gun.
Fredericks and Crofford stole a total of approximately $30,954, which they used to entertain themselves and then try to flee Alaska. Specifically, on Aug. 18, 2016, Fredericks and Crofford drove to Girdwood, Alaska, and disposed of the short-barreled shotgun, a backpack, and some of the clothes worn during the armed robberies. On that same day, they had purchased airline tickets and traveled to the Ted Stevens International Airport together in order to flee to St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Anchorage Police Department (APD) conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Anchorage Airport Police, leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonas Walker.
Two Former Officers of the Memphis Police Department Indicted for Federal Narcotics and Violent Crimes ViolationsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – On April 17, 2018, a federal grand jury indicted two former officers of the Memphis Police Department for federal narcotics and violent crimes violations. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the indictment today.
As charged in the indictment, Kevin Coleman, 41, and Terrion Bryson, 26, conspired to distribute one kilogram or more of a mixture and substance containing heroin. Coleman was also indicted on 2 counts of Hobbs Act robbery.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Official misconduct and corruption by law enforcement officers strikes at the very heart of the criminal justice system, and damages the trust and confidence of citizens in proper police authority. When police officers use their badges to become drug dealers and highway robbers, it is our duty to expose their corruption, hold them accountable, and protect society from their dishonesty. This indictment and significant potential sentences will hopefully deter other corrupt police behavior, restore the public’s faith in honest officers, and send a message that nobody is above the law."
Under federal law, it is illegal to conspire to distribute a scheduled controlled substance. This is a violation of Title 21, United States Code (USC), § 846. A violation of this section involving more than one kilogram of heroin is punishable by a term of not less than 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and a term of supervised release of not less than five years.
It is also illegal under federal law to interfere with interstate commerce by taking property belonging to another without their consent under color of official right. This is a violation of Title 18 USC § 1951. A violation of this section is punishable by a term of not more than twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of not more than three years.
Memphis Police Department Director Michael Rallings said: "We do not care what your profession is, and we do not care who you are; if you break the law and you are involved in illegal activity, we will arrest you."
"The conduct alleged in these indictments indicates a breach of the duty sworn to by all law enforcement officers, as well as crimes that erode trust with our community," said Michael T. Gavin, Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. "The FBI will continue to work with our partners to identify, present for prosecution, and ultimately remove those bad actors who do a disservice to the dedicated and hard-working officers and besmirch the good name of all who risk their lives daily to protect and serve our communities."
Kevin Coleman and Terrion Bryson, both of Memphis, have been indicted for one count of conspiring to violate the federal drug laws between April 8 and April 12 of 2018. As set forth in the indictment, the defendants, acting upon information from a cooperating source, agreed to escort a vehicle carrying heroin to a storage facility in exchange for cash payment from an individual they believed to be a drug courier. The defendants obtained partial cash payment in advance of escorting the narcotics. During the course of escorting the narcotics, defendant Coleman used his status as a law enforcement officer and the incidents of his office including driving a marked police vehicle, wearing a police-issued uniform, displaying an official badge and identification, and carrying a firearm. During the course of escorting the narcotics, defendant Bryson entered the vehicle containing the narcotics as the vehicle entered the city of Memphis and accompanied the driver in the vehicle to the storage facility. Upon delivering the narcotics to the storage facility, defendant Bryson obtained the remainder of the cash payment.
Coleman was also indicted for two counts of Hobbs Act robbery occurring on March 7 and again on March 15 of 2018.
This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime unit and the FBI’s Tarnished Badge Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Pritchard is prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Two East Moline Men Sentenced to Prison Terms for Attempted Armed Robbery, Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Two East Moline, Ill., men, who were convicted in November for attempted armed robbery of a Rock Island home, were sentenced today. U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow ordered that Dalvent Jackson, 25, serve 30 years in federal prison. Deaunta Tyler, 30, was sentenced to 27 years, six months in prison. Co-defendant Ledell Tyler, 36, of Silvis, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 29, 2018.
A jury convicted each of the men on Nov. 15, 2017, of attempted robbery, discharging a firearm in furtherance of the attempted robbery, and being felons in possession of firearms. Evidence presented at trial established that on the evening of Jan. 7, 2017, the three men invaded a family home in Rock Island in search of drugs. During the attempted robbery, the defendants threatened to shoot various occupants of the home, including two pregnant women and several young children. Trial evidence also established that one of the men discharged a firearm during the robbery in an effort to further intimidate the victims. Approximately five hours after the attempted robbery, officers of the Rock Island Police Department arrested the men after they fled from a traffic stop and crashed their vehicle.
The Rock Island Police Department investigated the charges. Law enforcement personnel from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Illinois State Police also assisted in the investigation and testified at trial. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Don Allegro and Kevin Knight.
Twelve Members and Associates of the Mac Baller Brims Set of the Bloods Gang Indicted for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn, charging 12 members and associates of the Mac Baller Brims, a subgroup or “set” of the nationwide Bloods street gang (the “Mac Ballers”), with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and heroin. The alleged crimes were committed in and around the Louis H. Pink Houses in the East New York neighborhood of Brooklyn (the “Pink Houses”), as well as in the Claremont and University Heights neighborhoods of the Bronx and locations in the state of Maine. A second indictment, charging Hassen Ford with distributing crack cocaine in the Pink Houses, was also unsealed today. This morning, during the execution of search warrants at locations tied to the Mac Ballers in Brooklyn and the Bronx, members of law enforcement seized two firearms, quantities of heroin and crack cocaine, and drug paraphernalia. A starter pistol was also seized from Ford’s residence. The defendants’ arraignments are scheduled this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollak.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the indictments.
“As alleged in court filings, the defendants are members of a Bloods set that has endangered communities by supplying illicit drugs and protecting their trafficking operation with firearms,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Today’s arrests mark a milestone in dismantling the Mac Baller Brims and the threat they have posed to law abiding citizens in our District and beyond.”
“There is an odd glamorization of dealing drugs, firing guns and killing people in gang culture that defies comprehension. Someone allegedly bragging about almost going to jail because he was going to shoot someone shouldn’t be an accepted form of conversation or behavior,” said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “The FBI NY Metro Safe Streets Gang Task Force investigates gangs and arrests members because they pose a significant danger to the people in their communities. We are fully invested in the pursuit of these violent offenders who think it’s cool to threaten someone’s life.”
“Today’s arrests bring a dangerous set of blood gang members off our streets,” stated NYPD Police Commissioner O’Neill. “My thanks to the detectives, agents, and prosecutors whose work made today’s arrests and charges possible.”
As alleged in the indictments and other court filings, the defendant Kevin St. Hill was responsible for drug and gun-related crimes in the Pink Houses and is also a ranking member of the Mac Ballers. St. Hill received his drug supply, in part, from the defendant Mario Rabb, a Mac Baller member who sold crack cocaine and heroin on Webster Avenue in the Bronx. Rabb also supplied Mac Baller members Felix Collazo and Malcolm Hogue with quantities of drugs. The drug-trafficking operation was responsible for the distribution of significant amounts of crack cocaine and heroin in Brooklyn and the Bronx, as well as heroin in Maine.
Court-authorized wiretaps on phones used by several defendants confirmed that Lavon Barrett holds the highest-ranking position among non-incarcerated Mac Ballers, having been appointed as the “Don,” or leader, for “the whole t[o]wn” in late December 2017, and that St. Hill was appointed to oversee the Mac Ballers’ operations in Brooklyn. In other intercepted conversations, members of the gang related accounts of their using firearms and violence to protect their interests. For example, in a series of calls in November 2017, St. Hill threatened a group of individuals with a firearm (referred to as a “hammer”) in the Pink Houses: Barrett called codefendant Shatavia Walls and asked her to “bring the hammer downstairs.” Subsequently, Barrett recounted how close he came to actually shooting: “I was about to be in jail because I was about to fire.” In yet another intercepted call, Barrett and Collazo discussed Collazo’s need to get ammunition for his firearm “ASAP” because he had to “take care of something.” After offering Collazo bullets from Barrett’s firearm, Collazo promised he was going to “make a statement” and bragged about the resolve of the gang’s members to protect their turf: “Can’t f*** with the Macs” because Mac Ballers will “die for this sh**, ride for this sh**, and let it fly” – or shoot – “for this sh**.”
The charges in the indictments are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the most serious charges, the defendants Barrett, Berthely, Collazo, Gethers, Rabb, Kevin St. Hill and Shawn St. Hill each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret Gandy and Andrey Spektor are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
LAVON BARRETT
Age: 31
Hempstead, New YorkMATTEW BERTHELY
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New YorkFELIX COLLAZO
Age: 37
Bronx, New YorkDWAYNE DAVIS
Age: 29
Brooklyn, New YorkSTEVEN GETHERS
Age: 31
Bronx, New YorkTERRY HEARD
Age: 50
Bronx, New YorkMALCOLM HOGUE
Age: 25
Bronx, New YorkMARIO RABB
Age: 45
Bronx, New YorkKEVIN ST. HILL
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New YorkSHAWN ST. HILL
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New YorkSHATAVIA WALLS
Age: 30
Brooklyn, New YorkCHARLES WARD
Age: 41
Bronx, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 18-CR-185 (FB)
HASSEN FORD
Age: 43
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 18-CR-183 (AMD)
Tucson Man Sentenced to 30 Months’ Imprisonment for Aggravated Assault on the Pascua Yaqui Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Monday, April 16, 2018, Jaime Joshua Benitez, Jr., 28, of Tucson, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez to 30 months’ imprisonment. Benitez had previously pleaded guilty to assault with the use of a dangerous weapon.
Benitez assaulted an acquaintance, a member of the Pascua Yaqui Indian Tribe, on the Pascua Yaqui Indian Reservation by striking him on the head with a simulated gun during a robbery of the victim.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Pascua Yaqui Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Raquel Arellano, Assistant U.S. Attorney, and Kendrick A. Wilson, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-00754-TUC-RM (LAB)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-037_Benitez
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Three Sentenced for Roles in Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Harrisonburg, VIRGINIA – The first three defendants in a 13-member conspiracy that trafficked more than 1,000 grams of heroin from Baltimore to Front Royal were sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced.
Adrian Darnell Edwards, 22, of Front Royal, Va., was sentenced Monday to 190 months in prison. Alisha Marie Stocking, 21, of Toms Brook, Va., was sentenced to 48 months in prison. Stocking and Edwards both previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 1,000 grams or more of heroin.
Randall Freeman, 40, of Manassas, Va., was sentenced Monday to 48 months in prison. Freeman previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. On Tuesday, five additional members of the conspiracy: Tiara Bailey, Da’Shawn Edwards, Keon Hackley, Antwan Lucas, and Antwan Cottman are scheduled to be sentenced in U.S. District Court.
“The United States Attorney’s Office will vigorously prosecute those who traffic heroin into our communities and profit from the addiction of others,” United States Attorney Cullen said today. “This office will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to combat the flow of these deadly opioids from Baltimore and elsewhere and build cases that hold those accountable for their trafficking crimes.”
According to information and evidence presented at previous hearings by Assistant United States Attorney Donald R. Wolthuis, the conspiracy began as early as 2013 with the goal of trafficking heroin from Baltimore to the Front Royal area. On average, members of the conspiracy distributed one kilogram of heroin per week during the life of the conspiracy, which operated between 2013 and April 2016.
To insulate the identity of the sellers from the identifiy of the buyers, heroin customers in Virginia contacted a phone number in Maryland, either by voice call or text, which was controlled by conspiracy members and was known only as the “Chris phone.” “Chris” was not a real person, but rather was a fake name associated with the phone number customers contacted to place heroin orders. At the time an order was placed, customers were provided a street address in Baltimore where their order was to be picked up. When a customer arrived at the pre-determined address, the customer’s car was approached by other members of the conspiracy, a drug transaction took place, and the Virginia customers drove back to Front Royal. No socializing or small talk took place between the customer in the car and the seller on the street. The Virginia customers made these trips every day, sometimes multiple times per day. Once they returned to Front Royal, they both used the heroin and sold it to others.
The three defendants sentenced today were Virginia customers who trafficked heroin after it had arrived from Baltimore. According to information presented to the court, Edwards is a “chronic” heroin trafficker who had distributed the drug since 2013. He is also responsible for introducing his then girlfriend, co-defendant Alisha Stocking, to heroin and heroin distribution, when she was 16-years-old. The two were responsible for distributing more than 1,000 grams of the drug during the life of the conspiracy.
Freeman was a frequent traveler to Baltimore to purchase heroin. He sometimes traveled alone or with other members of the conspiracy. After purchasing the heroin, Freeman returned to the Front Royal area to use and distribute it.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Winchester Office, the Front Royal Office of the Virginia State Police Northwest Regional Drug and Gang Task Force, the Baltimore City Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Frederick, Maryland Sheriff’s Office, the Loudoun County, Virginia, Sheriff’s Office and the Howard County, Maryland, Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Donald R. Wolthuis is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Texas Man Sentenced to Ten Years for Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearms Conviction in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Michael Dwain Samples, 26, of Monahans, Tex., was sentenced this morning in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to 120 months in prison for his conviction on drug trafficking and firearms charges. Samples will be on supervised release for five years after completing his prison sentence.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jack P. Staton of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in El Paso and Chief Pete N. Kassetas of the New Mexico State Police.
“The everyday work of state and local law enforcement officials is a critical component in protecting our communities from the harmful impact of drugs. In this case, exceptional work by state police turned a routine traffic stop into a major federal drug trafficking prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson. “The outstanding partnerships that we have between federal and state law enforcement officials in New Mexico is a force multiplier in our efforts to make our communities safer for our families and friends.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to combating narcotics trafficking and other public safety threats impacting the citizens of New Mexico, said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jack P. Staton of HSI in El Paso. “Working with the New Mexico State Police, this investigation took dangerous drugs and firearms off the streets of eastern New Mexico.”
New Mexico State Police Chief Pete Kassetas said, “It is a priority of the New Mexico State Police to keep drugs and criminals off the streets of New Mexico. This case is one example of many in which law enforcement has done its job to prevent dangerous drugs and firearms from entering our communities. We will remain resolute in our commitment to finding these criminal elements and enforcing laws to keep our communities safe.”
Samples’ co-defendant Nicolas Robert Muniz, 26, also of Monahans, Tex., was charged by criminal complaint on June 5, 2017, after law enforcement officers seized approximately 504 grams of methamphetamine, 50 grams of marijuana, and firearms and ammunition from Muniz’s vehicle following a routine traffic stop. During the traffic stop, the officers deployed a drug detection canine on Muniz’s vehicle after observing that Muniz was acting in a suspicious and nervous manner. The officers searched the vehicle and found the drugs after the canine alerted the officers to the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle.
Samples and Muniz were subsequently charged in a six-count indictment on Sept. 13, 2017. Samples and Muniz were charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Muniz was charged individually with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Samples was charged individually with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. According to the indictment, the defendants committed the offenses on May 16, 2017, in Lea County, N.M. Samples and Muniz were prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of their statuses as convicted felons.
On Oct. 31, 2017, Samples pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. In entering the guilty plea, Samples admitted that on May 16, 2017, he traveled from Monahans, Texas, to Carlsbad, to purchase approximately 469 grams of methamphetamine with the intention of distributing the methamphetamine to others in exchange for money. Samples further admitted that on May 16, 2017, he was in possession of a firearm and ammunition despite his status as a convicted felon.
On Jan. 16, 2018, Muniz pled guilty to a four-count felony information charging him with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In entering the guilty plea, Muniz admitted that on May 16, 2017, he agreed to drive Samples from Monahans, Texas to Carlsbad, N.M., to purchase approximately 469 grams of methamphetamine. Muniz further admitted that there was a firearm loaded with several rounds of ammunition under Muniz’s seat in the vehicle Muniz was driving. Muniz admitted that he possessed the firearm and ammunition despite his status as a convicted felon on May 16, 2017, for protection and in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. Muniz remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brock E. Taylor and Joni L. Autrey of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office are prosecuting the case.
Tarboro Man Sentenced for Hobbs Act Robbery and Possession of a Firearm by a FelonRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today in federal court, Senior United States District Judge Malcolm J. Howard sentenced DARRICUS DIQUEL SUGGS, 23, of Tarboro, North Carolina to 97 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
SUGGS was named in a two-count Indictment on November 2, 2017. On December 7, 2017, SUGGS pled guilty to one-count of Hobbs Act Robbery and Aiding and Abetting and one-count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
On November 21, 2016, SUGGS and James Leroy Everette, who previously pled guilty on January 11, 2018, entered the Speedway gas station located in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, wearing gloves and concealing their faces with shirts or a ski mask. Everette immediately leapt over the counter and instructed the victim clerk to open the cash register, at which time he grabbed the cash out of the register. The victim clerk advised investigators that one of the robbers threatened to “blow her head off” if she did not comply. The robbers then fled the scene with $382 in U.S. currency, which they ultimately divided among themselves.
Immediately after the aforementioned robbery, SUGGS and his accomplice drove to Wendell, North Carolina, where they broke into Perry’s Gun Shop. Upon arrival at the business, Sharpe used a cinder block to break through the glass door of the business. SUGGS and Everette then entered the business. SUGGS and Everette shattered a display case and stole 9 Smith and Wesson handguns before fleeing the scene. Within hours of the burglary, Everette was captured by law enforcement, and identified SUGGS as his accomplice in the Speedway robbery and burglary of Perry’s Gun Shop.
On November 22, 2016, investigators conducted a search of SUGGS’ residence and recovered the firearms stolen from Perry’s Gun Shop. The firearms, along with assorted 9mm and .380 caliber ammunition, were found in SUGGS’ bedroom. SUGGS was taken into custody and subsequently provided a statement to authorities during which he acknowledged his involvement in the robbery of Speedway. However, SUGGS denied entering Perry’s Gun Shop and maintained that he only “peeked” inside the store.
In conclusion, SUGGS is responsible for robbing a gas station and stealing 9 firearms from a gun shop. During the robbery of the Speedway gas station, the defendant and his accomplice stole $382 and threatened the victim clerk with death if she did not comply.
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.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Rocky Mount Police Department and the Wendell Police Department conducted the criminal investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney James J. Kurosad handled the prosecution of this case for the government.
Tampa Resident Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Federal Prison for Tricare Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Tampa resident, who was previously convicted at trial, was sentenced to more than 20 years in federal prison for his involvement in a Tricare health care fraud scheme, receiving kickbacks and money laundering.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, John F. Khin, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Services (DCIS), Southeast Field Office, Peter H. Kuehl, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), Miami Field Office, and Frank Robey, Director, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s (CID) Major Procurement Fraud Unit, made the announcement.
Monty Ray Grow, 46, of Tampa, was sentenced by United States District Judge Federico A. Moreno to 262 months in prison and ordered to pay approximately $18 million in restitution. On February 5, 2018, a federal jury in Miami convicted Grow, of 18 criminal charges, including: conspiracy to commit health care fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1347; conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, 371; unlawful receipt of health care kickbacks, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 1320a-7(b)(1)(A); and money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957.
Evidence presented at trial established that during an eight-month period in 2014-15, Grow participated in a scheme to defraud the Tricare program out of tens of millions of dollars. Tricare is the health care program for the U.S. military that pays the health care costs of active and retired military personnel and their families. That insurance benefit includes paying for any medications that a Tricare beneficiary needs. Defendant Grow enticed Tricare beneficiaries to order very expensive drugs that they did not need. Tricare, not the patients, paid the bill for these expensive drugs and the pharmacy split fifty percent of the profits with Grow. Evidence at trial established that Grow targeted Tricare beneficiaries and induced them to order expensive drugs they did not need by paying them either directly for their own prescriptions or indirectly for those of their family and friends. As a result of the fraudulent scheme, Grow received nearly $20 million in kickbacks from a Broward County pharmacy.
In furtherance of the conspiracy, Grow fraudulently inflated the price the pharmacy would bill to Tricare by manipulating the formulations and selling ingredients to the pharmacy that were artificially engineered in order to maximize profits. Grow also paid telemedicine companies whose doctors ratified prescriptions the defendant pre-selected, while knowing that doctors never examined a single patient. Finally, Grow laundered the criminal proceeds of his scheme through the purchase of luxury items.
To date, at least eight additional co-conspirators have pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges arising out of Grow’s fraud scheme, including Ginger Lay, 40, of Atlanta, Georgia; Paul Robinson, 40, of Ormond Beach, Florida; Deanna Dutting, 40, of Ormond Beach, Florida, Raymond Bear, 46, of Flemming Island, Florida; Robin Halliburton, 45 of Ponte Vedra, Florida; Michael Shane Matthews, 47, of Newberry, Florida, Michael Bowman, 43, of Jacksonville, Florida, and Sven Bjerke, 39, of Jacksonville, Florida. These individuals have collectively remitted property back to the United States valued in the approximate amount of $4 million. Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of DCIS, FDA-OCI and U.S. Army CID. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Larsen and Jon Juenger.
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.
South Florida Resident Sentenced to Prison for Attacking CBP and TSA Officers at Miami International AirportRead the Press Release
A South Florida resident was sentenced today to more than 2 years in federal prison for assaulting Customs and Border Protection and Transportation Security Administration officers at Miami International Airport in the fall of 2017.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI); Diane J. Sabatino, Director, Field Operations, Customs and Border Protection (CBP); and Daniel Ronan, Federal Security Director Miami International Airport, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), made the announcement.
Nivaldo Emilio Lopez, 33, of Miami, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga to 27 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $9,172 in restitution. Lopez previously pled guilty to two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain federal employees, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111.
According to the court record, on October 25, 2017, Lopez drove to Miami International Airport, left his vehicle curbside at Terminal D, and entered the airport. Once inside, Lopez began walking back and forth between checkpoints, waving his arms in the air and yelling loudly. Lopez also made statements to the effect that he was going to blow up the airport.
A concerned passenger notified law enforcement of Lopez’s conduct. A CBP officer responded and attempted to deescalate the situation. Lopez, however, became more aggressive and began yelling at the CBP officer. The officer put his baton at his side, at which point Lopez attacked the officer. The defendant struck the CBP officer in the head and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, Lopez bit the CBP officer’s hand, causing injuries that required medical attention at a local hospital.
During the course of the attack, an on-duty TSA officer working in Terminal D stepped in to help the CBP officer subdue the defendant. Lopez, however, continued to be aggressive, and struck the TSA officer in the face with a trashcan lid. Miami-Dade Police Department officers responded to the scene and used a taser to finally subdue the defendant.
Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI and thanked CBP, TSA and the Miami-Dade Police Department for their assistance in this matter. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trinity Jordan.
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.
School Owner Pleads Guilty to $2 Million Bribery Scheme Involving VA Program for Disabled Military VeteransRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The owner of Atius Technology Institute (“Atius”), a privately owned, non-accredited school specializing in information technology courses, pleaded guilty today to bribing a public official at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in exchange for the public official’s facilitation of over $2 million in payments that were supposed to be dedicated to providing vocational training for military veterans with service-connected disabilities. Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia made the announcement.
Albert S. Poawui, 41, of Laurel, Maryland, pleaded guilty to an Information alleging one count of bribing a public official. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates of the District of Columbia.
According to Poawui’s plea agreement, the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) program is a VA program that provides disabled U.S. military veterans with education and employment-related services. VR&E program counselors advise veterans under their supervision which schools to attend and facilitate payments to those schools for veterans’ tuition and necessary supplies.
According to admissions made in connection with Poawui’s plea, in or about August 2015, Poawui and a VR&E program counselor agreed that Poawui would pay the counselor a seven percent cash kickback of all payments made by the VA to Atius. In exchange, the counselor steered VR&E program veterans to Atius and approved Atius’s invoices for payment.
Poawui admitted that the counselor and a second VR&E counselor approved payments to Atius without regard for the accuracy of necessary documentation in order to maximize the scheme’s profits. Between August 2015 and December 2017, Poawui and the scheme’s other participants caused the VA to pay Atius approximately $2,217,259.44. Poawui paid the first VR&E counselor over $155,000 as part of the illicit bribery scheme. These bribery payments were hand-delivered by Poawui or an Atius employee to the VR&E counselor or the counselor’s assistant, a veteran who was enrolled in the VR&E program.
Poawui also admitted that, with the knowing assistance of a second Atius employee, he made numerous false representations to the VA to enhance the scheme’s profits. For example, Poawui and the second employee certified to the VA that veterans attending Atius were enrolled in up to 32 hours of class per week, when in fact both knew that Atius offered a maximum of six weekly class hours. After the VA initiated an administrative audit of Atius, Poawui, the VR&E counselor and the Atius employee took steps to conceal the truth about earlier misrepresentations they had made to the VA.
Poawui’s plea is the result of an ongoing investigation by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the VA Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrienne Dedjinou of the U.S. Attorney’s for the Office of the District of Columbia also investigated the matter. Trial Attorney Simon J. Cataldo of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonali D. Patel of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.