Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
1 May 2018
Cairo Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with the Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ALBANY: Charles E. Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announces the following guilty plea which took place before the Senior U.S. District Court Judge W. Louis Sands in Albany, Georgia on April 30, 2018.
Corey Jackie Smith, age 28, of Cairo, Georgia plead guilty to Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. This plea will subject Mr. Smith to a minimum mandatory sentence of five (5) years and a maximum sentence of forty (40) years imprisonment, a maximum fine of $5,000,000.00, or both.
Based upon facts admitted by his plea, on September 16, 2016, officers were attempting to execute outstanding arrest warrants for Mr. Smith. They developed information that he was in the area of Stone’s Hardware in Cairo and travelled to that location. Upon arrival they observed Mr. Smith standing in front of a nearby convenience store. As officers approached, Mr. Smith rapidly walked into a storage room at the back of the store. Officers observed him throw a golf-ball sized package into the corner of the storage room. They retrieved the bag and determined it was methamphetamine. Officers obtained the store surveillance video which depicted Mr. Smith walking into the storage room and discarding the bag of methamphetamine. The substance tested positive for methamphetamine at the lab and weighed approximately 29 grams.
“Methamphetamine is a poison that continues to ruin the lives of those who choose to use it and the lives of their families. Individuals who choose to deal methamphetamine will continue to be a target of the United States Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Georgia,” said Charles Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
This case was investigated by the Cairo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Leah E. McEwen prosecuted the case for the United States.
Questions concerning this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.
Butte and Helena Area Drug Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
HELENA – Brandon James LeClair, a 42-year-old Butte resident, was sentenced today to 168 months in prison followed by 5 years supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm on October 17, 2017. U.S. District Judge Charles C. Lovell handed down the sentence.
LeClair trafficked an ounce of methamphetamine each week from October 2016 until mid-December 2016 with his codefendant, Travis Stephens. Their drug trafficking allegedly stopped after LeClair stole a safe from Stephens in mid-December 2016. The safe contained one pound of methamphetamine and approximately $10,000.
On January 25, 2017, law enforcement was called to their Helena area motel room to investigate a violent confrontation. At that time, LeClair possessed a loaded Taurus 9mm pistol. LeClair’s criminal history includes two prior federal convictions for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in May 1999, and two counts of felon in possession of a firearm in August 2007. LeClair was held responsible for distributing 12 ounces of methamphetamine. That converts to 2718 individual doses of the drug.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette Stewart and investigated by the Missouri River Drug Task Force, Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement Agency and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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.
Butte Drug Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
HELENA – Travis Holly Stephens, a 30-year-old Butte resident, was sentenced today to 168 months in prison followed by 5 years supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on October 17, 2017. U.S. District Judge Charles C. Lovell handed down the sentence.
From October 2016 until January 2017, Stephens distributed methamphetamine herself and with others in Montana. On January 25, 2017, law enforcement responded to a disturbance at her Helena area motel room. Stephens was found with one pound of pure methamphetamine as well as a loaded Bersa firearm in her car trunk. She was held responsible for distributing one pound of methamphetamine. That converts to 3624 individual doses of the drug.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette Stewart and investigated by the Missouri River Drug Task Force and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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.
Bleckley County Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Making Threats Against Two United States SenatorsRead the Press Release
MACON: Charles E. Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announces that Jason Kenneth Bell, aged 41, from Cochran, Bleckley County, Georgia, entered a plea of guilty on May 1, 2018 to two counts of Anonymous Telecommunications Harassment. Mr. Bell entered his plea in Macon before U.S. District Court Judge Marc T. Treadwell.
Facts stipulated in the plea agreement show that on March 1, 2017, Mr. Bell called the Western New York Office of New York Senator, Charles Schumer in Buffalo, New York. He left several messages within an hour after first speaking with an intern at that office. Mr. Bell did not identify himself in these calls but stated he would physically injure Senator Schumer.
Mr. Bell further admitted that on or about October 23, 2017, he called the Office of United States Senator Timothy Scott and, without identifying himself, used profanity to state he would physically injure Senator Scott. During that call, Defendant also asked “are we as a white people supposed to just stand for this injustice or do we do what Dylann Roof did?” referring to the self-declared white supremacist convicted of murdering nine African-American worshipers and attempting to murder more at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015.
“Mr. Bell’s decision to threaten and harass two United States Senators will not be tolerated in the Middle District of Georgia. Indeed, there is no place in our Country for this conduct,” said Charles Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
Sentencing for Mr. Bell is scheduled for August 29, 2018. He faces a maximum sentence of 2 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, on each count.
The case was investigated by the Macon Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the United States Capitol Police in Washington, D.C. Assistant United States Attorney C. Shanelle Booker is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Questions concerning this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.
Bergen County, New Jersey, Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Fort Lee, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 96 months in prison for conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, and Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie of the FBI’s Newark Division announced.
Samuel Rahamin Topaz, 24, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to an information charging him with one count of conspiring with others to provide services and personnel to ISIS. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this and related cases and statements made in court:
Topaz admitted that prior to his arrest by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force on June 17, 2015, he planned to travel overseas to join ISIS and saved money for that purpose. Topaz discussed plans to join ISIS with Nader Saadeh, Alaa Saadeh, and Munther Omar Saleh, and he admitted that at various times each of them indicated they wanted to join ISIS. Topaz also admitted that he and the other defendants watched ISIS-related videos, some of which depicted the execution of non-Muslims and individuals regarded as apostates from Islam.
On May 5, 2015, Nader Saadeh departed the United States with plans to travel overseas for the purpose of joining ISIS. Topaz admitted that he and others planned to travel overseas separately, meet up with Nader Saadeh, and then travel together to join ISIS. After Nader Saadeh left the United States, Topaz met with Saleh and contacted Alaa Saadeh to discuss those plans.
Topaz admitted knowing that ISIS was a designated foreign terrorist organization that was taking over territory overseas, expelling non-Muslims from their homes, and executing individuals who did not obey ISIS’ commands.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Topaz to a lifetime of supervised release.Nader and Alaa Saadeh both pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to ISIS. Alaa Saadeh was sentenced to 15 years in prison on May 10, 2016. Nader Saadeh was sentenced to 10 years in prison on April 30, 2018. Saleh pleaded guilty to related charges brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Feb. 6, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito and Assistant Attorney General Demers credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ehrie in Newark, and the Newark Joint Terrorism Task Force with the investigation. The task force is comprised of agents and officers from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, New Jersey State Police, Paterson Police Department, and New York City Police Department, among other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis C. Carletta and Francisco J. Navarro of the U.S. Attorney’s Office National Security Unit in Newark, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and Robert Sander of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Defense counsel: Ian J. Hirsch Esq., Hackensack, New Jersey
Baltimore Man Sentenced to 29 Years in Prison for Carjacking, Conspiracy, Destruction of Property Resulting in Breach at the National Security Agency, and FraudRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4855
Baltimore, Maryland – United States District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Dontae Small, age 44 of Baltimore, Maryland, to 27 years in prison for conspiracy, carjacking, and destruction of government property, after he rammed a stolen car into a security gate at the National Security Agency in Fort Meade, Maryland. The Court also imposed a consecutive 2-year sentence for aggravated identity theft committed by the defendant while he was in jail pending trial. Judge Bredar also ordered restitution to the victims, including over $15,000 to the United States Government for the damage caused by the defendant’s conduct.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Darryl DeSousa of the Baltimore Police Department; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare, the National Security Agency Police, and the Fort George G. Meade Police Services Division.
Judge Bredar imposed the sentencing after finding that Small’s criminal history was extensive and citing the public safety as the “paramount” concern of the Court.
According to evidence presented at trial, on October 4, 2015, Small and his co-conspirators were riding in a white minivan in the Federal Hill neighborhood of Baltimore, looking for victims to rob. At approximately 10:09 p.m. Small texted a male co-conspirator the following message: “Get the dude cpming down da st.I parked on smoking a pipe” [sic].
Three masked co-conspirators assaulted Victim 1 on Grindall Street in the Federal Hill neighborhood of Baltimore. The carjackers pointed a silver handgun at the victim and robbed him of the keys to his car, a 2008 Acura TSX. The conspirators then stole the car. On that same night, two of the conspirators approached Victims 2 and 3 a block away on Riverside Avenue and brandished a silver handgun. The robbers obtained a phone that had fallen from Victim 3’s pocket before fleeing.
On October 7, 2015, Small drove the stolen Acura to Arundel Mills Mall in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The Anne Arundel Police identified the car as stolen and set up surveillance. When Small returned to the vehicle and unlocked it using Victim 1’s keys, the police attempted to arrest him. Instead, Small took off over a curb in the parking lot, narrowly missing pedestrians and drove out of the Mall at a high rate of speed. The police followed and Small engaged him in a high-speed pursuit, eventually turning into Fort Meade and then crashing the car into a security gate protecting the National Security Agency. Small then fled and hid in a nearby sewer for approximately 12 hours as security personnel and police attempted to find him. The NSA was closed to non-essential personnel for a day while the search continued. When Small emerged from the sewer the next morning, the police were able to arrest him after a brief foot chase and struggle.
After the trial, Small pled guilty to pending charges for bank fraud and identity theft, stemming from his unauthorized use of a correctional officer’s credit card. The credit card was stolen from the officer after a cell search at the Baltimore City Detention Center where Small was being held pending trial. Small and his co-defendant, wife Kimberly Duckfield, used the credit card to purchase items for Small in jail and for his wife’s cell phone. Duckfield previously pled guilty to aggravated identity theft and was recently released after serving a two-year federal sentence for the crime.
At the sentencing today, Judge Bredar found that Ronald Hall (a/k/a “Binky”) and a juvenile committed the carjacking and robbery with Small. Hall is currently pending charges in Baltimore City Circuit Court and his trial is scheduled for May 16, 2018. Judge Bredar also found that the high-speed chase in a carjacked car was reckless and indifferent to the safety of others, that his co-conspirators used a dangerous weapon in committing the carjacking and robbery, and that Small had attempted to obstruct justice during the investigation of the crimes. Judge Bredar noted the longstanding impact of crimes of violence on individual victims terrorized by street violence such as in this case.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the National Security Agency Associate Directorate for Security and Counterintelligence (Office of General Counsel), and the Fort George G. Meade Police Services Division for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra Wilkinson and Paul Riley, who prosecuted the case, and NSA attorney Hillary Hellmann for her assistance in the prosecution.
Albuquerque Felon Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Phillip Moffett, 31, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to violating the federal firearms laws by being a felon in possession of a firearm under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Moffett was charged in a federal criminal complaint filed in Feb. 2017, with unlawfully possessing a firearm on Dec. 27, 2016, in Bernalillo County, N.M. According to the complaint, law enforcement officers arrested Moffett after finding him asleep in a stolen vehicle. During a search incident to Moffett’s arrest, the officers found a firearm that had recently been reported as stolen during the burglary of a gun shop in Rio Rancho, N.M.
Moffett was indicted on July 27, 2017, and was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to the indictment, Moffett was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of his prior felony conviction for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon against a household member.
During today’s proceedings, Moffett pled guilty to the indictment and admitted that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm on Dec. 27, 2016, because of his status as a convicted felon. At sentencing, Moffett faces a maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison. He remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Walsh.
Alaska Man Sentenced to Serve Six Years in Prison for Possessing Firearms as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Joseph Kuzmin, 42, of Voznesenka, Alaska, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to serve six years in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. A jury previously found Kuzmin guilty of the charge in November 2017, after a three-day trial.
According to evidence presented at trial, on Dec. 28, 2016, in Voznesenka (near Homer), Kuzmin physically assaulted his teenage son, and then threatened to shoot the son, an aunt if she came to assist the son, and any law enforcement officers who responded. The son hid the firearms, then fled the house and called 911. On Dec. 29, 2016, Kuzmin was arrested by the Alaska State Troopers (AST) after he reportedly assaulted his son. The case was referred to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), who then searched Kuzmin’s home in January 2017 and found two rifles and ammunition.
Kuzmin had previously been convicted in Alaska State Court of three felonies, including assault in the third degree. As someone convicted of a felony, Kuzmin was prohibited from possessing firearms.
At the sentencing hearing, the court found that the most important goal of sentencing was to protect other people in the community from Kuzmin, who has a long criminal history, including offenses committed against family members, fisherman on his boat and other boats, and strangers.
ATF and AST conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonas Walker.
Alamo Men Sentenced to Prison for Smuggling AliensRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – An Alamo man and an illegal alien living in Donna have been ordered to prison for their part in an alien smuggling conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Daniel Medina-Acosta, 37, and Arturo Rocha-Guajardo, 37, pleaded guilty in November 2017.
Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez sentenced Medina-Acosta, 37, to 95 months in federal prison, while Rocha-Guajardo received a 55-month prison term. Medina-Acosta will also serve three years of supervised release. Not a U.S. citizen, Rocha-Guajardo is expected to face deportation proceedings following his incarceration.
The investigation began in April 2017 when a rancher near Encino identified at tractor-trailer appearing to be dropping off illegal aliens on multiple occasions. The investigation led to the discovery of an illegal alien who later identified Medina-Acosta as the person who transported him in a white truck and as the caretaker of a stash house in Donna. Another alien identified Medina-Acosta and stated that he had threatened them with a weapon.
Authorities began conducting surveillance and later executed a search warrant at the stash house. At that time, they discovered 13 illegal aliens inside with Rocha-Guajardo acting as the caretaker of the residence. Medina-Acosta was taken into custody after agents executed an arrest warrant on Oct. 3, 2017.
Both men will remain in custody pending their transfer to U.S. Bureau of Prisons facilities.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Leonard is prosecuting the case.
Aiken Doctor Sentenced to over Fifteen Years for Selling Prescriptions of Oxycodone Without a Legitimate Medical PurposeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs sentenced Dr. Mackie James Walker, Jr., a former podiatrist of Aiken, South Carolina, to 188 months of incarceration for his role in a conspiracy to illegally distribute oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance. The 188-month term of imprisonment followed sentencing hearings that spanned the course of three days. Evidence produced during the hearings showed that Dr. Walker sold prescriptions of oxycodone, a powerful and addictive painkiller, to dozens of individuals without any legitimate medical purpose. Dr. Walker directly communicated with several coconspirators who in turn would recruit individuals for sham medical examinations. In some circumstances, no examinations were performed prior to Dr. Walker issuing a prescription for oxycodone. Dr. Walker earned as much as $1000 per prescription of oxycodone. Based on the investigation, Dr. Walker wrote illegal prescriptions in excess of 1 kilogram of oxycodone tablets. In total, fourteen individuals were charged for their roles in the conspiracy to illegally distribute oxycodone.
United States Attorney Drake stated, “This doctor sold powerful, addictive narcotics in breach of his responsibility as a physician. The court’s sentence sends a powerful message to drug dealers with initials behind their name – be they doctor, nurse, or veterinarian.”
The charges were the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration Tactical Diversion Squad, the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, the Aiken Department of Public Safety, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Bureau of Drug Control, the Burnettown Police Department, the Columbia Police Department, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Ben Garner of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
United States Attorney Drake stated that this case represents another example of the fine work being done by Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies working together to combat the opioid epidemic our community is experiencing.
#####
78 Year Old Americus Man Pleads to Distribution of XanaxRead the Press Release
ALBANY: Charles E. Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announces the following guilty which took place before Senior U.S. District Court Judge W. Louis Sands in Albany, Georgia on April 30, 2018.
Edward Lowell, age 78, of Americus, Georgia plead guilty on April 30, 2018 to Distribution of Xanax. This plea will subject Mr. Lowell to a maximum sentence of ten (10) years imprisonment, a maximum fine of $250,000.00, or both.
In his plea, Mr. Lowell admitted that on October 4, 2017, deputies were conducting surveillance of Mr. Lowell’s residence in Sumter County and observed a confidential informant (CI) at the residence. The CI had revealed to agents that she routinely received prescription pills from “Eddie” at this residence. A subsequent traffic stop and search of the CI revealed 10 Xanax pills which she confirmed she had just acquired from “Eddie.” In a subsequent interview, the CI estimated that she received 8000 pills from “Eddie” over the years.
Another confidential informant (CI-2) turned over 61 pills—8 Xanax and 53 Amphetamine/Dextroamphetamine which she had recently purchased from Mr. Lowell at the same residence for $150. CI-2 stated that she had been obtaining pills from him for approximately ten (10) years and estimated that she had gotten at least 10,000 pills over time.
Mr. Lowell admitted that he had been obtaining his pills from “a black girl and her cousin” and had been supplying pills to multiple individuals. He estimated that he obtained and distributed 100 pills per month over a two-year period.
This case was investigated by the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Leah E. McEwen is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Questions concerning this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.
57 Member/Associates of Various White Supremacists Gangs Charged in Kidnapping and Drug ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
DALLAS, Texas — Fifty-seven individuals, who are connected to various white supremacist gangs have been charged in a case led by the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division and coordinated by the Texas Anti-Gang Center with participating partners such as the Dallas Police Department Criminal Intelligence Unit and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Erin Nealy Cox, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas made the announcement today at a press conference.
The 57 individuals were charged in conspiracy to commit kidnapping and drug trafficking conspiracies outlined in the Indictment. 42 of those defendants were arrested in last week’s takedown operation, 9 were already in custody at various locations on unrelated state charges, and 6 have not yet been arrested.
Each of those defendants arrested made their initial appearance last week or will do so today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge.
“Not only do white supremacists gangs subscribe to a repugnant, hateful ideology, they also engage in significant, organized and violent criminal activity,” Attorney General Sessions said. “Under the Trump administration, the Department of Justice has targeted every violent criminal gang member in the United States. The quantities of drugs, guns, and money seized in this case are staggering. And so I want to thank U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox, Assistant U.S. Attorney P.J. Meitl, DEA, the Marshals Service, ATF, as well as our fabulous state and local partners, Texas DPS and the Dallas Police Department, for their hard work. Today’s indictment, arrests, seizures make this country safer.”
According to the Indictment, the defendants were members of, associated with, or performed drug transactions with, various white supremacists organizations or individuals including the “Aryan Circle,” the “Aryan Brotherhood of Texas” (ABT), the “Aryan Brotherhood,” the “Peckerwoods,” the “Soldiers of Aryan Culture,” and the “Dirty White Boys,” and they engaged in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and other illegal narcotics throughout North Texas and elsewhere. Some defendants were also member of or associated with the criminal street or prison gang Tango Blast. Certain defendants used firearms to further their drug trafficking activities.
The Indictment alleges that from approximately October 2015 through April 2018, the defendants conspired together, and with others, to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to the Indictment, the defendants arranged for the acquisition of methamphetamine and its distribution and delivery. They used stash houses or other locations to store the methamphetamine and acted as intermediaries and brokers to negotiate the acquisition, price, delivery and payment for the quantities of methamphetamine.
In January 2018 and February 2018, according to the Indictment, four defendants kidnapped an individual and held the victim for several days to obtain stolen drug proceeds that the defendants believed belonged to them. The defendants pointed a pistol at the victims head, threatened to kill the victim, hit the victim with a large wooden object on the back of the head and used a hatchet to chop off a portion of the victim’s left index finger.
Throughout the investigation, agents stopped the flow or seized over 190 kilograms of methamphetamine, 31 firearms, and seized approximately $376,587 in cash.
“Drug trafficking is a dangerous and violent business—that is a reality. It is clear that these hate-fueled gangs will do whatever they must do in order to carry on their drug trafficking business. Firearms, body armor, illegal drugs, drug proceeds and unspeakable physical violence are the tools of their trade. The collaborative law enforcement and prosecutorial effort that led to the Indictment and arrest of these defendants is the first step in closing down their drug dealing organizations for good.”
This operation was coordinated through the Texas Anti-Gang Center. The TAG serves as the unified headquarters for an estimated 75 - 100 of the region’s most knowledgeable and experienced federal, state and local anti-gang investigators, analysts and prosecutors. The TAG is comprised of various law enforcement agencies, and has implemented innovative approaches to fighting violent criminal gangs and the transnational criminal organizations. Today violent criminal gangs and their allied networks are involved in virtually every type of felonious activity, including drug production and distribution; weapons-smuggling, extortion, kidnapping and murder for hire; home-invasion; metal and heavy equipment theft; major fraud, money laundering and bulk cash smuggling; gambling and dog-fighting; and prostitution and human-trafficking, including both adults and children for sexual exploitation.
A federal criminal Indictment is a written statement of the essential facts of the offense charged. A defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendants’ sentence will be determined by the court after a review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.
The U.S. Marshal Service North Texas Fugitive Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Irving Police Department, Garland Police Department, Rockwall Police Department, Mesquite Police Department, Fort Worth Police Department, Dallas County Sheriff’s Office and Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney P.J. Meitl is prosecuting.
# # #
4 Shreveport felons sentenced in 4 cases on firearms chargesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that four Shreveport felons were sentenced last week on firearms charges that are part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program.
“These prosecutions will lead to safer neighborhoods in Shreveport and the surrounding cities and parishes,” Joseph stated. “Federal laws concerning the manufacture, sale, use and possession of firearms do not only regulate firearms, they also keep firearms out of the hands of those who would use them to harm others and remove dangerous felons from our streets. I want to thank the prosecutors, the Shreveport Police Department, and the ATF for working together to bring these cases to a successful conclusion.”
To find out more about each case, see below:
Shreveport man sentenced to 3 years in prison for possessing revolver
Kevin Anthony Dison Jr., 22, of Shreveport, was sentenced on April 23, 2018 to 36 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the December 18, 2017 guilty plea, Shreveport Police officers stopped the vehicle Dison was driving on April 11, 2017. Police searched the vehicle and found a loaded Rossi revolver, model .38 caliber, which was located on the floorboard partially under the driver’s seat. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford prosecuted the case.
Shreveport man sentenced to 57 months for possessing handgun in vehicle
Terrance Terze Cochran, 19, of Shreveport, was sentenced on April 23, 2018 to four years and nine months in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the December 11, 2017 guilty plea, a Shreveport Police officer attempted to pull over Cochran’s vehicle on January 11, 2017. Cochran slowed down, jumped out of the car while it was still moving, and fled on foot after losing a shoe. Another Shreveport Police officer saw Cochran fleeing a couple blocks away and ran after him. The officer tried to handcuff Cochran, but Cochran resisted and grabbed for his waistband several times. Another officer arrived, saw Cochran had a gun in his waistband and was able to assist the first officer in cuffing Cochran. The first officer sustained an injured hand in the altercation, which required surgery. The officers found a loaded Ruger P89 .9 mm semiautomatic handgun stuffed in Cochran’s pants. Officers also found .5 grams of cocaine, .5 grams of crack cocaine and more than a gram of marijuana on him. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike O’Mara prosecuted the case.
Shreveport man sentenced to 5 years in prison for exchanging methamphetamine for a handgun
Jason Brian Wallace, 33, of Shreveport, was sentenced Wednesday to 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the December 19, 2017 guilty plea, law enforcement agents operating in an undercover capacity set up a controlled buy with Wallace on July 5, 2017 in Shreveport. Wallace met the undercover agent in a car and exchanged 3.5 grams of methamphetamine for a Sig Sauer, model P226 9 mm pistol. Wallace took out the methamphetamine, weighed it with a portable scale and placed it in a baggie before giving it to the undercover agent. After exiting the vehicle, police arrived to arrest him. When Wallace saw the police, he discarded 18 grams of methamphetamine, which was later recovered. Wallace has a 2011 felony conviction in Louisiana for operating a clandestine drug laboratory. Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell prosecuted the case.
Shreveport man sentenced to 58 months in prison for possessing three handguns on court house property
Deantre D. Caldwell, 30, of Shreveport, was sentenced Friday to four years and 10 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the January 5, 2018 guilty plea, Caldwell was traveling in the front passenger seat of a car that was rear-ended on April 24, 2017 near the intersection of Caddo and Market streets. The two drivers and Caldwell exited the vehicle. Caldwell had one of the drivers retrieve a backpack containing firearms from the front seat of the car he was traveling in, and he hid it in bushes outside of the Tom Stagg U.S. Court House. When officers arrived, a guard on duty at the federal court house informed the officers that he had seen Caldwell move the backpack. Officers found the bag, and it contained a Diamondback, model: DB-15, multi-caliber pistol; a Glock, model: 27GEN4, .40 caliber pistol; and a Glock, model 30GEN4, .45 auto caliber pistol. The driver said the backpack belonged to Caldwell. The defendant was convicted of illegal use of a weapon on February 21, 2007 in Caddo Parish and was restricted from possessing firearms. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields prosecuted the case.
The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigations into each case.
These cases are part of 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.
"Route 128 Bandit" Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to robbing 10 banks in the greater Boston area.
Paul B. Landrum, dubbed the “Route 128 Bandit,” 38, pleaded guilty to 10 counts of bank robbery. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for Aug. 13, 2018. In November 2017, Landrum was arrested and charged in federal court and has been in custody since.
Between July 31, 2017, and Oct. 6, 2017, eight banks were robbed in the Greater Boston area. After each robbery, the tellers described the perpetrator as a light-skinned black man, 30-to-45-years-old, wearing a baseball hat, sunglasses and a long-sleeved collarless shirt. Based on the descriptive similarities, law enforcement suspected that the same individual was involved in each robbery.
Between Oct. 17, 2017, and Oct. 19, 2017, two more banks were robbed in the Greater Boston area. Following these robberies, the tellers described the robber, later determined to be Tamea Chambers, as a black woman, 30-to-35-years-old, wearing a wig. Based on the similar descriptions by the tellers, law enforcement suspected that the same individual was involved in these two robberies.
During their investigation of the latter robberies, law enforcement obtained video footage from a business connected to one of the banks that captured images of the female robber in the company of a light-skinned black male. Upon comparison of this video footage with the video footage of the first eight robberies, law enforcement determined the man to be the Route 128 Bandit.
An investigation into the robber’s get-away vehicle led law enforcement to identify Landrum as the suspect, and on Oct. 24, 2017, Landrum and Chambers were arrested in Boston. Landrum admitted to robbing eight banks individually, and assisting Chambers with the final two robberies.
Chambers was indicted in March 2018 and has a hearing in federal court in Boston on May 8.
Landrum faces a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office, made the announcement today. The Massachusetts State Police and the Boston, Brookline, Medford, Somerville, and Wellesley police departments assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
30 April 2018
Wheeling Island woman admits to heroin distributionRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Carla Webb Daniels, of Wheeling Island, West Virginia, admitted to distributing heroin near an Ohio County school, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Daniels, age 57, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Heroin Within 1,000 Feet of a Protected Location.” Daniels admitted to distributing heroin in close proximity to Wheeling Central Catholic High School in Wheeling on February 16, 2017.
Daniels faces up to 40 years incarceration and a $2,000,000 fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen L. Vogrin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug & Violent Crime Task Force and the Marshall County Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, HIDTA-funded initiatives, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James E. Seibert presided.
Waterloo Man Sentenced to Two Years’ Imprisonment for Unlawfully Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who discarded a handgun while intoxicated and fleeing from police was sentenced April 26, 2018, to two years in federal prison.
Rahkeem Threex Lewis-Williams, age 26, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 7, 2017, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing established that on August 19, 2017, a Waterloo police officer attempted to stop Lewis-Williams for driving a dirt bike without a license plate. Lewis-Williams fled from the officer and crashed his dirt bike into a fence near Lincoln Elementary. Lewis-Williams then discarded a handgun and fled on foot into a nearby house. Officers surrounded the house and Lewis-Williams eventually left the house and surrendered. After officers arrested Lewis-Williams and placed him in a squad car, Lewis-Williams freed one of his hands from the cuffs and escaped the car. He then ran into another house where officers again arrested him. Officers later discovered that Lewis-Williams was under the influence of cocaine, marijuana, and alcohol.
Lewis-Williams was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Lewis-Williams was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
Lewis-Williams is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-92-LTS.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Washington Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Identity Theft Charges Stemming from Credit Card Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ELIJAH CHIN, 28, of Federal Way, Washington, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to fraud and identity theft offenses stemming from a credit card fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately December 2016 and February 2017, CHIN was involved in a scheme in which credit card accounts were opened electronically using personal identifying information from Connecticut residents. After the credit card issuers mailed credit cards to the victims’ home addresses, CHIN took the cards directly from the victims’ mailboxes. CHIN then used the credit cards to purchase gift cards, prepaid cards and other items totaling $63,941.60 at various retail establishments in Connecticut.
The Wilton Police Department arrested CHIN on related state charges on February 22, 2017. At the time of his arrest, CHIN possessed numerous fraudulently issued credit cards, prepaid cards purchased with the fraudulently obtained credit cards, and mail addressed to Connecticut residents.
CHIN pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, and offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of aggravated identity theft, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of two years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea on July 23, 2018.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Wilton Police Department and Ridgefield Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
Virginia Beach Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to eight years in prison for receiving images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
According to court documents, Stuart Aaron Burgess, 43, was found distributing child pornography via the Internet using peer-to-peer file-sharing software. After law enforcement seized Burgess’ computer pursuant to a search warrant, a forensic analysis showed he had more than 11,000 images and videos of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Of those, a significant percentage depicted the abuse of infants and toddlers.
Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, and James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources” for more information about Internet safety education.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:17-cr-153.
Upshur County woman admits to role in a stolen firearms conspiracy and sentencedRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Kimberly A. Warner, of Buckhannon, West Virginia, has admitted to her role in a stolen firearms and methamphetamine operation and was sentenced today to five years probation for her participation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Warner, also known as “Kimmie,” age 27, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess Stolen Firearms.” Warner admitted to being a part of a conspiracy to steal approximately 120 firearms from a cabin in Upshur County, and barter and sell those firearms for methamphetamine and money from October 2016 to September 2017.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives, The Mountain Region Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, the Greater Harrison Drug &Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, the West Virginia State Police, Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, the Buckhannon Police Department, and the Weston Police Department investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
United States Attorney Announces the Hiring of New Assistant United States AttorneyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Trent Shores announced today the appointment of Richard M. Cella as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma. As a Criminal Division AUSA, Mr. Cella will represent the United States of America in the prosecution of criminal cases. He is scheduled to be sworn in today at 3:00 p.m. at the United States District Courthouse by Chief United States District Court Judge Gregory K. Frizzell.
Mr. Cella joins the U.S. Attorney’s Office from the international law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, where he was counsel in the firm’s litigation practice. Previously, he also served as a prosecutor with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office through the D.A.’s Lawyer on Loan program. Mr. Cella received his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University magna cum laude and his J.D. with honors from the University of Texas School of Law.
“I am proud that Rick has joined our team here in the Northern District of Oklahoma.” said U.S. Attorney Shores. “He possesses the talent, passion, and know-how to make a positive impact in our office and for our community.”
Two Texas Men Sentenced to 20 and 15 Years in Prison for Hate Crime Assault Based on Victim’s Sexual OrientationRead the Press Release
Anthony Shelton, 20, and Cameron Ajiduah, 19, were sentenced today to 20 and 15 years in prison, respectively, for assaulting a man because of the victim’s sexual orientation, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 249, announced the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ Dallas Division.
According to the plea agreements, Shelton and Ajiduah both admitted that they and another defendant, Nigel Garrett, used Grindr, a social media dating platform for gay men, to arrange to meet the victim at his home. Upon entering the victim’s home, the defendants restrained the victim with tape, physically assaulted him, and made derogatory statements about the victim’s sexual orientation. The defendants brandished a firearm during the home invasion, and they stole the victim’s property, including his motor vehicle.
A federal grand jury previously had returned an eighteen-count superseding indictment that included charges for hate crimes, kidnappings, carjackings, and the use of firearms to commit violent crimes. The indictment also charged Shelton, Ajiduah, along with other defendants, Nigel Garrett and Chancler Encalade, with conspiring to cause bodily injury because of their victims’ sexual orientation during home invasions in Plano, Frisco, and Aubrey, Texas, from Jan. 17 to Feb. 7, 2017. All four defendants subsequently pleaded guilty to hate crime charges from this indictment, and admitted that they targeted victims because of their sexual orientation. Earlier this year, Garrett was sentenced to 15 years in prison, and Encalade was recently sentenced to 10 years in prison.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate any act of violence targeting individuals based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, race, color, religion, disability, or national origin,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division. “The Department will continue to investigate and prosecute hate crimes cases.”
“This case highlights the danger of the internet and specifically, online apps,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown for the Eastern District of Texas. “In this case, the defendants misused the internet for sinister purposes in order to target an innocent man based on his sexual orientation, causing him bodily harm and damage to his property.”
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Plano Police Department, and the Frisco Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Batson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas and Trial Attorney Saeed Mody of the Civil Rights Division.
Two Mexican Nationals Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine in the Metro EastRead the Press Release
Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that Christian Renteria-Espinoza, age 32, and Raul Salazar-Ortega, age 35, both Mexican citizens, were sentenced on Friday, April 27, 2018, for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. Renteria-Espinoza was sentenced to 90 months imprisonment, and Salazar-Ortega to 78 months.
Both men admitted that they had been active members of an organization which shipped large quantities of "ICE" (99% pure meth) from San Diego, California, to the Metro East region in 2016. Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized 15 pounds of ICE in San Diego from Salazar at the time of his arrest.
The investigation which resulted in the arrest and conviction of the two men was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert L. Garrison.
Three Waterloo Men Convicted of Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Three Waterloo men who were distributing cocaine and crack cocaine were convicted by a jury on April 27, 2018, after a five-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Alston Campbell, Sr., age 64, and his two sons, Alston Campbell, Jr., age 34, and William Campbell, age 43, all from Waterloo, Iowa, were convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine. Alston Campbell, Sr. was also convicted of distributing crack cocaine. Alston Campbell, Jr. was also convicted of one count possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute. William Campbell was also convicted of one count of distributing crack cocaine and one count of distributing cocaine. The verdicts were returned following about six hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that the father and sons were working together with others to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine in the Waterloo area. Evidence showed that both the DEA and FBI did multiple wiretaps on phones being used to communicate about the drug trafficking. From these wiretaps, law enforcement determined that the Campbells and others were bringing pounds of cocaine into Iowa from out of state and then selling the cocaine as both powder and crack cocaine in Waterloo.
Sentencings before United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence reports are prepared. Alston Campbell, Sr. was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the verdict was returned and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Alston Campbell, Jr. and William Campbell were previously detained and remain in the custody of the United States Marshal. Alston Campbell, Sr. and William Campbell face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and 10 years of supervised release following any imprisonment. Alston Campbell, Jr. faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Emily K. Nydle and Rich Murphy and was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Waterloo Police Department, the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, the Cedar Falls Police Department, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa City Police Department, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa State Patrol.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-cr-2045.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Two Texas Men Sentenced to 20 and 15 Years in Prison for Hate Crime Assault Based on Victim’s Sexual OrientationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Anthony Shelton, 20, and Cameron Ajiduah, 19, were sentenced today to 20 and 15 years in prison, respectively, for assaulting a man because of the victim’s sexual orientation, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 249, announced the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ Dallas Division.
According to the plea agreements, Shelton and Ajiduah both admitted that they and another defendant, Nigel Garrett, used Grindr, a social media dating platform for gay men, to arrange to meet the victim at his home. Upon entering the victim’s home, the defendants restrained the victim with tape, physically assaulted him, and made derogatory statements about the victim’s sexual orientation. The defendants brandished a firearm during the home invasion, and they stole the victim’s property, including his motor vehicle.
A federal grand jury previously had returned an eighteen-count superseding indictment that included charges for hate crimes, kidnappings, carjackings, and the use of firearms to commit violent crimes. The indictment also charged Shelton, Ajiduah, along with other defendants, Nigel Garrett and Chancler Encalade, with conspiring to cause bodily injury because of their victims’ sexual orientation during home invasions in Plano, Frisco, and Aubrey, Texas, from Jan. 17 to Feb. 7, 2017. All four defendants subsequently pleaded guilty to hate crime charges from this indictment, and admitted that they targeted victims because of their sexual orientation. Earlier this year, Garrett was sentenced to 15 years in prison, and Encalade was recently sentenced to 10 years in prison.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate any act of violence targeting individuals based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, race, color, religion, disability, or national origin,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division. “The Department will continue to investigate and prosecute hate crimes cases.”
“This case highlights the danger of the internet and specifically, online apps,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown for the Eastern District of Texas. “In this case, the defendants misused the internet for sinister purposes in order to target an innocent man based on his sexual orientation, causing him bodily harm and damage to his property.”
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Plano Police Department, and the Frisco Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Batson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas and Trial Attorney Saeed Mody of the Civil Rights Division.
# # #
Sulphur man pleads guilty to storing child pornography onlineRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a Sulphur man pleaded guilty last week to storing child pornography online.
Cameron Deshown Fairley, 27, of Sulphur, Louisiana, pleaded guilty Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to one count of possession of child pornography. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell. According to the guilty plea, Fairley maintained an online data storage account from September 2016 to February 2017 where he possessed images and videos of child pornography. He used the account to access and view child pornography. Some of the images involved children under the age of 12.
Fairley faces up to 20 years in prison, five years to life of supervised release registration as a sex offender and a $250,000 fine. The court set the sentencing date for July 26, 2018.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423. Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls. Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app. Tips may be submitted anonymously.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti is prosecuting the case.
Springfield Doctor Convicted by Jury of Illegally Sharing Patient Medical FilesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield gynecologist was convicted today in connection with allowing a pharmaceutical sales representative to access patient records and lying to federal investigators.
Rita Luthra, M.D., 67, of Longmeadow, was convicted by a federal jury of one count of violation of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act and one count of obstruction of a criminal health care investigation. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni has not yet scheduled sentencing.
From January 2011 through November 2011, Luthra allowed a pharmaceutical company sales representative from Warner Chilcott to access protected health information in her patients’ medical files. She later provided false information to federal agents when interviewed about her relationship with Warner Chilcott.
The charge of violation of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act provides for a sentence of no greater than one year in prison and/or a fine of $50,000 and one year of supervised release. The charge of obstructing a criminal health care investigation provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, made the announcement today. Assistant United States Attorneys Miranda Hooker and Young Paik of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
South Park Man Sentenced for Distributing Fentanyl that Caused his Friend’s DeathRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – An Allegheny County resident has been sentenced in federal court to 5 years’ probation, the first year of which will require him to spend every weekend in jail, on his conviction of violating the federal drug laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Jacob Palaski, age 28, of Pittsburgh, PA.
According to information presented to the court, on July 9, 2016, Palaski distributed 10 stamp bags containing fentanyl to his friend, Jesse Iwanonkiw. The use of that fentanyl resulted in the overdose death of Mr. Iwanonkiw the following day.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Conti acknowledged that the amount of drugs involved in Palaski’s crime was not large, but that when fentanyl is involved "one touch can kill." "Nothing can compensate [the Iwanonkiw family] for the loss of Jesse," Judge Conti stated, and "they will suffer the rest of their lives." As part of his sentence, Palaski was ordered to pay $16,965 in restitution to the Iwanonkiw family for funeral and burial expenses.
Judge Conti also rejected Palaski’s counsel’s request for no incarceration, stressing that a death resulted from Palaski’s actions, and that the crime required "serious consequences." Accordingly, Judge Conti lengthened the probationary sentence from 3 years to 5 years, and imposed intermittent confinement: for the first year of his probation, Palaski must report to jail every Friday evening, and stay in jail until Sunday evening. During the week, Palaski is required to maintain full-time employment, and must fulfill his restitution obligations.
Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Peters Township Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jacob Palaski.
Six Foreign Nationals Charged with Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Six individuals have been arrested and charged in federal court in Boston with illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
According to six separate indictments unsealed today, the following individuals were each charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien:
Marco Lopez-Chavez, 24, a Guatemalan national, was encountered by law enforcement in Lynn on Sept. 2, 2017, and determined to be illegally present in the United States. Lopez-Chavez was previously deported on April 28, 2016.
Bulmaro Enriquez, 32, a Mexican national, was encountered by law enforcement in Framingham on Nov. 23, 2017, and determined to be illegally present in the United States. Enriquez was previously deported in March 2006.
Milton Mejia-Padilla, 36, a Honduran national, was encountered by law enforcement in Chelsea on Jan. 7, 2018, and determined to be illegally present in the United States. Mejia-Padilla was previously deported on Aug. 16, 2010.
Leandro Guimaraes, 38, a Brazilian national, was encountered by law enforcement in Framingham in July 2015, and determined to be illegally present in the United States. Guimaraes was previously deported on Dec. 28, 2003.
Virgilio Pedro Vicente-Lopez, 39, a Guatemalan national, was encountered by law enforcement in Salem on Aug. 13, 2017, and determined to be illegally present in the United States. Vicente-Lopez was previously deported on Feb. 12, 2009.
Nivaldo Gomes, 57, a Brazilian national, was encountered by law enforcement in March 2018, and determined to be illegally present in the United States. Gomes was previously deported on Nov. 14, 2012.
The charges of illegal reentry provide for sentences of no greater than 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and each of the defendants will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Thomas P. Brophy, Acting Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth G. Shine and David G. Tobin of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the cases.
The details contained in the indictments are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Scarborough Woman Pleads Guilty to Health Care and Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Carrie Caporino, 46, of Scarborough, Maine, pleaded guilty today to two counts of embezzlement from health care providers and one count of social security number fraud.
According to court records, between 2014 and 2016, the defendant embezzled approximately $295,000 from a dental practice by making personal charges on office credit cards, using office funds to pay a personal credit card and her PayPal account, and by writing office checks to pay for personal expenses, including her rent.
In 2016 and 2017, the defendant worked for a Falmouth physician and embezzled approximately $253,000 by mobile depositing numerous checks made payable to her employer from patients and insurance into her personal bank accounts, and by writing office checks to herself that were not authorized by her employer.
The defendant also used a social security number that was not assigned to her on an application for health insurance when she worked for the dental practice.
The defendant faces up to ten years in jail on the embezzlement counts and up to five years on the social security count. The maximum fine for each count is $250,000.
She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The FBI and the U.S. Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General investigated this case.
Reno Lawyer Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A Reno, Nevada, attorney was sentenced today to 25 months in prison for filing false federal income tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman, U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada, and Special Agent in Charge Tara Sullivan for the IRS Criminal Investigation.
Delmar Hardy was convicted, following a jury trial in September 2017, of filing false individual income tax returns for the years 2008, 2009 and 2010.
According to documents and evidence presented to the court, Hardy falsified his 2008 through 2010 returns by not reporting more than $400,000 in cash income his law practice received. Hardy’s practice of not reporting cash dated back to at least 1999, which resulted in a total tax loss of more than $250,000.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Miranda M. Du ordered Hardy to serve one year of supervised release and to pay a fine in the amount of $10,000.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman, U.S. Attorney Elieson, and SAC Sullivan thanked special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Keller and Tax Division Trial Attorney Lee F. Langston, who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.
# # #
Puerto Rico Supreme Court Justice Addresses Latin American Judges at Department of Justice’s Judicial Studies InstituteRead the Press Release
Today, at the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, Justice Edgardo Rivera García gave the keynote address to 29 judges from Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Panama and Peru in San Juan, Puerto Rico as part of the Judicial Studies Institute (JSI) training program, a collaborative effort between the Department of Justice and Department of State to build the capacity of the judiciaries of the Western Hemisphere.
As a frequent contributor to the JSI program, Justice Rivera García stressed the importance of the judges’ contribution to rule of law in the hemisphere and lauded them for their role in the transformation of Latin American justice.
With the support of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and in partnership with the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, the Department of Justice’s Office of Prosecutorial Development Assistance and Training (OPDAT) launched JSI in 2012 as a response to the wave of justice sector reforms in Latin America that saw many countries transition to an adversarial system.
Through instruction conducted in Spanish, practical exercises, and observations of courtroom proceedings, the JSI program provides judges with an opportunity to enhance their understanding of the fundamental principles, benefits, and challenges of the adversarial system. This capacity building is critical to the region as the judge’s role in the adversarial system is different from that in the inquisitorial system. In the inquisitorial system, the judge is actively involved in investigating the facts of the case, whereas in the adversarial system, the role of the judge is primarily that of an impartial referee between the prosecution and the defense.
Throughout 2018, judges from 10 Latin American countries will participate in JSI courses covering topics such as the development of rules of evidence, proportionality in sentencing, and opinion writing. While each country’s transition to the adversarial system has been unique, the judges who have participated in the JSI program have displayed the same dedication to improving and strengthening the transparency and efficiency of their respective criminal justice systems.
“The Judicial Studies Institute’s work with Latin American judges as their justice systems transition to adversarial systems is pivotal to ensure the fair and effective administration of justice throughout the hemisphere, which in turn promotes security throughout the region,” said Faye S. Ehrenstamm, Director of OPDAT. “This would not be possible without both the deep commitment of the judiciaries from participating countries and the tremendous contributions by the U.S. federal and state judiciaries. OPDAT is proud to be associated with JSI and its many contributions to the region.”
Since 2012, JSI, with its partners at the University of Puerto Rico and Inter-American University law schools, has hosted over 700 Latin American judges from 12 countries. The program continues to expand with the introduction of a mentoring component for JSI alumni in 2017, and new course offerings on special topics including digital and electronic evidence, opinion writing, and asset forfeiture added to the curriculum each year.
Providence Man Sentenced for Dealing Kilo of HeroinRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Providence, R.I., man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for distributing a kilogram of heroin to an undercover agent.
Dennys Villalona, a/k/a Xavier Martinez-Gonzalez, 30, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to 66 months in prison and eight years of supervised release. In September 2017, Villalona pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin and one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of more than 100 grams of heroin.
In November 2016, a cooperating source introduced an undercover officer to Villalona for the purpose of supplying heroin to the undercover officer. On Nov. 17, 2016, Villalona and the undercover officer met in a restaurant parking lot in Foxboro where Villalona agreed to sell the undercover officer one kilogram of heroin for $55,000. Villalona stated that if the undercover officer kept coming back and business was good, the price would drop to $50,000 or even less per kilogram. Two days later, Villalona and the undercover officer met again, and Villalona supplied the undercover officer with a nearly 10-gram sample of heroin. On Nov. 22, 2016, Villalona and the undercover officer met at a restaurant in Wrentham, where Villalona delivered a package containing 992 grams of heroin to the undercover officer. All three meetings were recorded.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Albert Angelucci, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Ricci, Chief of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit, prosecuted the case.
Pollock prisoner from Opelousas sentenced to 12 months in prison for possessing an improvised knifeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a Pollock prisoner from Opelousas was sentenced last week to 12 months and one day in prison for possessing an improvised knife.
Torrey Griffin, 27, of Opelousas, Louisiana, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of possessing contraband in a prison. He was also sentenced to one year of supervised release. According to the January 19, 2018 guilty plea, Griffin was searched at the U.S. Penitentiary in Pollock, Louisiana, on July 30, 2017. A prison guard discovered that Griffin could not clear the metal detector, and during a pat down, the guard removed a knife from Griffin’s pants. The knife was approximately 6 and a half inches long and made of metal sharpened on one end.
The FBI and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons-Special Investigative Services conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo prosecuted the case.
Panasonic Avionics Corporation Agrees to Pay $137 Million to Resolve Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ChargesRead the Press Release
Panasonic Avionics Corporation (PAC), a subsidiary of multinational electronics company Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic), has agreed to pay a $137.4 million criminal penalty to resolve charges arising out of a scheme to retain consultants for improper purposes and conceal payments to third-party sales agents, in violation of the accounting provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting Assistant Director Christopher Hacker of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
“When Panasonic Avionics Corporation caused its publicly-traded parent company to falsify its books and records, it distorted the information available to legitimate investors,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Cronan. “The Criminal Division will take all appropriate action to ensure that the investing public is able to trust the accuracy of the financial statements of companies that avail themselves of American securities exchanges.”
“Enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act is critical in maintaining a fair and competitive international market to which all businesses are entitled,” said Acting Assistant Director Hacker. “Along with our federal partners and the Department of Justice, the FBI will continue to aggressively investigate violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.”
PAC, based in Lake Forest, California, designs and distributes in-flight entertainment systems and global communications services for airlines and airplane manufacturers. According to admissions and court documents, PAC knowingly and willfully caused Panasonic to falsify its books and records with respect to PAC’s retention of consultants for improper purposes. The consultants, which did little or no actual consulting work for PAC, were retained through a third-party service provider and were paid for out of a budget over which a senior PAC executive had complete control and discretion, without meaningful oversight by anyone at PAC or Panasonic. One such individual was offered the consulting position by PAC at the time that he was employed by a state-owned airline and involved in negotiating a lucrative contract amendment on behalf of the airline with PAC. According to court documents, that consultant was subsequently paid $875,000 by PAC over a six-year period and PAC earned over $92 million in profits from portions of the contract over which the consultant had some involvement or influence while employed with the airline. PAC admitted that it mischaracterized these payments as “consultant payments” on its general ledger, which it knew caused Panasonic to incorrectly designate those payments as “selling and general administrative expenses” on Panasonic’s books, records, and accounts.
PAC also admitted that employees in its Asia region concealed PAC’s use of certain sales agents, which did not pass the Company’s internal diligence requirements. According to admissions and court documents, PAC formally terminated its relationship with these sales agents, as required by its compliance policies, but PAC employees then secretly continued to use the agents by having them rehired as sub-agents of another company, which had passed PAC’s due diligence checks. Through this process, PAC employees hid more than $7 million in payments to at least 13 sub-agents.
By mischaracterizing the payments made to consultants and sales agents and providing false or incomplete representations and Sarbanes-Oxley subcertifications to Panasonic about PAC’s financials and financial controls, PAC caused Panasonic to falsify its books, records, and accounts in violation of the FCPA.
PAC entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) in connection with a criminal information, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, charging the company with one count of knowingly and willfully causing the falsification of the books, records, and accounts of its parent company Panasonic. As part of the DPA, PAC will pay a total criminal penalty of $137,403,812. PAC also agreed to continue to cooperate with the department’s investigation, enhance its compliance program, implement rigorous internal controls and retain an independent corporate compliance monitor for at least two years.
In a related proceeding, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a cease and desist order against Panasonic, whereby the company agreed to pay approximately $143 million in disgorgement to the SEC, including prejudgment interest. Thus, the combined total amount of U.S. criminal and regulatory penalties to be paid by Panasonic and PAC is over $280 million.
The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section reached this resolution based on a number of factors, including the fact that PAC did not timely voluntarily self-disclose the conduct, but did cooperate with the department’s investigation after receiving a request for documents from the SEC. PAC received a 20 percent discount off the low end of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines fine range because of its cooperation and remediation, which, although untimely in certain respects, did include causing several senior executives who were either involved in or aware of the misconduct to be separated from PAC or Panasonic. Because many of the company’s compliance enhancements were more recent, and therefore have not been tested, the DPA imposes an independent compliance monitor for a term of two years, followed by an additional year of self-reporting to the department.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s International Corruption Squad in Los Angeles. Fraud Section Trial Attorneys Dennis R. Kihm and Jeremy R. Sanders prosecuted the case. The Fraud Section appreciates the significant cooperation and assistance provided by the SEC in this matter. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs also provided assistance during the investigation.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Palm Bay Man Sentenced for Defrauding the Department of Veterans AffairsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell today sentenced Armando Lafuente (56, Palm Bay) to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison for theft of government money. As part of his sentence, the court also entered a money judgment for $157,471.57, the proceeds of the offense. Lafuente pleaded guilty on November 27, 2017.
According to court documents, between December 2009 and January 2017, Lafuente obtained various disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by claiming that he had completely lost the use of both of his feet due to a prior, service-connected injury. An investigation conducted by the VA Office of Inspector General confirmed that Lafuente had not completely lost the use of his feet; on the contrary, he could perform a wide range of normal activities—including walking, driving, climbing ladders, and mowing his lawn. The disability benefits Lafuente had received included special monthly compensation payments, transportation services, and an automobile grant.
This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily C. L. Chang.
Panasonic Avionics Corporation Agrees to Pay $137 Million to Resolve Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Panasonic Avionics Corporation (PAC), a subsidiary of multinational electronics company Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic), has agreed to pay a $137.4 million criminal penalty to resolve charges arising out of a scheme to retain consultants for improper purposes and conceal payments to third-party sales agents, in violation of the accounting provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting Assistant Director Christopher Hacker of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
“When Panasonic Avionics Corporation caused its publicly-traded parent company to falsify its books and records, it distorted the information available to legitimate investors,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Cronan. “The Criminal Division will take all appropriate action to ensure that the investing public is able to trust the accuracy of the financial statements of companies that avail themselves of American securities exchanges.”
PAC, based in Lake Forest, California, designs and distributes in-flight entertainment systems and global communications services for airlines and airplane manufacturers. According to admissions and court documents, PAC knowingly and willfully caused Panasonic to falsify its books and records with respect to PAC’s retention of consultants for improper purposes. The consultants, which did little or no actual consulting work for PAC, were retained through a third-party service provider and were paid for out of a budget over which a senior PAC executive had complete control and discretion, without meaningful oversight by anyone at PAC or Panasonic. One such individual was offered the consulting position by PAC at the time that he was employed by a state-owned airline and involved in negotiating a lucrative contract amendment on behalf of the airline with PAC. According to court documents, that consultant was subsequently paid $875,000 by PAC over a six-year period and PAC earned over $92 million in profits from portions of the contract over which the consultant had some involvement or influence while employed with the airline. PAC admitted that it mischaracterized these payments as “consultant payments” on its general ledger, which it knew caused Panasonic to incorrectly designate those payments as “selling and general administrative expenses” on Panasonic’s books, records, and accounts.
PAC also admitted that employees in its Asia region concealed PAC’s use of certain sales agents, which did not pass the Company’s internal diligence requirements. According to admissions and court documents, PAC formally terminated its relationship with these sales agents, as required by its compliance policies, but PAC employees then secretly continued to use the agents by having them rehired as sub-agents of another company, which had passed PAC’s due diligence checks. Through this process, PAC employees hid more than $7 million in payments to at least 13 sub-agents.
By mischaracterizing the payments made to consultants and sales agents and providing false or incomplete representations and Sarbanes-Oxley subcertifications to Panasonic about PAC’s financials and financial controls, PAC caused Panasonic to falsify its books, records, and accounts in violation of the FCPA.
PAC entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) in connection with a criminal information, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, charging the company with one count of knowingly and willfully causing the falsification of the books, records, and accounts of its parent company Panasonic. As part of the DPA, PAC will pay a total criminal penalty of $137,403,812. PAC also agreed to continue to cooperate with the department’s investigation, enhance its compliance program, implement rigorous internal controls and retain an independent corporate compliance monitor for at least two years.
In a related proceeding, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a cease and desist order against Panasonic, whereby the company agreed to pay approximately $143 million in disgorgement to the SEC, including prejudgment interest. Thus, the combined total amount of U.S. criminal and regulatory penalties to be paid by Panasonic and PAC is over $280 million.
The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section reached this resolution based on a number of factors, including the fact that PAC did not timely voluntarily self-disclose the conduct, but did cooperate with the department’s investigation after receiving a request for documents from the SEC. PAC received a 20 percent discount off the low end of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines fine range because of its cooperation and remediation, which, although untimely in certain respects, did include causing several senior executives who were either involved in or aware of the misconduct to be separated from PAC or Panasonic. Because many of the company’s compliance enhancements were more recent, and therefore have not been tested, the DPA imposes an independent compliance monitor for a term of two years, followed by an additional year of self-reporting to the department.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s International Corruption Squad in Los Angeles. Fraud Section Trial Attorneys Dennis R. Kihm and Jeremy R. Sanders prosecuted the case. The Fraud Section appreciates the significant cooperation and assistance provided by the SEC in this matter. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs also provided assistance during the investigation.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 20 years for Selling Methamphetamine Out of His South Omaha Auto ShopRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joseph P. Kelly announced that Baldemar Arambul, 43, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 30, 2018, to 20 years in prison by Chief United States District Judge Laurie Smith Camp. Arambul had previously been found guilty after a 3 day Omaha jury trial where numerous witnesses testified and the evidence revealed that Arambul had used his South Omaha Auto Shop to dispense hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine of over a three year period. After serving his sentence, Arambul will be required to serve a Term of Supervised Release of 5 years.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations.
Olympian Village Alderman Indicted on Wire Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Gary Keith Atchley, 53, of Jefferson County, Missouri, surrendered this morning in federal court to an Indictment charging him with five counts of wire fraud in connection with his scheme to defraud the citizens of Olympian Village.
The indictment alleges that, between March 2013 and December 2016, Atchley was an alderman for Olympian Village located in Jefferson County, Missouri. At no time was Atchley an authorized signatory on the Olympian Village account. He used the account to pay personal expenses, including making checks to cash and writing checks directly to himself. Approximately $58,000 was bought in personal merchandise using pre-authorized debit transactions and the $127,000 of checks he wrote to himself were not authorized by the Olympian Village government.
"This is a double blow for Olympian Village," said Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI St. Louis Division. "The financial loss alone is devastating for a small community. The addition of public corruption causes an even deeper impact when people lose trust in their government."
If convicted, Atchley faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of more than $250,000 or both on each count. Restitution to the victim is also mandatory. In determining the actual sentences, a Judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
This case was investigated by the St. Louis division of the FBI and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department. Gwen Carroll is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s office.
As is always the case, charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Pass Counterfeit $100 Bills at Western PA StoresRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Brian Maurice Carr, age 30, pleaded guilty to one count before Chief United States District Court Joy Flowers Conti.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that it was a part of the conspiracy that Carr and his co-conspirators obtained counterfeit Federal Reserve notes in the denomination of $100 dollars in Ohio and transported the counterfeit Federal Reserve notes into the Western District of Pennsylvania. It was further a part of the conspiracy that on numerous occasions Carr and his co-conspirators passed, and attempted to pass, counterfeit $100 bills at various retail store locations in the Western Pennsylvania and received legitimate currency as change.
Chief Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for August 20, 2018 at 3:30 p.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Mary McKeen Houghton is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Secret Service, the Scott Township Police Department, the North Fayette Police Department and the Bethel Park Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the conviction in this case.
Norwalk Landscaper to Serve Federal Prison Time for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CANDIDO VALADARES, also known as Candide Valadares, 57, of Norwalk, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to two months of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for filing false tax returns.
According to court documents and statements made in court, VALADARES operates two Norwalk-based landscaping businesses, Candide’s Landscaping and Water Gardens, LLC and Candide Contractor & Natural Pools, LLC. He also provides snow-removal services to his clients during winter months. An investigation revealed that VALADARES deposited receipts from his businesses into both his business and personal bank accounts. He also substantially underreported employee wages by paying certain employee wages out of his personal accounts.
VALADARES used a tax return preparer to prepare his yearly tax returns. The tax preparer took figures from certain profit-and-loss statements obtained from VALADARES or his bookkeeper to prepare the relevant federal tax returns. VALADARES knew that the profit-and-loss statements did not reflect all revenues deposited in VALADARES’ business and personal bank accounts, and substantially underreported payroll. As a result, VALADARES’ federal tax returns for 2009, 2010 and 2011 tax years underreported $488,182 in gross receipts, underreported his business payroll by approximately $350,000, and resulted in a loss of $165,763.52 to the U.S. Treasury.
VALADARES is required to pay $165,763.52 in restitution, and cooperate with the IRS to pay any additional civil penalties and interest that have accrued on his unpaid taxes.
On November 16, 2017, VALADARES pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false tax return.
This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
New Jersey Man Who Traveled Overseas to Join ISIS Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Nader Saadeh, 23, of Rutherford, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General for the National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito for the District of New Jersey and Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie of the FBI’s Newark, New Jersey Division. Saadeh previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to an information charging him with one count of conspiring with others to provide material support to ISIS. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
“ISIS is a threat to the people of the United States, both here and abroad, and the National Security Division will aggressively investigate and prosecute all who seek aid it,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “I applaud the dedication of the agents at the FBI and the Newark Joint Terrorism Task Force and the prosecutors here at the Department of Justice, who together thwarted the defendant’s attempt to fight for ISIS against the U.S. and its allies.”
“Saadeh traveled overseas for the sole purpose of joining and fighting for ISIS, an international terrorist organization that has repeatedly taken and threatened to take the lives of our citizens and allies all over the world,” said U.S. Attorney Carpenito. “Thanks to the intervention of the FBI-Newark Joint Terrorism Task Force and federal prosecutors on this case, Saadeh’s criminal aspirations were never realized. Instead of joining ISIS’ ranks, he will spend the next several years in prison.”
“I want to commend the work of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force investigators and prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's office who worked countless hours throughout this investigation to protect the community in their execution of the FBI's Counterterrorism strategy to detect, penetrate and disrupt potential acts of terrorism in the United States and abroad,” said Special Agent in Charge Ehrie.
According to documents filed in this and related cases and statements made in court:
Saadeh admitted that prior to his arrest on Aug. 10, 2015, by the FBI-Newark Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), he planned to travel overseas to join ISIS along with others. Saadeh discussed his plans to join ISIS with his brother, Alaa Saadeh, Samuel Rahamin Topaz, Munther Omar Saleh and Fareed Mumuni, and admitted that at various times each of them indicated that they wanted to join ISIS. Saadeh also admitted that he and these other men watched ISIS-related videos, some of which depicted the execution of individuals – both Muslim and non-Muslim – regarded by ISIS as enemies.
On May 5, 2015, Saadeh departed the United States with plans to travel overseas to join ISIS in furtherance of the conspiracy, according to his statements in court. Saadeh admitted that once he reached ISIS-controlled territory he intended to fight on behalf of ISIS. Saadeh further admitted that Saleh assisted him by giving him a contact who would facilitate his travel from Turkey to ISIS in Syria.
Saadeh admitted that prior to his departure from the United States, Saleh showed him technical drawings for making homemade bombs. Saadeh admitted that Saleh and Mumuni discussed plans to carry out an attack in ISIS’ name using homemade bombs at locations in New York City, including Times Square, the World Trade Center, and Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, in Queens, New York.
Saadeh admitted knowing that ISIS was a designated terrorist organization and was taking over territory overseas, expelling non-Muslims from their homes and executing individuals who did not obey ISIS’ commands.
Topaz and Alaa Saadeh have also pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to ISIS. Alaa Saadeh was sentenced to 15 years in prison on May 10, 2016. Topaz is set to be sentenced on May 1. Saleh and Mumuni have both pleaded guilty to related charges brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Saleh was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Feb. 6. Mumuni was sentenced to 17 years in prison on April 26.
Assistant Attorney General Demers and U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited the special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ehrie in Newark, and the Newark Joint Terrorism Task Force with the successful investigation. The JTTF is comprised of agents and officers from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, New Jersey State Police, Paterson Police Department, and the NYPD, among other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis C. Carletta and Francisco J. Navarro of the District of New Jersey, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and Robert Sander of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Nevada Lawyer Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Reno, Nevada attorney was sentenced today to 25 months in prison for filing false federal income tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada.
Delmar Hardy was convicted, following a jury trial in September 2017, of filing false individual income tax returns for the years 2008, 2009 and 2010.
According to documents and evidence presented to the court, Hardy falsified his 2008 through 2010 returns by not reporting more than $400,000 in cash income his law practice received. Hardy’s practice of not reporting cash dated back to at least 1999, which resulted in a total tax loss of more than $250,000.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Miranda M. Du ordered Hardy to serve one year of supervised release and to pay a fine in the amount of $10,000.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Elieson thanked special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Keller and Tax Division Trial Attorney Lee F. Langston, who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.
Nassau County Repeat Offender Sentenced to 100 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard today sentenced Vincent J. Jones, Jr. (47, Fernandina Beach) to eight years and four months in federal prison for distributing cocaine. He pleaded guilty on January 23, 2018.
According to court documents, Jones sold cocaine to a confidential informant on three separate occasions in October 2017. When law enforcement officers witnessed him driving and attempted to arrest him pursuant to a warrant, he refused to pull over. The officers witnessed him throw a bag of crack cocaine out of the window before he eventually stopped his car. At the time of this incident, Jones had 10 prior felony drug convictions.
This case was investigated by the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
Nashville Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Ironelly Mora, 39, a Nashville resident and tax return preparer, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today, to one count of preparing a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran of the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to court documents, Mora owned and operated Latinos Unidos tax preparation business located in Nashville, Tennessee. Mora admitted that from 2013 through 2017, she prepared and filed false tax returns for her clients to help grow her business. Mora inflated her customers’ returns by claiming false child tax credits, exemptions and false filing statuses. Mora admitted that she also filed her own false tax returns for tax years 2014 through 2016 by underreporting her income from Latinos Unidos. In total, Mora caused a tax loss of $379,540 to the Internal Revenue Service.
Mora will be sentenced on August 3, 2018, and faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan R. Raybould is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Myrtle Beach Woman Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Tax Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Stephanie M. Campellone, age 46, of Myrtle Beach, SC, pled guilty in federal court in Florence, to Filing a False Tax Return, a violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(1). United States District Judge Bryan Harwell, of Florence, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
The evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that Campellone owns and operates Mastercare Contracting, Inc., a lawn care/landscaping business in Myrtle Beach. During the years 2012, 2013 and 2014, Campellone diverted a large portion of Mastercare’s income into personal bank accounts and substantially underreported the business’s taxable gross receipts on tax returns. By understating the business’s gross income, Campellone also substantially underreported her income on her personal tax returns. Specifically, for the three years in question, Campellone understated over $1,460,000.00 in gross receipts. As a result of this conduct, Campellone owes over $447,000.00 of additional income taxes.
Ms. Drake stated the maximum penalty Campellone can receive is imprisonment for 3 years and a fine of $100,000.
The case was investigated by agents of the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office is prosecuting the case.
#####
Missouri Man Charged with Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Joseph Michael Willard, 54, of Missouri, was indicted April 26 for the production and possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney William M. McSwain. The indictment alleges that Willard produced and possessed images of minors – including one under age 12 – engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
“The young victims in cases like these are victimized over and over again because the horrific images stay in circulation forever,” U.S. Attorney McSwain said. “We are working diligently with our law enforcement partners to stop child exploitation, which is a national problem.”
If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of lifetime incarceration, a mandatory minimum twenty-five years imprisonment, a mandatory minimum five years supervised release up to lifetime supervised release, a $1,750,000 fine, a $35,700 in special assessments.
The case was investigated by the Bethlehem Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sherri A. Stephan.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Milwaukee Man Sentenced to 107 Years in Prison for Five Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger has announced that last Friday, United States District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller sentenced Otis Hunter to 107 years in prison after a jury found Mr. Hunter guilty of conspiracy to commit robberies, three business robberies, two carjackings, and five counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Judge Stadtmueller sentenced Mr. Hunter’s co-defendant, Deshawn Evans, to 32 years in prison after a jury found Mr. Evans guilty of conspiracy, a business robbery, a carjacking, and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Each defendant was sentenced to the mandatory minimum sentence imposed by Congress for the use of firearms during crimes of violence.
The evidence presented at trial showed that between November 17, 2016, and December 4, 2016, Mr. Hunter and Mr. Evans were part of a robbery crew that committed three business robberies and two carjackings, all at gunpoint. Most of the crimes occurred on the south side of Milwaukee. The evidence established that the defendants brandished handguns, robbed employees and customers, and, on two occasions, pistol-whipped their victims.
U.S. Attorney Krueger stated, “The lengthy sentences imposed in this case are sobering. Mr. Hunter and Mr. Evans embarked on a cruel robbery spree and terrorized numerous innocent victims. As a result, they will spend decades in federal prison. Men and women who are inclined to use guns to commit robberies and carjackings need to know they face stiff mandatory minimum sentences. Together with federal, state, and local partners, we are committed to prosecuting gun violence and working to make our neighborhoods safer.”
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Milwaukee Area Violent Crimes Task Force and the Milwaukee Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret B. Honrath and Rebecca L. Taibleson.
# # # # #
For additional information contact:
Public Information Officer Dean Puschnig, 414-297-1700
Milwaukee Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger has announced that Dameion D. Wyatt (age 40) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, appeared in federal court on Friday April 27th for an arraignment on multiple offenses related to sex trafficking.
U.S. Attorney Krueger explained that last week, a grand jury returned a ten-count indictment against Wyatt. Counts One, Two, Six, Seven, and Nine allege that at times from September 2011 to July 2014, Wyatt used force, fraud, and coercion to cause five different adult victims to engage in commercial sex acts, and attempted to do so, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1591(a)(1), 1591(b)(1) and 1594(a). Counts Three, Eight and Ten relatedly allege that Wyatt knowingly transported these women across state lines with the intent that they engage in prostitution, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2421(a).
Counts Four and Five relate to a minor victim. Count Four alleges that Wyatt trafficked the minor, who was 14 years old at the time, for commercial sex in July 2012 in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1591(a)(1), 1591(b)(2), 1594(a), and 2. Count Five alleges that during the same time period, Wyatt transported the minor across state lines with the intent that the minor engage in prostitution and unlawful sexual activity in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(a).
Counts Three, Eight, and Ten each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, while the other counts each carry a maximum penalty of life in prison. Both of the counts involving the minor victim also carry 10-year minimum mandatory prison sentences, and the five counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion each carry 15-year mandatory minimum prison sentences. All of the charges in Wyatt’s indictment carry additional possible penalties of up to a life term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and up to $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Krueger commented, “Sex trafficking inflicts horrific trauma upon its victims, and these charges are especially heart-breaking because they allege the exploitation of a child. This Office is committed to prosecuting sex trafficking. We commend the victims in this case for speaking out and helping to ensure that additional women do not become victims of trafficking. We also commend the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s excellent investigative work.”
“For more than a year, DOJ led a complex sex trafficking investigation of the Wyatts that spanned multiple states,” said Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel. “The indictment announced today, which is the result of great investigative work, finally brings this case closer to a conclusion and is the first steps in delivering justice to the victims.”
This case was investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura S. Kwaterski and Erica J. Lounsberry.
The public is cautioned that an indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
# # # # #
For additional information contact:
Public Information Officer Dean Puschnig, 414-297-1700
Miami-Dade Juvenile Detention Officer Charged with Civil Rights Offenses for Role in Inmate’s Beating and DeathRead the Press Release
Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore, U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg for the Southern District of Florida, and Robert F. Lasky, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, today announced federal charges against juvenile detention officer Antwan Lenard Johnson arising from his role in the August 2015 beating and death of a 17-year-old juvenile inmate (E.R.) at the Miami-Dade Regional Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) in Miami, Florida.
“The Justice Department will continue to aggressively prosecute corrections officers who exploit their position of power and violate the civil rights of individuals in their custody,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division.
“The United States Constitution protects every person in this country, including those who are detained in juvenile detention facilities,” said U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg. “It is an honor and privilege to work with the many outstanding agents and officers who are part of our law enforcement community. These brave individuals put their lives on the line every day to protect us all and make our communities safer. But we are committed to bringing to justice the small minority of law enforcement officials when they abuse their authority and violate the civil rights of another.”
“Violations of civil rights by government officials cannot be tolerated as it undermines the public’s trust,” said Robert F. Lasky, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “The FBI is committed to working with our partners to safeguard the civil rights of all.”
Johnson, 35, of Miami-Dade County, was charged with conspiracy to violate E.R.’s civil rights under color of law, which resulted in E.R.’s death, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 241; and deprivation of E.R.’s civil rights, under color of law, which resulted in bodily injury and E.R.’s death, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 242. If convicted, Johnson faces a maximum statutory sentence of life in prison for each charge.
E.R. was a 17-year-old juvenile who had been arrested and was subsequently taken to the JDC on Aug. 28, 2015. He was being detained pending further order of the State Court and had not been convicted of the crime for which he had been arrested.
The indictment alleges that Johnson operated a commonly utilized bounty system in order to help ensure obedience and officer respect at the JDC. Johnson encouraged and induced juvenile detainees, in exchange for rewards and privileges, to forcibly assault E.R. In exchange for attacking E.R., Johnson rewarded the juveniles with extra recreational time and snacks. As a result of being held at the JDC, witnessing events at the facility, and in some cases being actual victims of the bounties, the juveniles were aware of the bounty culture. They knew that they would not be punished or disciplined by Johnson, but in fact rewarded, if they followed his directives.
The indictment alleges that, on Aug. 30, 2015, Johnson worked in Module 9 at the JDC, during the 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. shift. Based on E.R.’s statements and behavior during dinner at the JDC cafeteria, Johnson communicated to juveniles that he wanted them to forcibly assault E.R. Various juveniles agreed, which caused E.R. to fear for his immediate safety and stand away from the other juveniles prior to, and while returning, from the JDC cafeteria to Module 9.
According to the indictment, Johnson directed juveniles to delay the attack on E.R. until they all returned to Module 9. Upon returning to Module 9 with the juveniles, Johnson promptly walked out of view of E.R. and the other juveniles. At the same time, a juvenile punched E.R. in the face as he attempted to sit down in a chair. Numerous other juveniles immediately joined the attack and punched and kicked E.R., continuing their assault, even when E.R. fell to the ground.
The indictment further alleges that after E.R. was escorted out of Module 9 to the JDC medical department, Johnson promptly released the juveniles in Module 9 from their cells and allowed them to watch television as a reward and privilege. Johnson also bumped fists with the juvenile who initiated the attack on E.R. Johnson later caused certain Module 9 juveniles to receive snacks as a reward and privilege for participating in the attack on E.R.
According to the indictment, E.R. was later transported from the JDC to Holtz Children’s Hospital in Miami, Florida. On Aug. 31, 2015, E.R. was pronounced dead due to bodily injuries suffered during the attack.
An indictment merely contains allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the FBI Miami Area Corruption Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. McLaughlin and Trial Attorney Samantha Trepel of the Civil Rights Division.
Miami-Dade Juvenile Detention Officer Charged with Civil Rights Offenses for Role in Inmate’s Beating and DeathRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore, and Robert F. Lasky, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, today announced federal charges against juvenile detention officer Antwan Lenard Johnson arising from his role in the August 2015 beating and death of a 17-year-old juvenile inmate (E.R.) at the Miami-Dade Regional Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) in Miami, Florida.
“The United States Constitution protects every person in this country, including those who are detained in juvenile detention facilities,” said U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg. “It is an honor and privilege to work with the many outstanding agents and officers who are part of our law enforcement community. These brave individuals put their lives on the line every day to protect us all and make our communities safer. But we are committed to bringing to justice the small minority of law enforcement officials when they abuse their authority and violate the civil rights of another.”
“The Justice Department will continue to aggressively prosecute corrections officers who exploit their position of power and violate the civil rights of individuals in their custody,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division.
“Violations of civil rights by government officials cannot be tolerated as it undermines the public’s trust,” said Robert F. Lasky, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “The FBI is committed to working with our partners to safeguard the civil rights of all.”
Johnson, 35, of Miami-Dade County, was charged with conspiracy to violate E.R.’s civil rights under color of law, which resulted in E.R.’s death, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 241; and deprivation of E.R.’s civil rights, under color of law, which resulted in bodily injury and E.R.’s death, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 242. If convicted, Johnson faces a maximum statutory sentence of life in prison for each charge.
E.R. was a 17-year-old juvenile who had been arrested and was subsequently taken to the JDC on Aug. 28, 2015. He was being detained pending further order of the State Court and had not been convicted of the crime for which he had been arrested.
The indictment alleges that Johnson operated a commonly utilized bounty system in order to help ensure obedience and officer respect at the JDC. Johnson encouraged and induced juvenile detainees, in exchange for rewards and privileges, to forcibly assault E.R. In exchange for attacking E.R., Johnson rewarded the juveniles with extra recreational time and snacks. As a result of being held at the JDC, witnessing events at the facility, and in some cases being actual victims of the bounties, the juveniles were aware of the bounty culture. They knew that they would not be punished or disciplined by Johnson, but in fact rewarded, if they followed his directives.
The indictment alleges that, on Aug. 30, 2015, Johnson worked in Module 9 at the JDC, during the 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. shift. Based on E.R.’s statements and behavior during dinner at the JDC cafeteria, Johnson communicated to juveniles that he wanted them to forcibly assault E.R. Various juveniles agreed, which caused E.R. to fear for his immediate safety and stand away from the other juveniles prior to, and while returning, from the JDC cafeteria to Module 9.
According to the indictment, Johnson directed juveniles to delay the attack on E.R. until they all returned to Module 9. Upon returning to Module 9 with the juveniles, Johnson promptly walked out of view of E.R. and the other juveniles. At the same time, a juvenile punched E.R. in the face as he attempted to sit down in a chair. Numerous other juveniles immediately joined the attack and punched and kicked E.R., continuing their assault, even when E.R. fell to the ground.
The indictment further alleges that after E.R. was escorted out of Module 9 to the JDC medical department, Johnson promptly released the juveniles in Module 9 from their cells and allowed them to watch television as a reward and privilege. Johnson also bumped fists with the juvenile who initiated the attack on E.R. Johnson later caused certain Module 9 juveniles to receive snacks as a reward and privilege for participating in the attack on E.R.
According to the indictment, E.R. was later transported from the JDC to Holtz Children’s Hospital in Miami, Florida. On Aug. 31, 2015, E.R. was pronounced dead due to bodily injuries suffered during the attack.
An indictment merely contains allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the FBI Miami Area Corruption Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. McLaughlin and Trial Attorney Samantha Trepel of the Civil Rights Division.
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.