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17 April 2018
Gary Woman Convicted After Two Week Jury TrialRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, Thomas L. Kirsch II, announced that Ethel Shelton, age 72, of Gary, Indiana was convicted of two federal criminal conspiracy charges after a 10-day jury trial before District Court Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen.
The jury convicted Shelton on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. Shelton’s co-defendant, Alex Wheeler, age 68, of Gary, Indiana was found not guilty of both charges. Former Calumet Township Trustee Mary Elgin and her son Stephen Hunter previously pleaded guilty in this case, pursuant to plea agreements.
According to records in the case, Shelton was a member of Elgin’s political initiatives committee and served as Elgin’s Executive Secretary from 2006 to 2012. Throughout Elgin’s tenure as Calumet Township Trustee, members of the conspiracy, including Shelton and Hunter, used property and employee resources of the Trustee’s Office to run Elgin’s reelection campaigns. Elgin created an environment whereby employees believed that retaining their jobs hinged on purchasing tickets to her political fundraising events. Shelton was in charge of ticket distribution and payment collection, all of which occurred in the Trustee’s Office during work hours. Tickets were distributed according to the employees’ salary. Shelton kept track of which purchased tickets and which did not. Employees who could not pay for their tickets all at once were placed on payment plans.
The Calumet Township Trustee’s Office is a local government entity whose primary mission is to provide emergency relief and assistance to needy individuals and families.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of Internal Revenue Service. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Lerner, Abizer Zanzi and Philip Benson.
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Four people operating out of Cleveland and Maple Heights indicted for preparing hundreds of false tax returnsRead the Press Release
Four people from Ohio were named in a 31-count indictment for their roles in a conspiracy in which they filed more than 800 tax returns annually between 2012 and 2015 resulting in approximately $15 million in refunds being issued, a portion of which neither they nor their clients were entitled.
Indicted are: Keith Jeffries, 44, of Maple Heights; Brian Peacock, 33, of Sandusky; Linnette Coleman, 44, of Cleveland; and Nicole Pugh, 31, of Cleveland. All four are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States. All four face additional counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent tax returns.
Jeffries operated a tax preparation business under the name Krew Time, LLC. Jeffries, Peacock, Coleman and Pugh all prepared returns for Krew Time clients. The company operated out of three locations – from Jeffries’ residence on Friend Avenue in Maple Heights, from the back offices of a MetroPCS store on East 71st Street in Cleveland and from a commercial building on East 140th Street in Cleveland, according to the indictment.
The defendants filed false, fictitious and fraudulent tax returns in the name of Krew Time clients. The clients received the majority of the refunds with the defendants receiving a portion of the refund as their tax preparation fee, according to the indictment.
They did this by filing false itemized deductions, business income expenses, tax credit information, medical expenses, false filing status and other information to obtain income tax refunds to which the taxpayers were not entitled. This took place between 2011 and 2016, according to the indictment.
“This group spent years trying to rip off the federal government by filing hundreds of fake tax returns,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “These defendants took advantage of programs designed to help sick people or struggling students and instead used them to enrich themselves.”
“These defendants wreaked havoc on the IRS by misusing their Electronic Filing Identification Number and Preparer Tax Identification Number to electronically file fraudulent income tax returns for their clients that generated inflated false income tax refunds,” stated Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carmen Henderson and Alejandro Abreu.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former IRS Employee Sentenced for False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former IRS employee has been sentenced in federal court for filing false tax returns.
Carla Lachelle Mitchell, 49, of Kansas City, Kan., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner on Monday, April 16, 2018, to one year and one day in federal prison. The court also ordered Mitchell to pay $137,483 in restitution.
Mitchell worked as a lead contact representative at the IRS Service Center in Kansas City, Mo., from 2006 to 2015. Mitchell admitted that while employed by the IRS she prepared false federal income tax returns for 2011, 2012 and 2013 for 13 of her friends and family, as well as herself.
When preparing tax returns, Mitchell included several false entries (such as fraudulent wages or dependents) to lower the individual tax liability or to increase their refunds. Mitchell has been linked to 27 fraudulent returns through her admissions, witness statements and IP addresses. According to court records, Mitchell also filed tax returns seeking fraudulent refunds in the names of two people without their authorization, stealing their identities in order to do so.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Former Federal Employee in Albany Charged with Defrauding the Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Timothy J. Oravec, age 59, of Poughkeepsie, New York, was arrested today on charges that he defrauded the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and some of its employees by falsely claiming to have cancer, and obtaining and using leave time donated to him by his colleagues.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge for HUD’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), Northeast Region.
Oravec worked for HUD in Albany. The indictment alleges that in 2013, Oravec falsely told his supervisors and coworkers at HUD that he had been diagnosed with cancer and would need to be absent from work as a result. Oravec was approved as a recipient of donated leave as part of a voluntary leave transfer program operated by HUD. Other HUD employees donated 694 hours of their vacation time to Oravec. He used most of the donated vacation time to miss work, while being paid over $24,000 in salary.
The indictment also alleges that, as part of the scheme, Oravec fabricated letters from multiple medical providers and gave those fabricated letters to his supervisors at HUD. Those letters purported to describe Oravec’s treatment for cancer. In fact, Oravec was not under the care and treatment of the providers and created the letters himself.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Oravec was arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, who ordered him released with conditions pending trial before Senior United States District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr.
If convicted, Oravec would face up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a maximum term of post-imprisonment supervised release of 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by HUD-OIG and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian.
Former FBI Special Agent Pleads Guilty to Leaking Classified National Defense InformationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Terry J. Albury, a former Special Agent of the FBI, pleaded guilty today in the District of Minnesota in connection with his unauthorized disclosure and retention of classified national defense information.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, Acting U.S. Attorney Tracy Doherty-McCormick for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Assistant Director Bill Priestap of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division announced the plea. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright.
“Today, Terry Albury admitted to violating his oath to protect our country by disclosing to a reporter classified information that, as an FBI agent, he was entrusted to protect,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “Albury admitted that his actions put America at risk. As this prosecution demonstrates, we will not waver in our commitment to pursue and hold accountable government officials who violate their obligations to protect our nation’s secrets and break the laws they have sworn to uphold.”
“Terry Albury betrayed the trust bestowed upon him by the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Doherty-McCormick. “Today’s guilty plea should serve as a reminder to those who are entrusted with classified information that the Justice Department will hold them accountable.”
“Mr. Albury was entrusted by the FBI with a security clearance, which included a responsibility to protect classified national defense information. Instead, he knowingly disclosed that material to someone not authorized to receive it,” said Assistant Director Priestap. “The FBI will work tirelessly to bring to justice those who would expose America’s secrets. Today, as the result of the hard work of dedicated special agents, analysts, and prosecutors, Mr. Albury has taken responsibility for his illegal action.”
“In violating his oath of office Terry Albury not only betrayed the American people, but also his fellow FBI employees who work to safeguard sensitive information on a daily basis," said Special Agent in Charge Laycock. “No one is above the law and the FBI will continue to investigate individuals who disclose classified material to those who are not authorized to receive it.”
Albury, 39, worked as an FBI Special Agent in the Minneapolis field office at the time of the disclosures. At the time, Albury also worked as a liaison with Customs and Border Protection at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. In connection with his FBI employment, Albury held a Top Secret//Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance, and his daily duties provided him access to sensitive and classified FBI and other U.S. government information. According to court documents, beginning in 2016 and continuing through August 2017, Albury knowingly and willfully disclosed national defense information, classified at the Secret level, to a reporter. Albury employed methods to avoid detection, including printing documents that he created by cutting and pasting portions of an original document into a new document so as to avoid leaving a record of having printed the original, classified document. Albury also accessed documents on a classified computer and took pictures of the computer screen in order to photograph certain classified documents. Those additional classified documents were recovered on an electronic storage device found during a search of his home.
As set forth in the plea agreement, Albury was never authorized to retain the documents at issue at his residence or to transmit them to any person not entitled to receive them. Albury knew that he was not authorized to remove documents containing National Defense Information and classified information from secure locations, and further knew that he was not authorized to retain them at his residence or to transmit them to any person not authorized to receive them.
Albury pleaded guilty to one count of making an unauthorized disclosure of national defense information and one count of unlawful retention of national defense information. Albury faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison per count. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the assigned judge.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danya E. Atiyeh of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Patrick T. Murphy and David C. Recker of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Former FBI Special Agent Pleads Guilty to Leaking Classified National Defense InformationRead the Press Release
Terry J. Albury, a former Special Agent of the FBI, pleaded guilty today in the District of Minnesota in connection with his unauthorized disclosure and retention of classified national defense information.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Tracy Doherty-McCormick for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Assistant Director Bill Priestap of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division announced the plea. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright.
“Today, Terry Albury admitted to violating his oath to protect our country by disclosing to a reporter classified information that, as an FBI agent, he was entrusted to protect,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “Albury admitted that his actions put America at risk. As this prosecution demonstrates, we will not waver in our commitment to pursue and hold accountable government officials who violate their obligations to protect our nation’s secrets and break the laws they have sworn to uphold.”
“Terry Albury betrayed the trust bestowed upon him by the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Doherty-McCormick. “Today’s guilty plea should serve as a reminder to those who are entrusted with classified information that the Justice Department will hold them accountable.”
“Mr. Albury was entrusted by the FBI with a security clearance, which included a responsibility to protect classified national defense information. Instead, he knowingly disclosed that material to someone not authorized to receive it,” said Assistant Director Priestap. “The FBI will work tirelessly to bring to justice those who would expose America’s secrets. Today, as the result of the hard work of dedicated special agents, analysts, and prosecutors, Mr. Albury has taken responsibility for his illegal action.”
“In violating his oath of office Terry Albury not only betrayed the American people, but also his fellow FBI employees who work to safeguard sensitive information on a daily basis," said Special Agent in Charge Laycock. “No one is above the law and the FBI will continue to investigate individuals who disclose classified material to those who are not authorized to receive it.”
Albury, 39, worked as an FBI Special Agent in the Minneapolis field office at the time of the disclosures. At the time, Albury also worked as a liaison with Customs and Border Protection at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. In connection with his FBI employment, Albury held a Top Secret//Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance, and his daily duties provided him access to sensitive and classified FBI and other U.S. government information. According to court documents, beginning in 2016 and continuing through August 2017, Albury knowingly and willfully disclosed national defense information, classified at the Secret level, to a reporter. Albury employed methods to avoid detection, including printing documents that he created by cutting and pasting portions of an original document into a new document so as to avoid leaving a record of having printed the original, classified document. Albury also accessed documents on a classified computer and took pictures of the computer screen in order to photograph certain classified documents. Those additional classified documents were recovered on an electronic storage device found during a search of his home.
As set forth in the plea agreement, Albury was never authorized to retain the documents at issue at his residence or to transmit them to any person not entitled to receive them. Albury knew that he was not authorized to remove documents containing National Defense Information and classified information from secure locations, and further knew that he was not authorized to retain them at his residence or to transmit them to any person not authorized to receive them.
Albury pleaded guilty to one count of making an unauthorized disclosure of national defense information and one count of unlawful retention of national defense information. Albury faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison per count. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the assigned judge.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danya E. Atiyeh of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Patrick T. Murphy and David C. Recker of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Former Chief Financial Officer Pleads Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court to Defrauding Former Employer of over $2 MillionRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that RANDY WANG pled guilty to defrauding his former employer, a company based in Manhattan that manages a global airline alliance whose members consist of approximately 13 international airlines and their affiliates (the “Company”), by incurring more than $2.2 million in unauthorized charges on the Company’s credit card account. WANG pled guilty to one count of wire fraud before U.S. District Judge John F. Keenan.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As he admitted in court today, Randy Wang took advantage of his position at a major New York-based company to charge millions of dollars’ worth of nonbusiness purchases on the company’s credit card. He now awaits sentencing for the theft and deceit that victimized his own employer.”
According to allegations contained in the Information filed against Wang and statements made in related court filings and proceedings:
During the relevant time period, WANG was employed as a business manager for the Company, and for approximately the last two months of the scheme, WANG also served as the Company’s interim chief financial officer. From at least in or about January 2016 through in or about October 2017, RANDY WANG, the defendant, incurred more than $2.2 million of unauthorized charges on the Company’s credit card account, by making hundreds of purchases at both online and brick-and-mortar retailers. WANG’s purchases, which were entirely unrelated to his official duties and were not for the benefit of the Company, included approximately 443 laptop computers, 241 mobile electronic devices, 24 tablet computers, and numerous other electronics. In order to evade detection of his criminal conduct, WANG made changes to the Company’s accounting records to disguise the nature of the credit card charges.
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WANG, 34, of Bayside, Queens, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the Court.
Mr. Wang’s sentencing is scheduled for September 5, 2018, at 11:00 a.m.
Mr. Berman praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations and the El Dorado Task Force.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine I. Magdo is in charge of the prosecution.
Foot Guide Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Bringing in Illegal Aliens for ProfitRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, Jose Pastrano-Rios, 53, of Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Raner C. Collins to 60 months in prison with three years of supervised release to follow. Pastrano-Rios had previously pleaded guilty to one count of bringing in illegal aliens for profit.
Pastrano-Rios was arrested on May 19, 2017, for guiding a group of nine illegal immigrants, including two unaccompanied minors, into the United States. Agents were able to determine that Pastrano-Rios was known as “El Bigotes” and was a known human smuggler. He was previously identified as a foot guide for groups of illegal immigrants who were smuggled into the United States on three occasions in 2016.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the United States Border Patrol, the United States Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations, and the Tohono O’odham Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Rui Wang and Frances Kreamer Hope, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-0926-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-038_ Pastrano-Rios
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Florida Man Gets 10 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute More Than 45 Kilograms of Narcotics in New JerseyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Miami man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute over 45 kilograms of narcotics, including heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and morphine, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Sauro D. Estevez Figueredo, 50, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to Count One of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin, five kilograms or more of cocaine, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and morphine. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
Figueredo was originally arrested with Edwin Alamo Jr., 23, Emmanuel Gonzalez, 33, both of Bronx, New York, Alberto Mora, 54, of Morriston, Florida, and Porfirio Peralta-Nunez, 39, of Jersey City, New Jersey, in February 2016. All five defendants have since pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug distribution conspiracy.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Feb. 5, 2016, law enforcement observed a tractor trailer, driven by Figueredo and Mora, parked at an intersection near a store in Clifton, New Jersey. That afternoon, Gonzalez and Alamo drove to the tractor trailer and left with a suitcase given to them by Mora. Later, Peralta-Nunez arrived at the tractor trailer with two empty bags and left shortly afterwards with the bags filled.
Figueredo admitted that he collected narcotics and transported them via tractor trailer to New Jersey. He also admitted that Mora handed out a suitcase with 22 kilograms of heroin and afterwards, another conspirator took two bags containing fentanyl, morphine and heroin from the tractor trailer. He further admitted that there were two additional bags on the tractor trailer – one that contained 10 kilograms of fentanyl and one that contained 10 kilograms of cocaine – that would have been provided to other conspirators if not for law enforcement’s intervention.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Figueredo to five years of supervised release.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith Williams of the U.S. Attorney’s Office OCDETF/Narcotics Unit and Elaine Lou of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit in Newark.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Valerie A. Nickerson in Newark, with the investigation.
Defense Counsel: Michael D’Alessio Esq., West Orange, New Jersey
Federal Jury Convicts Pembroke Medical Doctor for Unlawfully Distributing OxycodoneRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced today that, DONOVAN DAVE DIXON, 51 of Fayetteville, North Carolina, was convicted after a four-day jury trial before Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever III. The jury found DIXON, who was a licensed medical doctor at the time of the offense, guilty of Conspiracy to Unlawfully Distribute Oxycodone and twenty (20) counts of Unlawful Distribution of Oxycodone outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.
The evidence at trial showed that DIXON was a licensed medical doctor who operated a family medical practice in Pembroke, NC from 2012 until April 6, 2015, when his ability to prescribe controlled substances was limited by the North Carolina Medical Board. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad based in Charlotte began investigating DIXON when they noticed that four (4) of the top ten (10) oxycodone prescribing pharmacies for the State of North Carolina were located in the Lumberton, NC area. The local pharmacists as well as local and state law enforcement identified DIXON as the likely cause.
At trial, the evidence showed that DIXON prescribed high strength, high dosage amounts of oxycodone with little or no medical examination. Multiple witnesses testified that they had never even met DIXON despite the fact that hundreds of prescriptions had been issued in their name. A local drug dealer testified that DIXON wrote prescriptions for oxycodone in the name of persons that he provided to DIXON in exchange for cash. The prescription drugs were then sold on the streets of Robeson County by the drug dealer.
DIXON is scheduled to be sentenced the week of July 23, 2018.
Mr. Higdon stated: “The United States Department of Justice is aggressively moving against all individuals who illegally distribute opioids and prescription drugs. Whether those illegally pushing these drugs are on the street or operating from a doctor’s office, we will pursue you, charge you and convict you for the crimes that are putting our citizens at risk.”
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad. Assistance was also provided by the State Bureau of Investigation, Diversion and Environmental Crime Unit, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fayetteville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Lawrence Cameron represented the government in this case.
FBI Fugitive Admits Involvement in 2002 Bank Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A fugitive wanted by the FBI for almost 15 years admitted today to defrauding a financial institution to obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars for himself, his computer retail business, and his associates, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Steven Nacim, 49, a/k/a “Fouad,” a Moroccan national, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini in Newark federal court to a superseding information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In March and April of 2002, Nacim and others owned and operated a business known as Computer 3000, based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Casablanca, Morocco. Nacim and his conspirators executed a fraudulent check scheme involving the negotiation of a $289,326 check drawn on insufficient funds, and the wire transfer of the proceeds through multiple accounts controlled by the conspirators. Nacim used the majority of the funds for his own benefit and for the benefit of his computer business.
The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice his gain, or twice the loss sustained by the victim of the offense. Nacim agreed to pay $240,580 in restitution to the victim bank, and to forfeit $240,580. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 26, 2018, at 10:00 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley W. Cohen, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirley U. Emehelu, Chief of the Asset Recovery Money Laundering Unit.
Defense counsel: Joseph B. Shumofksy Esq., Newark, New Jersey
Essex County, New Jersey, Man Admits Bribing Letter Carriers to Deliver Parcels Containing MarijuanaRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Newark, New Jersey, resident today admitted conspiring to obtain marijuana from California to sell in New Jersey, and paying cash bribes to two U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail carriers to intercept and deliver parcels to him, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Glenn Blackstone, 48, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther D. Salas in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of giving bribes and one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana. He was released on $100,000 unsecured bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From October 2014 to September 2017, Blackstone purchased marijuana from a conspirator, who produced the marijuana in California and oversaw shipping it in parcels from California and Nevada. Blackstone then sold the marijuana to others in Newark. Blackstone provided the then-USPS mail carrier, Leonard Gresham, 50, of Rahway, New Jersey, and another then-USPS mail carrier approximately $12,400 in cash payments to deliver the parcels to him. These parcels had fictitious names and addresses on them and were not addressed directly to Blackstone.
On multiple occasions, Blackstone asked the mail carriers to remove the parcels from the normal delivery stream and deliver them instead to him at various locations in Newark. Blackstone paid the letter carriers approximately $50 to $100 in cash for each delivery.On Feb. 13, 2018, Gresham pleaded guilty before Judge Salas to an information charging him with one count of accepting bribes. He is scheduled to be sentenced May 30, 2018.
The drug conspiracy count with which Blackstone is charged is punishable by a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million, or twice the gross gain from the offense. The bribery count is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for July 24, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents with the USPS-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Eileen Neff, Northeast Area Field Office, and inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Ruth M. Mendonca, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jihee G. Suh of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: Ray Hamlin Esq., Newark
Deville man pleads guilty to possessing an unregistered silencerRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a Deville man pleaded guilty Monday to possessing a silencer that had not been registered.
Jonathan Hayes, 32, of Deville, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to one count of receipt or possession of an unregistered firearm. According to the guilty plea, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents arrested Hayes on June 1, 2016 in the Camp Beauregard Wildlife Management Area. Agents found him in possession of a Ruger .22 caliber rifle, a Savage .22 caliber rifle and a firearm silencer. The silencer, which is a firearm under federal law, had no manufacturer’s mark of identification or serial number. The silencer was not registered in the National Firearms and Transfer Record.
Hayes faces 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine for each count. Sentencing has been set for June 20, 2018.
The ATF and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti is prosecuting the case.
Darknet international gun traffickers sentencedRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Sherman Jackson was sentenced today for unlawfully shipping firearms to more than 10 countries using an online vendor page “CherryFlavor” on the “darknet” website Black Market Reloaded (“BMR”). William Jackson, Gerren Johnson, and Brendan Person were previously sentenced for their respective roles in the trafficking scheme.
“The defendants in this case sought to subvert the guns laws of the U.S. by illegally providing an underground source of firearms to individuals residing in foreign countries,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “This case demonstrates our commitment to pursue gun traffickers within and outside our borders and to prevent criminals from unlawfully supplying guns to others.”
“This operation dismantled a major international gun trafficking organization,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Arthur Peralta. “ATF and its law enforcement partners acted quickly and judiciously on information developed during the course of this investigation. People who choose to commit this type of crime must understand that there are serious repercussions for the illegal trafficking of firearms. Whether here at home in the U.S. or across international borders, ATF will remain on the frontline in identifying, investigating, and arresting anyone involved in firearms trafficking.”
“The defendants developed an illegal firearms trafficking scheme by concealing themselves through the anonymity of the dark web,” said Inspector in Charge David M. McGinnis of the Charlotte Division. “The U.S. Postal Inspection is committed to combat cybercrime and we will continue to be vigilant in disrupting criminal organizations who illegally utilize the U.S. Postal Service.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Sherman Jackson initially created the online vendor page “CherryFlavor” on the “darknet” website “Black Market Reloaded” (BMR). This site operated on “The Onion Router,” also known as “TOR,” which provided virtual anonymity to its users to purchase illicit items, such as firearms. In early 2013, Sherman Jackson, William Jackson, Johnson, and Person began advertising various firearms for sale as CherryFlavor. The group acquired their inventory through domestic websites offering gun owners an online venue to sell firearms. The defendants then sold firearms to international buyers at extremely marked-up prices. For example, the defendants sold a Glock pistol for as much as $3,400 – a firearm normally sold for approximately $500.
In addition to using TOR, the defendants also concealed their illegal gun trafficking activities from law enforcement by requiring international customers to pay for firearms using the cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, which prevented law enforcement from tracing financial transactions related to CherryFlavor’s gun sales. The defendants hid firearms inside electronic equipment shipped internationally to bypass U.S. and foreign customs. CherryFlavor sold more than 70 firearms across the world. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives coordinated with its international law enforcement partners to recover firearms in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Zambia.
●Sherman Jackson, 28, of Atlanta, Georgia was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg to one year, nine months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. Jackson pleaded guilty to smuggling firearms from the U.S. on August 20, 2015.
●Gerren Johnson, 29, of Austell, Georgia was previously sentenced to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to smuggling firearms from the U.S. on January 9, 2018.
●Brendan Person, 29, Atlanta, Georgia was previously sentenced to two years and three months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to smuggling firearms from the U.S. on January 31, 2017.
●William Jackson, 29, of East Point, Georgia was previously sentenced to two years on probation. He pleaded guilty to smuggling goods from the U.S. on October 17, 2017.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The following agencies provided invaluable assistance that aided the investigation: the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs; the National Crime Agency in the United Kingdom; the Ontario Provincial Police, the Toronto Police, the Durham Regional Police Service, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Canada Border Services Agency in Canada; the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service and Australian Federal Police; the Federal Judicial Police in Belgium; the Dutch National Undercover Team in the Netherlands; the Munich Police Service and the Wetterau Police Department in Germany; Vienna State Police in Austria; and the Swedish Customs and the Public Prosecution Authority in Sweden.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tracia M. King and Stephanie Gabay-Smith prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Dallas and Carrolton Men Plead Guilty for Role in a $2 Million Mail Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Robert Joseph Marano, 53, of Dallas, Texas, appeared in federal court this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rebecca Rutherford and pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas.
In March 2018, both Marano and Paul Anthony Dominguez, 32, of Carrollton, Texas, were charged in a felony information with a one count of mail fraud scheme. Dominguez pleaded guilty earlier this month to the same mail fraud scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced July 25, 2018. Marano is scheduled to be sentenced on August 1, 2018.
Both Dominguez and Marano face a maximum statutory penalty of twenty years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Restitution could also be ordered. Dominguez and Marano will remain on bond while awaiting their sentencing hearings.
According to filed plea documents, Dominguez and Marano contacted client contractors with a proposal to collect outstanding unpaid debts of former customers of the contractor client. During the period from about March 2015 through December 2016, Dominguez and Marano caused at least 200 client contractors to sign an agreement in which the client contractors authorized the defendants to release liens filed by the client contractor in exchange for the payment of unpaid debts by former customers. Dominguez and Marano also falsely represented to client contractors that defendants would collect funds from delinquent clients, retain a commission fee, and then send the balance of the collected funds to the contractor client.
Dominguez and Marano later contacted many former customers of the contractor client. These former customers were delinquent in payment of debts to the contractor clients. Dominguez and Marano fraudulently caused these former customers to send settlement checks to a business controlled by Dominguez and Marano. Dominguez and Marano also stole funds from their client contractors when they unlawfully cashed these former customer checks, but failed to pay their contractor clients the total settlement amount owed.
The defendants preyed on the financial desperation of these client contractors who were owed large sums of money from former customers. The defendants deceived these client contractors by falsely representing to the client contractors that the defendants would honestly collect and pass on funds collected from former customers.
Dominguez and Marano defrauded at least 200 client contractors across the United States and received over $2 million dollars in settlement funds from former customers of the client contractors. The felony information alleged that Dominguez and Marano spent these stolen funds to support their lavish lifestyle, including trips to Las Vegas, Hawaii and Miami, as well as the purchase of two 2016 Harley Davidson motorcycles, a 2016 Kawasaki motorcycle, a 2015 Toyota Tundra, and a 2015 Corvette Stingray.
This case is one of many felony indictments of bankruptcy-related crimes prosecuted as part of the Bankruptcy Fraud Initiative, United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Texas. These bankruptcy prosecutions were identified and investigated from a larger number of criminal referrals regularly made to this office by the United States Trustee’s Office, Dallas, Texas. Since 2013, these focused bankruptcy prosecutions have resulted in 27 convictions of individuals engaged in various types of fraudulent conduct within the United States Bankruptcy Courts.
The United States Postal Inspection Service, Fort Worth, Texas investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Jarvis is in charge of the prosecution.
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DEA to Share Painkiller Prescription Information with 48 Attorneys GeneralRead the Press Release
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced today that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has reached a prescription drug information-sharing agreement with 48 Attorneys General.
“Better information means better decisions,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “Today’s agreement with 48 Attorneys General will give DEA and the states alike more information they can use to prosecute the criminals who are contributing to our national drug emergency. That means more prosecutions and ultimately fewer drugs on our streets. Would-be criminals should be warned: we are now better equipped than ever to find the fraudsters who are fueling our nation’s addiction crisis.”
“This partnership provides an unprecedented opportunity to use DEA and state resources and information to jointly combat pill diversion and trafficking,” said DEA Acting Administrator Robert W. Patterson. “We are losing far too many Americans to opioid abuse and addiction. I salute these states for their proactive efforts and know they will make a significant difference as we attack this epidemic across the country.”
DEA has reached an agreement with Attorneys General from 46 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia to share prescription drug information with one another in order to aid investigations. DEA’s Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders System (ARCOS) system collects some 80 million transaction reports every year from manufacturers and distributors of prescription drugs. DEA will provide the Attorneys General with that data, and the states will provide their own information, often from prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) to DEA. Under the agreement, both state and federal law enforcement will have more information at their disposal to find the tell-tale signs of crime.Couple sentenced for sex trafficking 13-year-old girlRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Daveon Brantley, a/k/a Swalay, and Amber Brinson were sentenced today to 22 years, one month and nine years, seven months, respectively, for sex trafficking a 13-year-old girl after she ran away from home.
“This couple trafficked a 13-year-old girl for commercial sex who they knew was a vulnerable runaway,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “We will continue to prosecute those who prey on and exploit children for commercial sex and we are leveraging partnerships with federal, state and local law enforcement, and non-governmental organizations to achieve justice and provide support services for the survivors of these crimes, as well as for their families.”
“Thanks to our partnership with local law enforcement agencies and the willingness of a witness to come forward with information, the 13-year-old child was recovered safely and removed from a horrible situation,” said David J. LeValley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Stopping human trafficking remains a top priority of federal, state and local agencies who are part of the FBI’s Metro Atlanta Child Exploitation Task Force (MATCH).”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Brantley encountered the 13-year-old victim after she ran away from home. Brantley invited the child to his hotel room on Fulton Industrial Boulevard in Atlanta and directed his then-girlfriend, Brinson, to take nude photos of the child. Brantley and Brinson posted nine advertisements for sex with the minor on the website Backpage.com over several days in early June 2016. The advertisements included nude photos of the girl. Brantley and Brinson proceeded to use the child for commercial sex acts for six days. Brantley took the money that the minor victim earned. The Acworth Police Department recovered the minor from a hotel on June 7, 2016, after an acquaintance of Brantley’s and Brinson’s called the police and reported the location of the victim.
Daveon Brantley, a/k/a Swalay, 27, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to 22 years, one month in federal prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,440. Brantley pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit, and commission of, sex trafficking of a minor, production of child pornography, and distribution of child pornography on January 9, 2018.
Amber Brinson, 21, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to nine years, seven months in federal prison, to be followed by seven years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,440. Brinson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor on November 3, 2017.
Both defendants must register as sex offenders as a condition of their supervised release.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Metro Atlanta Child Exploitation Task Force (MATCH).
Assistant United States Attorney Jolee Porter prosecuted the case.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Coral Gables Resident Pled Guilty to Wire Fraud in Connection with Hurricane Relief Efforts for Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
A South Florida resident pleaded guilty yesterday to wire fraud, in connection with purported hurricane relief aid for Puerto Rico.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and Brian Swain, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service (USSS), made the announcement.
Emilio I. Vazquez, 47, of Coral Gables, Florida, plead guilty to a single count of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. The defendant faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison. Vazquez is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27, 2018, at 9:30 a.m., by United States District Court Judge Robert N. Scola.
In or around September 2017, Vazquez contacted a group of volunteers working to provide hurricane relief aid to Puerto Rico. Vazquez claimed that he was part of the Serralles family, who are the owners of Destileria Serralles, which distills, manufactures, bottles and distributes Don Q rum in Puerto Rico. Vazquez claimed to have significant resources and the ability to rent warehouses, and charter planes and trucks to transport relief supplies.
In or around September 2017, Vazquez, using the name Emilio Serralles, contacted Commercial Property Group in Doral, Florida, regarding the rental of warehouse space. The warehouse space was purportedly to be used to store relief supplies for Puerto Rico. On or about September 29, 2017, Vazquez provided Commercial Property Group with a counterfeit and fraudulent UBS bank cashier’s check for $122,050.50, to pay for the warehouse space. The next day, Vazquez signed a lease under the name Emilio Serralles, renting five warehouse spaces from Commercial Property Group.
In or around October 2017, Vazquez contacted Miami Air International, a local charter airline, as Emilio Serralles and claimed to own a company called Puerto Rico Relief Committee. Subsequently, Vazquez chartered multiple flights from Miami to Puerto Rico to purportedly deliver relief supplies. As payment for these flights, Vazquez provided a counterfeit and fraudulent American Express Centurion Bank cashier’s check for $564,036.05 to Miami Air International.
Mr. Greenberg commends the investigative efforts of the USSS. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Rothstein.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida atwww.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Clairton Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun Law ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA. - A resident of Clairton, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring to distribute narcotics and unlawful possession of firearms, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Elliot Page, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring with 20 other individuals, between March and August of 2017, to distribute narcotics and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Page supplied fentanyl to his codefendants, Skyler Carter and Cecil Shields, and others, for further distribution in the Clairton area, and that approximately one kilogram of fentanyl and three firearms were seized during the execution of a federal search warrant at Page’s residence on July 6, 2017. Page has three prior felony drug offenses and was forbidden from possessing a firearm. He is the 14th of 21 defendants charged in the case to plead guilty.
Judge Arthur J. Schwab scheduled sentencing for September 19, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 20 years to life imprisonment, a fine of $20,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will depend upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Page remains on incarcerated the sentencing hearing.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, the Allegheny County Police Department, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Chicago Investment Advisor Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Misappropriating $5.2 Million in Client FundsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago investment advisor was sentenced today to more than 12 years in federal prison for stealing $5.2 million from several clients, including his elderly in-laws.
DANIEL GLICK, who owned three accounting and financial services firms in Orland Park, Ill., misappropriated the money from 2011 to 2017. Most of the money belonged to elderly clients, including Glick’s mother-in-law and father-in-law and two individuals in nursing homes. He used some of the stolen funds to pay personal and business expenses, including the purchase of a Mercedes-Benz automobile and payment of his mortgage.
U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman imposed a 151-month prison sentence and ordered Glick to pay $5.2 million in restitution. Glick, 65, of Chicago, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of wire fraud.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Bill Hedrick, Acting Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office provided valuable assistance.
“Criminal conduct was a pervasive part of Glick’s business,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Stern argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The victims have been devastated by the loss of their money.”
Glick owned and operated Financial Management Strategies Inc., Glick Accounting Services Inc., and Glick & Associates Ltd. The firms purported to provide accounting, tax, investment, and financial services. During the scheme, Glick furnished forged checks and other phony documents to financial institutions, and he lied to clients about the use and safety of their investments. He also misappropriated client funds to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to two business associates, and to make Ponzi-type payments to clients.
Charlotte Man Convicted of Murder and Robbery Is Sentenced to LIfe in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. –Damarcus Donte Ivey, 36, of Charlotte, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. to life in prison, announced R. Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. A federal jury convicted Ivey in April 2017 of Hobbs Act robbery and committing murder while using and possessing a firearm during and in furtherance of the robbery.
U.S. Attorney Murray is joined in making today’s announcement by John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division; Wayne Dixie, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division; and Chief Kerr Putney of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
According to court documents, witness testimony, evidence presented at Ivey’s trial, and today’s sentencing hearing:
On September 10, 2009, Ivey and Kevin Bishop robbed Club Nikki’s, located at 3001 Little Rock Road, in Charlotte. Over the course of the robbery, Ivey and Bishop pointed guns at the club’s patrons and staff, ordered them on the floor, and took personal items from the patrons and cash from the club. Trial evidence showed Ivey take items from the male victim before he fired a shot that killed him. Ivey and Bishop then fled the scene in a Ford F-150. Six minutes after the initial 9-1-1 call, a CMPD officer observed Ivey and Bishop exiting I-85 onto Beatties Ford Road. A chase ensued that ended in a vehicle crash and Ivey and Bishop attempted to flee on foot from CMPD officers. Both men were apprehended within minutes and were found in possession of proceeds from the robbery. Inside the Ford F-150, officers located the wallet of one of the club’s patrons and $355 in cash scattered about the floorboard.
Ivey is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole. Kevin Bishop was convicted on state charges in 2014 and was given a 16-20 year sentence for his role in the robbery.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray commended CMPD, the FBI, and ATF for their investigation of the case and thanked the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office for their cooperation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig Randall and William Bozin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
California Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Role in Cross-Country Cocaine and Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Los Angeles man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to traffic five kilograms of cocaine and four kilograms of heroin that were hidden inside large pieces of hydraulic machinery, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Eduardo Barragan Zuninga, 31, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Peter G. Sheridan to an information charging him with one count of conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From March 2015 through March 2016, Zuninga, Fermin Nunez, 46, also of Los Angeles, and others plotted to hide cocaine and heroin, and the proceeds from narcotics transactions, inside large pieces of hydraulic machinery and ship them across the country.
Nunez arranged for the drugs to be shipped from California to the east coast for distribution by Zuninga and others in the New York metropolitan area. Nunez, with Zuninga’s assistance, similarly arranged for the shipment of the distribution proceeds back to California.
Execution of two search warrants at the conclusion of an investigation conducted by the FBI, in cooperation with local law enforcement partners in Los Angeles, resulted in the seizure of approximately five kilograms of cocaine and four kilograms of heroin from a warehouse in Pennsylvania, and over $260,000 in suspected narcotics proceeds from a piece of hydraulic machinery in a California storage facility.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Zuninga to five years of supervised release. Nunez previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and awaits sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents with the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley W. Cohen in Newark, the Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force (L.A. IMPACT) and the Los Angeles Police Department, under the direction of Chief Charlie Beck, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly S. Lorber of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
Defense counsel: Lisa Van Hoeck Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Trenton
Beaver Falls Man Pleads Guilty in Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A Beaver County resident pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Rance Vaughn, age 22, of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2016, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies joined forces in a multi-agency wiretap investigation of drug trafficking, including fentanyl trafficking, in various areas of Western Pennsylvania. The interception of wire and electronic communications began in March 2017, and Rance Vaughn was intercepted over the wire conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute and distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
Judge Hornak scheduled sentencing for August 16, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. The law provides for a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Tonya Sulia Goodman and Caitlin A. Loughran are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
This prosecution is part of a long-term investigation by the FBI Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, which targeted a large scale Drug Trafficking Organization operating in Butler, Beaver and Allegheny Counties. The FBI, Wilkinsburg Police Department, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigations, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Allegheny County Police Department, and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Vaughn.
Attorney General Sessions Announces Changes in DEA Opioid Limit RulesRead the Press Release
Attorney General Jeff Sessions today announced that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would affect its limits on annual opioid production.
"Better information means better decisions,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “Under the proposed rule, DEA’s opioid production limits would be more responsive to the risk of drug abuse by explicitly taking diversion into account. It’s a common sense idea: the more a drug is diverted, the more its production should be limited. Today’s proposed rule will give DEA more information to help the agency protect law-abiding Americans from the threat of drugs—and that makes all of us safer.”
Under the NPRM, DEA will take into consideration the extent that a drug is diverted for abuse when it sets its annual opioid production limits. If DEA believes that a particular opioid or a particular company’s opioids are being diverted for misuse, then DEA would be able to reduce the amount that can produced in a given year. These smarter limits will encourage vigilance on the part of opioid manufacturers, help DEA respond to the changing drug threat environment, and protect the American people from potentially addictive drugs while ensuring that the country has enough opioids for genuine medical, scientific, research and industrial needs.
Further, the rule would allow DEA to set its annual limits using information not only from its own Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders (ARCOS) system, but also from the Department of Health and Human Services, the FDA, the CDC, Medicare and Medicaid, and the states.Akron man and Barberton woman charged for defrauding insurance companyRead the Press Release
Two people were charged in federal court with mail fraud for defrauding an insurance company.
Kifiyun Daniels, 32, of Akron, and Jessie Banks, 25, of Barberton, were both charged with one count of mail fraud.
Daniels made fraudulent claims to Asurion Insurance for the replacement of approximately 261 cellular phones between August 2015 and December 2017. Asurion sustained a loss of approximately $130,717, according to the information.
Banks made fraudulent claims to Asurion Insurance for the replacement of approximately 179 cellular phones between Novermber 2015 and May 2017. Asurion sustained a loss of approximately $110,174, according to the information.
Jody Foster, of Ravenna, was charged last week with one count of mail fraud for defrauding Asurioan out of $94,000.
Foster defrauded Asurion Insurance between 2012 and 2016 through the submission of fraudulent insurance claims to obtain money and property from Asurion. He paid individuals, known and unknown, to purchase new cellular telephones and enroll in cellular telephones service plans which included insurance coverage with multiple cellular telephone service providers. Then these individuals provided the newly purchased cellular telephones to Foster, according to the criminal information.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry F. DeBaggis.
An information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
A North Carolina Man Convicted of Prison AssaultRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kevin Labracio Frazier, 31, of Greenville, N.C., was found guilty today, by a federal jury sitting in Lexington, of assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
After approximately 40 minutes of deliberations following a one-day trial, the jury convicted Frazier of assaulting another inmate in a federal prison facility.
According to testimony at trial, Frazier, an inmate at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, assaulted another inmate, which resulted in the victim suffering facial fractures and a deep laceration under his eye that required sutures. The evidence revealed that Frazier repeatedly punched the victim in the head and face, resulting in the victim briefly losing consciousness and being transported to the University of Kentucky for medical treatment.
Frazier was indicted in February of 2018.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Amy Hess, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville, jointly announced the verdict.
The investigation was conducted by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron L. Walker, Jr.
Frazier will appear for sentencing on July 20, 2018. He faces a maximum of ten years in prison. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal statutes before imposing his sentence.
A New York man and two Monongalia County residents indicted on firearms conspiracy chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Three people are facing a charge involving an illegal firearms operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
The two men and one woman were indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Elkins on March 6, 2018. The three are accused of being involved in a conspiracy that included making false statements to purchase firearms, trading firearms for controlled substances, and transporting and selling the firearms in New York. The crime is alleged to have occurred in Morgantown, Monongalia County and elsewhere from May 2017 to June 2017.
Those charged with “Conspiracy to Violate Federal Firearms Laws” are:
• Amanze Antoine, age 37, of Mt. Vernon, New York
• Margaret Parker, age 33, of Dellslow, West Virginia
• Tommy Calhoun, of Morgantown, West VirginiaEach defendant faces up to five years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
A Cautionary Tale on Tax Day: Penn Valley Accountant Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Craig Rosen, 61, a wealthy businessman who, for four years, failed to file federal income tax returns or pay taxes, was sentenced Monday to one year and one day in prison by U.S. District Judge Berle M. Schiller. Rosen pleaded guilty in November to four counts of tax evasion.
The defendant, who has a degree in accounting, owned and operated several successful businesses associated with medical treatment and pain relief. In each of the years 2009 through 2012, he earned income ranging from $175,000 and $432,000, but failed to file tax returns, report income or pay taxes for any of those years. He also took steps to conceal his true income, including paying personal debts from accounts that were not in his name.
“It’s our responsibility as Americans to comply with our tax laws,” said U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain. “This was a particularly brazen disregard of that responsibility, especially when you consider the defendant is an accountant. A prison sentence will serve as a deterrent to those who believe they can ignore the law and escape accountability.”
The explanation Rosen gave to investigators for his decision to stop paying taxes was his desire to avoid having to pay a large civil judgment owed to a former business partner. But, as prosecutors wrote in the government’s sentencing memo, “a desire to avoid paying a private creditor neither explains nor excuses a decision not to pay taxes.”
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bea Witzleben.
16 April 2018
Wood County Man Sentenced to Twelve Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced today a Wood County man was sentenced in connection with a federal methamphetamine charge. Timothy Waldron, 31, of Mineral Wells, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. to 12 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Stuart praised the work of the Parkersburg Drug Task Force.
“This sentence should send a message to anyone thinking about distributing methamphetamine in the Southern District of West Virginia,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Unless you want to be locked up, it’s just not a good idea.”
Waldron previously pled guilty in January admitting that he possessed methamphetamine seized from a safe in his Mineral Wells residence for distribution. The approximately 1300 grams of methamphetamine had been found during execution of a search warrant at defendant’s residence by agents of the Parkersburg Drug Task Force on November 20, 2016.
This case was prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of heroin, methamphetamine and prescription drugs. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal heroin, methamphetamine and pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of heroin, methamphetamine and opiate painkillers in communities across the Southern District.
Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart
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Williamsville Couple SentencedRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Shaheen Hassanali, 45, and her husband, Riyaz Hassanali, 57, both of Williamsville, NY, were each sentenced to one year probation by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. Shaneen Hassanali, who was convicted filing a false tax return, was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $248,606 to the Internal Revenue Service. Riyaz Hassanali was convicted of receiving and delivering misbranded drugs.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maura K. O’Donnell, who handled the case, stated that for the tax years 2006-2009, Shaheen Hassanali filed false joint income tax returns for herself and her husband. The defendant substantially under-reported the income earned from her husband’s medical practice.
In addition, between 2009 and 2011, Riyaz Hassanali ordered, and administered to patients, a misbranded, and non-FDA approved, foreign market product, similar to the prescription drug Dysport, a prescription drug commonly used in cosmetic procedures.
The sentencings are the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of James D. Robnett, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Office, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, under the direction of Jeffrey Ebersole, Special Agent-in- New York Field Office.
Wheeling woman admits to lying to the US MarshalsRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Melinda Ray McCardle, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has admitted to making a false statement, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
McCardle, age 29, pled guilty to one count of “False Statement to a Federal Agent.” McCardle admitted to lying to a Deputy U.S. Marshal about the whereabouts of Deandre Davis, a fugitive wanted for murder. The crime occurred in August 2017 in Brooke County, West Virginia.
McCardle faces up to five years incarceration and a fine of up to $500,000. 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 defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen L. Vogrin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The United States Marshals Service, the Mountain State Fugitive Task Force, and the Wheeling Police Department investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr., presided.
Virginia resident sentenced for identity theftRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Angela Dawn Roberts, of Stephenson, Virginia was ordered to pay more than $22,000 in restitution and sentenced to five years probation for identity theft, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Roberts, age 42, pled guilty to one count of “Identity Theft” in July 2017. Roberts admitted to using another’s identifying information to commit bank fraud. The crime occurred June 27, 2016 in Berkeley County, West Virginia.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force’s Surge Tackles Violent Crime in JacksonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – The U.S. Marshals Service’s Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, made up of Deputy U.S. Marshals and other federal, state and local law enforcement officers, increased their numbers, expanded their operations, and led a successful violent crime reduction initiative last week in the Jackson metro area, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and U.S. Marshal George White. This surge of law enforcement, in cooperation with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Project EJECT, executed outstanding warrants, targeted known gang members and their associates, and searched for sex offenders who had violated the terms of their supervised release. The Task Force also worked to identify targets and collect tangible criminal intelligence to further its work in the future of removing violent criminal offenders from the streets.
"When law enforcement officers work together, we get results," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "The arrest of more than 30 gang members in Jackson is the result of effective collaboration between all levels of law enforcement – federal, state and local – to target the most violent criminals in our communities. It’s also an example of how customizing our strategy at the local level through the Project Safe Neighborhoods program helps us use our resources more effectively. I want to thank our Deputy U.S. Marshals and all of the task force members who played a role in these arrests. They exemplify the proven law enforcement methods that we will continue to prioritize going forward."
"We are dismantling gangs, prosecuting violent criminals and removing sex offenders from the streets of Jackson," said U.S. Attorney Hurst. "I commend the U.S. Marshals and the Gulf Coast Fugitive Task Force for substantially increasing their manpower this past week in our Capitol City, becoming a force multiplier on our streets and proactively taking the fight directly to the criminal element. I look forward to our office prosecuting some of these violent criminals under Project EJECT. It is only through such cooperation among law enforcement, and by empowering our citizens and our communities, that we will make Jackson and its people safer and more secure."
During last week’s operation, the Fugitive Task Force increased its manpower to 60 members and was able to arrest 45 individuals, 31 of whom were documented gang members, including Gangster Disciples, Vice Lords, Simon City Royals, Latin Kings, and the Aryan Brotherhood, among others. During these arrests, a number of firearms were seized and several arrestees were found to be in possession of various illegal drugs, including marijuana, ecstasy, and crystal methamphetamine. While the details of these arrests cannot yet be made public, as investigations are ongoing, some of these individuals are expected to be prosecuted under Project EJECT.
U.S. Attorney Hurst, who accompanied the Task Force one night during their operations, praised the tenacity, dedication and professionalism of these Deputy U.S. Marshals and Task Force Officers from the following agencies:
Jackson Police Department
Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics
Hinds County Sheriff’s Office
Mississippi Bureau of Investigations
Rankin County Sheriff’s Office
Mississippi Department of Corrections
Pearl Police Department
Homeland Security Investigations
Madison County Sheriff’s Office
Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives
Madison Police Department
United States Attorney’s Office
Ridgeland Police Department
Metro 1 Medical Air Support
Biloxi Police Department
Project EJECT is an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
U.S. Attorney’s Office recognizes National Crime Victims’ Right WeekRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA –The United States Attorney Office will speak to more than 3,000 students spanning several counties across the Northern District of West Virginia in April to recognize National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
Each year in April, the Department of Justice and United States Attorney’s Offices observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week nationwide by taking time to honor victims of crime and those who advocate on their behalf. In addition, the Justice Department and U.S. Attorney’s Offices organize events to honor the victims and advocates, as well as bring awareness to services available to victims of crime. This year’s observance took place April 8-14, with the theme Expand the Circle: Reach All Victims.
"In law enforcement, we are sworn to serve and protect," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "We carry out this oath every day by protecting the rights of law abiding people from criminals and by achieving justice for crime victims. This week, we remember the millions of Americans who have been victimized by criminals and we thank those who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their service to those victims. As we do so, we recommit ourselves to fulfilling our oath and to reducing crime in America."
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of West Virginia has teamed up with the YWCA Family Violence Prevention Program in Wheeling to present “#SmartonSocial,” a presentation that discusses the positives and negatives of social media. The presentation discusses the importance of social media in college and employment applications. It also warns students about the dangers that lurk online, and shares the legal implications involving cyberbullying and sexting.
“Protecting our communities is our number one priority. Crime victims are often our most vulnerable citizens, and we take care in our work because of them. We will continue this work, including community education, with the hope of reducing the number of crime victims in our district,” said Powell.
According to the Pew Research Center, 88% of 18-29 year olds admit to having at least one social media account. As the prevalence of social media rises, awareness must rise, too. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to offering prevention presentations to students and parents across the district.
Presentations regarding drug prevention and human trafficking will also be offered in the month of April to expand the circle of education. The YWCA is also offering family violence prevention presentations at several local schools.
The Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime, within the Office of Justice Programs, leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week each year. President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Crime Victims’ Rights Week in 1981 to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and rights of victims of crime.
For more information on presentations, or to schedule a presentation, call the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 304-234-0100.
U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady Names Senior Leadership Team, Reorganizes Office’s Criminal DivisionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - Scott W. Brady, United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, today named the Office’s new executive leadership team and announced a restructuring of the Office’s Criminal Division that will allow the office to best effectuate the Administration’s priorities.
"This is an outstanding leadership team," stated United States Attorney Brady. "These men and women are the finest our District has to offer – incredibly accomplished attorneys, highly respected among their peers and by the bench, and possessing the highest standards of character and integrity. They will serve the people of western Pennsylvania with great honor and distinction."
Mr. Brady named Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman as his First Assistant U.S. Attorney. Mr. Kaufman has served as the Chief of the Criminal Division since 2010. In his 25 years as a federal prosecutor, Mr. Kaufman has handled a wide variety of violent crime, narcotics, child exploitation and white collar cases. Notable cases include the successful eight-week trial of the Pittsburgh La Cosa Nostra organized crime family on RICO charges, the prosecution of the distributors of China White, a deadly synthetic form of heroin which caused the overdose deaths of 17 individuals in 1988, the prosecution of Michael Carlow, owner of Pittsburgh Brewing and Clark Candy, for perpetuating a $31 million dollar check kiting scheme against PNC Bank, and more recently obtaining the conviction of and an 11-year prison sentence for Dr. Oliver Herndon, a physician who was the most prolific illegal distributor of oxycodone in the Pittsburgh area prior to his arrest. Mr. Kaufman is a graduate of Allegheny College and Harvard Law School.
Mr. Brady named former Assistant U.S. Attorney Tina O. Miller as Chief of the Criminal Division. She returns to the office today from Farrell & Reisinger, LLC, where she was a trial lawyer whose practice focused on criminal defense, corporate internal investigations, mediation and representing victims of crime in both criminal and civil cases. Ms. Miller has jury trial experience as both a federal prosecutor and defense counsel in a wide variety of cases, including fraud, arson, public corruption, arms trafficking, carjacking, narcotics trafficking and sex offenses. In her prior stint as a federal prosecutor, Ms. Miller successfully prosecuted Jelani Solomon, a major drug trafficker who also ordered the murder of a family member of someone he suspected of cooperating, and Scott Tyree, a Virginia man who met a 13-year-old Pittsburgh girl on the internet, drove her to his home in Virginia, and held her captive for three days until the FBI rescued her. Ms. Miller is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University School of Law.
Jennifer Andrade, an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Civil Division since January 2008, has been named Chief of the Civil Division. Prior to joining the office, Ms. Andrade served as a federal law clerk to the Hon. Ila Jeanne Sensenich for two years, and as a litigation associate in private practice for three years. Ms. Andrade’s experience also includes serving in her second three-year term as a Pennsylvania District IV Senior Hearing Committee member, where her responsibilities include conducting hearings and making recommendations to the Pennsylvania Disciplinary Board on petitions for attorney discipline brought by the Pennsylvania Office of Disciplinary Counsel. Ms. Andrade has served as an instructor at the National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina, and has also served in several leadership capacities for the Allegheny County Bar Association and Foundation, most recently as the Allegheny County Bar Foundation Vice President. Ms. Andrade is a graduate of Boston University and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Ross Haywood will continue to serve as Appellate Division Chief. Ms. Haywood has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Appellate Division since 2005. In this capacity, Ms. Haywood has successfully defended over 100 criminal and civil appeals, including a heath care fraud conviction of the owner and operator of a nursing home specializing in the care of Alzheimer’s patients and the 45-year sentence of a medical student convicted of child pornography offenses. Ms. Haywood will remain responsible for coordinating and reviewing all of the appellate filings emanating from the Western District of Pennsylvania. She has previous service as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Civil Division dating from 1997. Ms. Haywood is currently Vice-Chair of the Third Circuit Lawyers Advisory Committee, which works with the Court of Appeals to improve the administration of justice. Ms. Haywood is a graduate of Princeton University and the University of Michigan Law School.
Barbara Bacvinskas, a Department of Justice employee since 1983, will continue to serve as the Administrative Officer for the District.
In addition to naming his leadership team, Mr. Brady announced a reorganized Criminal Division. The Criminal Division will have four Sections: 1.) Cyber/National Security, 2.) Economic Crimes, 3.) Major Crimes, and 4.) Narcotics. The new Criminal Division sections will be overseen as follows: Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles A. "Tod" Eberle will supervise the Cyber/National Security Section; Nelson P. Cohen, an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Office and former U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska, will supervise the Economic Crimes Section; Assistant U.S. Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney will supervise the Major Crimes Section; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti will supervise the Narcotics Section. Additionally, former Acting U.S. Attorney Soo C. Song will serve as the Head of National Security.
"These structural and leadership changes will allow us to maximize efforts to attack the deadly opioid crisis, reduce violent drug and gun crime, root out public corruption, prosecute cyber criminals, and prevent incidents of terrorism, all with a determination to protect the citizens of western Pennsylvania," Mr. Brady stated.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania prosecutes civil and criminal matters on behalf of the United States of America and its agencies and defends claims against the United States in the 25 counties that make up the western part of the Commonwealth. The office currently employs 59 Assistant U.S. Attorneys across the Criminal, Civil and Appellate Divisions, and 57 support staff, in offices in Pittsburgh, Erie and Johnstown.
U.S. Attorney Announces Indictment of Illinois Woman for Selling Heroin Resulting in Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rockford, Illinois, woman has been indicted with Distribution of Heroin Resulting in Death in the District of South Dakota as part of a concerted national effort by the U.S. Department of Justice, working closely with state and local law enforcement, to combat opioids by prosecuting drug dealers to hold them accountable for the deaths and serious injuries of overdose victims. Under federal law, anyone who illegally provides a controlled substance to another person who then overdoses from using that substance is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of at least twenty years in federal prison.
Earlier this month, Stephanie Broecker, age 26, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Sioux Falls for selling the heroin that led to the death of a 30-year-old man in Miner County, South Dakota. The man, identified as K.P. in court documents, was found dead from an apparent heroin overdose at a residence in rural Miner County on November 19, 2017. Broecker was located and arrested in Illinois. She appeared before a federal magistrate judge in the Northern District of Illinois on April 10, 2018, and is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals awaiting transfer to South Dakota to face the federal charges. If convicted, Broecker faces a minimum of twenty years and a maximum of life in prison.
“It is a senseless tragedy that we have lost another life because of illegal drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “The opioid epidemic has inflicted an unprecedented toll of addiction, suffering and death on communities throughout our nation, and South Dakota has not been untouched. By holding drug dealers directly accountable for the devastation they cause, we help bring some measure of justice to their victims' loved ones and send a powerful message that these crimes will not be tolerated.”
The United States currently faces the deadliest drug crisis in history. In 2016, approximately 64,000 Americans – the equivalent of almost one-third of the population of Sioux Falls – lost their lives to drug overdoses, the fastest increase and highest drug death toll in American history. For Americans under the age of 50, drug overdose is now the leading cause of death. This plague is being driven primarily by opioids – prescription painkillers, heroin, and synthetic drugs like fentanyl, which is 50 times more potent than heroin. Ingesting even a small amount of fentanyl can result in death.
In 2016, 67 South Dakotans died of drug overdoses, more than half of which were classified as opioid poisoning. In 2017, 10 people died from opiate-related overdoses in Minnehaha County alone and it is on track to exceed that number this year. There have been at least three heroin or fentanyl overdose deaths in Sioux Falls in the past month.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has directed all United States Attorneys to use every available tool to combat this deadly epidemic. The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to this mission and actively working with state, local, and tribal law enforcement to prevent and combat all drug-related deaths in South Dakota. As part of that effort, our District has designated an Assistant United States Attorney to serve as the Opioid Coordinator to implement our strategy in combatting opioids, with a strong focus on prosecuting cases involving prescription opioids, heroin and fentanyl.
Over the past several months, federal prosecutors have been meeting and working with law enforcement agencies across the state to help investigate incidents of overdose, trace the source of the drugs up the chain of distribution, and bring either federal or state charges against those responsible for selling or providing the drugs.
Broecker is the most recent individual to be indicted on federal charges in South Dakota since this initiative began. The United States Attorney’s Office is working closely with the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Miner County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnehaha County Coroner’s Office, and the United States Postal Inspection Service in prosecuting this case. Many more such investigations are in progress across the state.
“Every overdose should be considered a crime scene,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “Dealers or anyone else who illegally diverts or provides drugs to another should know that any time there is an overdose, we are going to come looking for you. You will be arrested, you will be charged, and you will be held accountable.”
On Wednesday of this week, U.S. Attorney Parsons will be appearing at the joint conference of the South Dakota Police Chiefs’ Association and South Dakota Sheriffs’ Association in Deadwood to discuss coordinated strategies to combat this drug epidemic. “Our state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners do a tremendous job in investigating these crimes,” he said. “My orders are to do everything we can to support them at the federal level and provide additional tools for ensuring that these criminals who are poisoning our communities are stopped.”
The charges and allegations contained in an indictment are merely accusations and defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Drug Traffickers Indicted in Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jaime LOZANO-CEJA, 30, and Juan Jose SANCHEZ-RIVERA, 26, residents of O’Fallon, Illinois, were indicted on charges of conspiracy to distribute heroin, distribution of heroin, and possession with intent to distribute heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, beginning in June of 2018 and continuing to on or about February 17, 2018, LOZANO-CEJA and SANCHEZ-RIVERA did knowingly and intentionally combine, conspire, confederate and agree with other persons known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. Additionally, LOZANO-CEJA is charged with distribution of a quantity of heroin.
LOZANO-CEJA and SANCHEZ-RIVERA each face a minimum of ten years’ imprisonment, a maximum term of life imprisonment, and a fine of $10,000,000.00.
The case was investigated by the Office of Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones.
Three Men Arrested on Illegal Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Three persons alleged to have been involved in engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license have made their initial appearances in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick along with Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden, of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Authorities arrested Alejandro Rodriguez, 26, Alejandro Hernandez, 27, and Lewis Rodriguez, 28, all of Laredo, Thursday, April 12. Today, they made their appearance in Laredo federal court. They are set for a preliminary examination hearing on April 20, at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga.
According to the criminal complaint, on four separate occasions, federal agents purchased 11 AR-type rifles from the three men. Last week, agents seized another 12 AR-type rifles as part of an undercover operation. The charges allege two of those weapons were fully automatic firearms. None of the firearms had any identifying markings or serial numbers, according to the complaint.
“ATF targets firearms smuggling organizations, because stopping the flow of weapons illegally exported from the United States is a top priority," said Milanowski. “These offenders and their networks must be dismantled, as they remain a serious threat here in the United States.”
“Stopping the flow of weapons illegally exported into Mexico is an urgent priority for HSI,” said Folden. “HSI along with its federal partners will continue to target firearms smuggling organizations and dismantle the networks responsible for supplying these egregious offenders before they fall into the hands of drug cartels which pose a threat here in the United States and abroad.”
If convicted, each faces up to five years imprisonment and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
ATF and HSI are conducting the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol, U.S. Marshals Service and the Laredo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Giselle S. Guerra is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.###
Ten Indicted and Arrested on Federal Firearms and Narcotics Violations in SweepRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. - Charles E. Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Assistant Special Agent in Charge John Schmidt announce that the ten defendants listed below have been indicted by a Federal Grand Jury in Macon and have been arrested during a multi-agency operation.
DOVORRIS JORDAN, aged 31, of Columbus, GA, is charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, if convicted.
CLINT WALKER, aged 35, of Columbus, GA, is charged with Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 1), Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon (Count 2), and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence (Count 3). If convicted, Mr. Walker faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10 million fine, or both, on Count 1; 10 years, a $250,000 fine, or both, on Count 2; and life in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, on Count 3.
RODNEY BURKE, aged 55, of Mauk, GA, is charged with Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 1) and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon (Count 2). Mr. Burke is charged as an Armed Career Criminal and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in Federal prison with a maximum of life imprisonment, a $5 million fine, or both, if convicted.
REGINALD MILLER, aged 27, of Columbus, GA, is charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. If convicted, Mr. Miller faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both.
EDWARD WALKER, aged 35, of Columbus, GA, is charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, if convicted.
LORENZO TATUM, aged 32, of Columbus, GA, is charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $1 million fine, or both, if convicted.
DEVANTE PATTERSON, aged 24, of Columbus, is charged with Theft from a Federal Firearms Licensee (Count 1) and Possession of Stolen Firearms (Count 2) and faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, on each count, if convicted.
ANDRE HENDRICKS was indicted on March 14, 2018 for Possession of Cocaine Base with Intent to Distribute (Count 1), Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 2), Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute (Count 3), Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute (Count 4), Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon (Count 5), and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence (Count 6). He faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $1 Million fine, or both, if convicted.
LORENZO CRAWFORD, aged 35, of Columbus, GA, is charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon (Count 1), Possession of Marijuana (Count 2) and Possession of Methamphetamine (Count 3) and faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in Federal prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, if convicted.
WATKINS BROWN, aged 24, of Columbus, GA, is charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon (Count 1) and Possession of a Stolen Firearm (Count 2). Mr. Brown faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, on each count, if convicted.
The operation was conducted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhood, which is designed to reduce violent crime through forming partnerships between federal, state and local law enforcement and prosecutors. Those participating in this joint effort include the Columbus Police Department; Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office; Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Probation; Georgia Department of Community Supervision and the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael T. Solis, Crawford Seals, and Melvin E. Hyde, Jr. are prosecuting the cases for the United States.
An arrest and an indictment are only allegations of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Questions concerning this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603
Tahlequah Woman Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Denise Sue Watie, aka Denise Sue Karrant, age 44, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma pled guilty to Failure To Register As Sex Offender, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2250(a)(1), 2250(a)(2)(B) and 2250(a)(3), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00 or both.
The Indictment alleged that from in or about June 2017, the exact date being unknown to the Grand Jury, until on or about December 19, 2017, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and elsewhere, the defendant, Denise Sue Watie, a/k/a Denise Sue Karrant, an individual required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, after having received a felony conviction from the State of Oklahoma, in Tulsa County, on or about January 24, 2005, for Sexually Abusing a Minor Child, traveled in interstate commerce and knowingly failed to register and update her registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.The charges arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Edward Snow represented the United States.
Syracuse Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Drugs in St. Lawrence CountyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Deloyd M. Lesane, age 38, of Syracuse, New York, pled guilty today to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and fentanyl.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Kevin M. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Gouverneur Chief of Police Laurina Greenhill.
Lesane was selling crack cocaine and fentanyl from an apartment in Gouverneur in April 2017. During a search of that apartment, agents recovered approximately 57.5 grams of crack cocaine, approximately 2.5 grams of fentanyl, approximately 19.7 grams of cocaine, a digital scale with cocaine residue, drug packaging material and $2,708 in U.S. currency.
If accepted by Senior United States District Judge Norman A. Mordue, the plea calls for Lesane to serve 120 months in prison when sentenced on August 27, 2018.
This case was investigated by members of the St. Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Gouverneur Police Department, and HSI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas G. Collyer.
School Owner Pleads Guilty to $2 Million Bribery Scheme Involving VA Program for Disabled Military VeteransRead the Press Release
The owner of Atius Technology Institute (“Atius”), a privately owned, non-accredited school specializing in information technology courses, pleaded guilty today to bribing a public official at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in exchange for the public official’s facilitation of over $2 million in payments that were supposed to be dedicated to providing vocational training for military veterans with service-connected disabilities. Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia made the announcement.
Albert S. Poawui, 41, of Laurel, Maryland, pleaded guilty to an Information alleging one count of bribing a public official. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates of the District of Columbia.
According to Poawui’s admissions made in connection with his plea, the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) program is a VA program that provides disabled U.S. military veterans with education and employment-related services. VR&E program counselors advise veterans under their supervision which schools to attend and facilitate payments to those schools for veterans’ tuition and necessary supplies.
According to admissions made in connection with Poawui’s plea, in or about August 2015, Poawui and a VR&E program counselor agreed that Poawui would pay the counselor a seven percent cash kickback of all payments made by the VA to Atius. In exchange, the counselor steered VR&E program veterans to Atius and approved Atius’s invoices for payment.
Poawui admitted that the counselor and a second VR&E counselor approved payments to Atius without regard for the accuracy of necessary documentation in order to maximize the scheme’s profits. Between August 2015 and December 2017, Poawui and the scheme’s other participants caused the VA to pay Atius approximately $2,217,259.44. Poawui paid the first VR&E counselor over $155,000 as part of the illicit bribery scheme. These bribery payments were hand-delivered by Poawui or an Atius employee to the VR&E counselor or the counselor’s assistant, a veteran who was enrolled in the VR&E program.
Poawui also admitted that, with the knowing assistance of a second Atius employee, he made numerous false representations to the VA to enhance the scheme’s profits. For example, Poawui and the second employee certified to the VA that veterans attending Atius were enrolled in up to 32 hours of class per week, when in fact both knew that Atius offered a maximum of six weekly class hours. After the VA initiated an administrative audit of Atius, Poawui, the VR&E counselor and the Atius employee took steps to conceal the truth about earlier misrepresentations they had made to the VA.
Poawui’s plea is the result of an ongoing investigation by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the VA Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrienne Dedjinou of the U.S. Attorney’s for the Office of the District of Columbia also investigated the matter. Trial Attorney Simon J. Cataldo of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonali D. Patel of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
Schenectady Felon Pleads Guilty to Stealing Firearms from Glenville Gun StoreRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jose Fontanez, age 36, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to stealing firearms from Target Sports, Inc., a federally licensed firearms dealer in Glenville, New York. Fontanez, whose criminal history includes a prior felony conviction, also pled guilty to possessing, concealing, and storing stolen firearms and being a felon in possession of firearms.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF).
As part of his guilty plea, Fontanez admitted that on the night of October 22, 2017, he and a co-conspirator broke into Target Sports while it was closed and stole more than 25 firearms from inside the gun store located on Saratoga Road. The firearms included pistols, shotguns, and rifles. With the assistance of various accomplices, Fontanez and his co-conspirator spent the following two days moving the stolen firearms between various locations in Schenectady and Amsterdam, New York, including private residences, a self-storage unit, and a motel. Finally, as Fontanez further admitted, on October 24, 2017, he and his co-conspirator, with the help of yet more accomplices, transported the stolen firearms to Rochester, New York.
Fontanez is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2018 by Senior United States District Judge Norman A. Mordue. He faces up to 10 years in prison on each count of conviction, for a total of 30 years; a maximum $750,000 fine; and up to 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the ATF, New York State Police, and the Glenville Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wayne A. Myers and Joseph A. Giovannetti.
San Pedro Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Making Death Threat Against United States Congresswoman Maxine WatersRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Pedro man who called the Washington, D.C. office of United States Representative Maxine Waters and threatened to kill the congresswoman pleaded guilty today to a federal felony offense stemming from the threat.
Anthony Scott Lloyd, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of threatening a United States official.
Lloyd entered the guilty before United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson, who scheduled a sentencing hearing for July 16. At the time of sentencing, Lloyd will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
According to a plea agreement filed in this case, Lloyd called Rep. Waters’ office on October 22, 2017 and left a voicemail laced with expletives and epithets. The message used the words “dead” and “kill” a total of four times.
Lloyd admitted in the plea agreement that he “left this recorded message with the intent to impede, intimidate, interfere with, and retaliate against Congresswoman Waters, while she was engaged in and on account of the performance of her official duties.”
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which received assistance from the United States Capitol Police, Threat Assessment Section.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jake Nare of the General Crimes Section.
Repeat Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who received child pornography was sentenced on April 12, 2018 to 15 years in federal prison.
David Myers, age 54, from Greene, Iowa, received the sentence after a February 6, 2018 guilty plea to one count of receipt of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Myers admitted that, between 2005 and 2014, he used the Internet to receive child pornography. In a plea agreement, Myers admitted that, in 1998, he was convicted of three charges of sexual abuse in the third degree.
Myers was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Myers was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed, and Myers must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release. He must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 17-2077.
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Ranking Nashville Gang Member Sentenced to More Than 24 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn.- April 18, 2018 – Deunta Finch, aka LT, 28, of Nashville, Tennessee, was sentenced on Friday to 290 months in prison on federal firearms and robbery charges, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran, for the Middle District of Tennessee. Finch pleaded guilty in January 2017 to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; attempting to commit a robbery affecting interstate commerce; and to possessing and discharging a firearm in that attempted robbery.
According to court documents, Finch was a ranking member of the Athens Park Bloods street gang and had multiple, previous state felony convictions, including two convictions for being a felon in possession of firearms, a conviction for robbery and a conviction for reckless endangerment with a weapon. As a convicted felon, Finch was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Court documents outline that on June 21, 2015, Finch brandished a firearm and stole another firearm from a juvenile, while in the J.C. Napier public housing development. Two days later, Finch was riding in a car with another juvenile and became involved in a shootout with the occupants of another vehicle. Finch was injured in the shootout, but left the scene and was later located and transported to a local hospital for treatment. After treatment, he was arrested on outstanding state warrants and then bonded out of custody. Finch failed to appear in court as required and was arrested by Metro Nashville SWAT officers in another car on November 12, 2015. A 9mm pistol was recovered from the glove compartment of that car during this arrest. Ballistics evidence revealed that the recovered firearm had been used one week earlier, on November 5, 2015, in a drug related shooting, in which Finch robbed a drug dealer in the Lexington Garden Apartments in Madison, Tennessee. His intended victim resisted, and Finch shot and severely wounded the victim. Finch then left the area with a quantity of cocaine which he took from his victim.
Finch entered into a plea agreement with the government on January 24, 2017 and agreed to a 15-year sentence. Seven weeks after Finch entered into the agreement, he assaulted another federal prisoner at the Grayson County Detention Facility, in Leitchfield, Kentucky and seriously injured him, including breaking his jaw and ribs. The government then filed a motion to withdraw from the plea agreement, citing Finch’s criminal conduct in committing the assault that violated the terms of the agreement.
U.S. District Judge Marvin Aspen noted Finch’s extensive criminal history and countless opportunities to rehabilitate and remarked that, “the protection of society was the most important factor,” before sentencing him to more than 24 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, Gang Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sunny A.M. Koshy.
President of Baltimore Tax Preparation Business Found Guilty of Assisting in the Filing of False Tax Returns and Failure to File Corporate Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Tynisha Martin Kadiri, age 39, of Baltimore, Maryland, on charges of assisting in the filing of false income tax returns and failure to file corporate tax returns.
The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Special Agent in Charge Kimberly Lappin of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
Evidence presented at the six-day trial showed that Kadiri, who owned three tax preparation businesses in west Baltimore, filed false and fraudulent tax returns for her client-taxpayers. These false returns included business receipts that the taxpayers did not receive, business losses that the taxpayers did not incur and false or fictitious businesses. These false statements resulted in the clients receiving larger refunds than they were entitled to. In addition, evidence presented at trial proved that Kadiri had not filed federal corporate income tax returns for her businesses for tax years 2014 and 2015.
Kadiri faces a maximum sentence of up to three years in prison per count and a fine of $250,000 for aiding or assisting in the filing of false income tax returns and one year in prison for willful failure to file a return.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the IRS for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phil Selden and Matthew Maddox, who prosecuted the case.
Pittsburgh Woman Sentenced to Probation with Home Confinement for Role in Painkiller Distribution SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 42 months of probation and 10 months of home confinement on her conviction of conspiring to possess and distribute opiate painkillers, oxycodone and oxymorphone, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Tevina Harris, 23.
According to information presented to the court, Harris participated in a criminal network of drug dealers that obtained opiate pain killers and then illegally distributed them to users in the Pittsburgh area. Harris took orders for opiate pills on behalf of one of the dealers, and she arranged for delivery of the pills to users. She was originally charged by the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. While on bond for that charge, she continued to participate in the conspiracy.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Allegheny County Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Harris.
Philadelphia Woman Charged with Conspiracy to Defraud the United StatesRead the Press Release
Margaret Ortiz, 35, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty today to an Indictment charging her with Conspiracy to defraud the United States through claims, announced United States Attorney William M. McSwain.
According to the indictment and her admissions to the Court, Margaret Ortiz and others engaged in a scheme to deposit and cash federal income tax refund checks that were obtained by the filing of false federal income tax returns. The returns were filed in the names of stolen identities and, in the majority of cases, falsely claimed refunds of taxes that were never withheld. The total of the fraudulently obtained refund checks deposited into accounts Ortiz controlled exceeded $80,000.
As a result of her guilty plea, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond set sentencing for July 26, 2018.
The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Ignall.
Owner of Fife, Washington Seafood Processing Company Pleads Guilty to Sea Cucumber Lacey Act ViolationRead the Press Release
The owner of Orient Seafood Production of Fife, Washington, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. HOON NAMKOONG admits that between August 2014, and November 2016, he conspired with others to underreport the amount of sea cucumbers purchased for processing by approximately 250,000 pounds. The post-processing market value of the sea cucumbers is nearly $1.5 million. HOON NAMKOONG is scheduled for sentencing in front of Chief U. S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez on July 20, 2018.
According to records filed in the case, HOON NAMKOONG purchased sea cucumbers from both tribal and non-tribal fishers in the Puget Sound region. Sea cucumbers are classified as shellfish, and harvests are regulated by both Washington State and Tribal authorities. To protect the resource, the harvests are tracked by fish tickets signed by both the fisher and the purchaser. HOON NAMKOONG admits that he falsified fish tickets, failed to prepare fish tickets or retain confirmation of fish tickets submitted by third parties, and frequently paid fishers in cash for their sea cucumbers so there would be no financial record of the total amount of sea cucumbers taken. Falsifying fish tickets, and processing and selling in interstate or foreign commerce illegally obtained shellfish is a violation of the Lacey Act, the federal law that prohibits illegal trafficking in wildlife, fish, and plants.
HOON NAMKOONG’s company processed the sea cucumbers and sold and transported them to wholesale seafood buyers in both the U.S. and in Asia, for a gain of nearly $1.5 million.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, HOON NAMKOONG will pay up to $1,499,999 in restitution. Prosecutors agreed to recommend no more than 30 months in prison for HOON NAMKOONG. The ultimate sentence will be up to Chief Judge Martinez.
Conspiracy to Violate the Lacey Act is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Diggs and Seth Wilkinson.