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21 March 2018
Former Senior UAW Official Charged with Accepting Prohibited Payments from Fiat Chrysler AutomobilesRead the Press Release
A superseding indictment was unsealed today charging former UAW official Nancy A. Johnson, 57, of Macomb, Michigan, with criminal violations of the Labor Management Relations Act, announced United States Attorney Matthew Schneider. Between 2014 and 2016, Johnson held the second most senior position in the UAW Chrysler Department. Ms. Johnson also served as a member of the UAW National Committee that negotiated against Fiat Chrysler Automobiles during the 2015 collective bargaining sessions.
Joining in the announcement was James Vanderberg, Special Agent-in-Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Ian Burg, District Director, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Labor-Management Standards, Jeffrey E. Peterson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit, Michigan office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Manny Muriel, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit, Michigan office of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.
Ms. Johnson was charged with taking part in a conspiracy in which she and other senior UAW officials accepted a stream of concealed payments and things of value from FCA executives in the months leading up to the 2015 collective bargaining negotiations.
The superseding indictment charges Nancy A. Johnson with illegally accepting tens of thousands of dollars worth of designer clothing, golf resort fees, limousine services, lavish meals, luxury accommodations, luggage, and first-class travel for herself and one of her associates. In one instance, Ms. Johnson spent $1,160 for a single pair of designer shoes, which were paid for with funds provided by FCA. On other occasions, Ms. Johnson spent $1,217 for salon and spa services, and $1,518 for a set of women’s graphite golf clubs and a diva cart bag, all using funds provided by FCA.
“Today’s indictment marks the sixth defendant charged in a scheme where senior UAW officials betrayed the hard-working men and women of the union by accepting illegal payments from company executives,” said United States Attorney Schneider. “My office will continue to work tirelessly with our partners at the U.S. Department of Labor, IRS, and the FBI to expose and prosecute any union official or corporate executive involved in similar criminal conduct.”
“An important mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations relating to labor racketeering and prohibited payments between company officials and union officials governed by a collective bargaining agreement. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards to investigate these types of allegations,” said James Vanderberg, Special Agent-in-Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
“As a former UAW official, Nancy Johnson chose personal greed over promoting individual leadership through her participation in a “pay to play” scheme to enrich herself at the detriment of union members she represented,” said Jeffery E. Peterson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Division of the FBI. “This indictment sends a clear message that the FBI, through collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively investigate anyone who circumvents their legal responsibilities within the union movement at the expense of their members.”
U.S. Attorney Schneider commended the outstanding work of the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General and Office of Labor-Management Standards, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, in conducting a comprehensive criminal investigation into labor corruption activities involving a vital sector of the regional and national economy.
Nancy A. Johnson faces a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each of the five counts in the superseding indictment.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former Executive Director of St. Clair Housing Commission Sentenced on Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Lorena Loren, the former executive director of the St. Clair Housing Commission, was sentence today to 37 months in federal prison after having pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit federal program fraud, announced United States Attorney Matthew Schneider.
Schneider was joined in the announcement by Brad Geary, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Jeffery E. Peterson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Loren, 55, of Nicholls, Georgia, admitted to conspiring with several family members to steal federal funds provided to the Commission by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (‘HUD”) to administer HUD’s low-income housing programs within St. Clair County. Loren admitted to engaging in various fraudulent schemes to unlawfully obtain over $336,000 in federal funds.
According to court records, Loren stole approximately $162,000 earmarked for HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher program, commonly known as Section 8 housing, which allows low-income families to lease privately owned rental properties with the assistance of HUD rental subsidies administered by the Commission. As part of this fraudulent scheme, between August of 2008 and August of 2016, Loren fraudulently entered into Section 8 contracts from which, at various times, she and nearly all of her immediate family members directly benefitted, in violation of HUD’s regulations and guidelines. In addition to falsifying Section 8 housing contracts and lease agreements by using nominees for lease agreements for Loren’s son, Loren and several relatives falsely claimed they owned rental properties which were, in fact, owned by others; where former Section 8 tenants resided; and, owned by Loren herself. Loren, as executive director, then fraudulently issued Section 8 rental subsidy payments to relatives, in some instances, even in the names of former Section 8 tenants who were no longer in the program. Loren also directed family members to establish joint bank accounts to facilitate access to the ill-gotten funds by various members of her family.
In addition, between 2010 and 2016, Loren used the Commission’s two credit cards to make unauthorized purchases of personal items for herself and relatives from Amazon.com, Walmart and Sam’s Club stores. Loren purchased, among other things, adult and infant clothing, furniture, food, beauty supplies, medications, other household items, and alcoholic beverages on the Commission’s cards. Loren had some of those purchases, totaling approximately $60,000, shipped to some of the same relatives involved in the Section 8 housing scheme at their residences in Georgia and Florida. Loren used the Commission’s operating budget, provided by HUD to maintain the Commission’s public housing facility, Palmer Park Manor, to pay for all the unauthorized purchases, which totaled nearly $166,000. Lastly, Loren also pocketed approximately $8,500 of the Commission’s petty cash funds.
As part of her guilty plea, Loren agreed to pay $336,240.62 in restitution to HUD. Pursuant to the stipulated order of forfeiture, the court issued a money judgment for $336,240.62, which will be paid with her full pension benefits and the proceeds from the sale of the Port Austin rental property that she used to commit the fraud in this case.
United States Attorney Schneider stated, ““This sentence shows that we will vigorously pursue public officials who steal the people’s money and use it for their own selfish gain.”
Brad Geary, Special Agent in Charge HUD said “At such a critical time for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, with programs that are vital to the well-being of so many in our communities, it is critical that those entrusted to public service are completely dedicated to those in need. The HUD Office of Inspector General is committed to partnering with Federal prosecutors and fellow law enforcement to aggressively pursue those engaged in activities that harm HUD’s Public Housing programs.”
“It is important we all remember this type of fraud scheme is not a victimless crime. It impacts many hard working, tax paying citizens and creates an unnecessary increase of government spending,” said Jeffery E. Peterson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Division of the FBI.
The case was investigated by agents of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.
Former Business Manager of Assisted Living Facility Indicted for Stealing Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars from Elderly VictimRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The business manager of a Morristown, New Jersey, assisted living facility has been charged with exploiting her position to steal approximately $237,000 from an elderly victim under her care, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Marcella Drakeford, 45, of Jensen Beach, Florida, is charged with six counts of mail fraud. Drakeford was arrested today and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Shaniek M. Maynard in federal court in Fort Pierce, Florida. She was indicted March 16, 2018, by a federal grand jury sitting in New Jersey and is scheduled to be arraigned April 4, 2018, before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court.
According to the indictment:
Beginning in December 2016, Drakeford allegedly agreed to help manage her victim’s financial affairs and pay for her care. She was granted limited access to the victim’s checking account. Unbeknownst to victim or the victim’s guardian, Drakeford already had fraudulently gained access to the victim’s credit card account and had several cards issued in her name. Drakeford then used the credit cards for personal expenditures, including clothing, jewelry, and automobiles, dental work, rent, and utilities. Drakeford paid off the credit card bills with checks drawn on the victim’s checking account, all without permission. Drakeford allegedly defrauded the victim of approximately $237,000.
Each count of mail fraud with which Drakeford is charged carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss caused by the scheme.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Ruth M. Mendonca, for the investigation leading to the arrests. He also thanked the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, and the Morristown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Peter Demnitz, for their respective roles in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Feder of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Cyber Unit.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Illegally Export Defense Articles to RussiaRead the Press Release
Vladimir Nevidomy, 31, of Hallandale Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty on March 19, to conspiring to illegally export military-grade night vision and thermal vision devices and ammunition primers to Russia.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Robert Lasky of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Mark Selby of Homeland Security Investigation’s (HSI) Miami Field Office made the announcement.
According to information contained in court documents, from as early as April 2013 through November 2013, customers in Russia contacted Nevidomy by email requesting night vision rifle scopes, thermal monoculars and ammunition primers, all of which were on the U.S. Munitions List and subject to export control by the U.S. Department of State. Nevidomy proceeded to obtain at least three ATN MARS 4x4 night-vision rifle scopes and an ODIN 61BW thermal multi-purpose monocular from U.S. vendors by falsely representing to the vendors that the items were not for export.
On or about April 16, 2013, a co-defendant caused a wire transfer from a Shanghai, China bank account in the amount of $11,755 for the purchase and shipment of two ATN MARS 4x4 night-vision rifle scopes. That same day, Nevidomy paid $9,599 to a U.S. vendor for the purchase of those two night-vision rifle scopes. On or about May 2, 2013, Nevidomy also caused a wire transfer in the amount of $10,000 to be sent to a U.S. vendor for the purchase of the ODIN 61BW thermal multi-purpose monocular.
Later, Nevidomy’s co-defendant caused a wire transfer from a bank account in Riga, Latvia in the amount of $18,036, part of which was for the purchase of a third ATN Mars 4X4 night-vision rifle scope. On the same day, Nevidomy caused a wire transfer in the amount of $9,599 to a U.S. vendor, part of which was for the purchase of the third ATN Mars 4X4 night-vision rifle scope.
After the U.S. vendors sent the night vision devices to Nevidomy in South Florida, he exported them to the co-defendant in Russia by either concealing the defense articles in household goods shipments sent through a freight forwarding company or using a private Russian postal service that operated in South Florida. In June 2013, Nevidomy aided and abetted the export of the ATN MARS 4x4 night-vision rifle scopes from the U.S. to the co-defendant in Russia, and in August 2013, he exported the ODIN 61BW thermal multi-purpose monocular from the U.S. to the co-defendant in Russia.
On or about July 19, 2013, the same co-defendant sent an email to Nevidomy requesting 1,000 large-rifle ammunition primers to be shipped to Vladivostok, Russia. On or about Oct. 2, 2013, Nevidomy attempted to export 1,000 Sellier & Bellot ammunition primers from the U.S. to the co-defendant in Vladivostok, Russia. These ammunition primers were seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
These night vision rifle scopes, thermal monocular, and ammunition primers required a license or other authorization from the U.S. Department of State before being exported from the U.S. since they were on the U.S. Munitions List. A certified license history check revealed that neither Nevidomy nor his associates ever applied or attempted to apply for an export license from the State Department for the night-vision equipment or ammunition primers.
Sentencing is scheduled before U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, on May 25. Nevidomy, a Ukraine-born naturalized U.S. citizen, faces a maximum sentence of 5 years imprisonment.
In addition, on Feb. 5, in a separate federal case, Nevidomy pleaded guilty to passport fraud and conspiracy to commit passport fraud in the Southern District of Florida.
Mr. Demers and Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and HSI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Thakur and Rick Del Toro of the Southern District of Florida, and Trial Attorney Christian Ford of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Five Indicted in Hudson Crack Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Five residents of Hudson, New York, have been indicted for their involvement in a crack cocaine distribution ring that operated in Columbia County.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; New York State Police Superintendent George P. Beach II; and Vadim D. Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The following defendants have been arrested and charged by indictment:
- Archie Evans, a/k/a “A.J.,” age 41
- Bryce D. Hallback, a/k/a “Bruce,” age 32
- Julan E. Morrison, a/k/a “Weez,” age 37
- William C. Morrison, a/k/a “Whoody,” age 31
- Steven M. Richardson, a/k/a “Fetty,” age 35
Each defendant is charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine between August and December 2017. The charges are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted, each defendant faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison. 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 New York State Police’s Special Investigations Unit, the FBI, and the Hudson Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne A. Myers.
Felon Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm Stolen from Pawn ShopRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 26-year-old convicted felon has been ordered to federal prison for possessing a firearm stolen during the robbery of a Cash America Pawn Shop in May 2017, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Kentrell Ezenwere, of Houston, pleaded guilty Nov. 1, 2017.
Today, U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison ordered Ezenwere to prison for 80 months. In handing down the sentence, the court held him accountable for the one stolen firearm he possessed at the time of his arrest as well as an additional 28 firearms stolen from the Cash America Pawn Shop the day before. Judge Ellison called Ezenwere’s introduction of guns into the community “anti-social” behavior and noted his criminal behavior to be of particular concern given the national dialogue surrounding firearms.
The mother of Ezenwere’s infant child asked the court to allow him to return home. However, Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Carrie Wirsing reminded the court that law enforcement officers also desire to return home to their families at the end of their shifts – a task less likely with Ezenwere’s “running and gunning” lifestyle. Ezenwere has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The investigation arose from a burglary of a Cash America Pawn Shop in Houston on May 17, 2017, during which 29 firearms were stolen. Security footage showed a suspect who made entry into the pawn shop from the roof of the building, where he had cut a hole and lowered himself down into the building using rope. The man placed the handguns in a red backpack and a red drawstring bag, ran out of the side door to an adjacent parking lot to a white Cadillac four-door sedan and fled.
Agents located a photo of a similar-looking white Cadillac posted on Ezenwere’s Instagram account six days prior to the burglary. Also found were Snapchat videos of Ezenwere holding handguns matching those that had been stolen, which had been posted within 12 hours following the Cash America burglary.
The following day, authorities stopped Ezenwere while driving a white Cadillac four-door sedan. Following his arrest for outstanding warrants, law enforcement found one of the stolen firearms on the floorboard in front of the driver’s seat. Also discovered in the car was a strap with a head lamp, hand tools, pry bar, hammer, pack of gloves, metal grinder, tin snips and a red rope that was the same style of rope recovered on the scene of the burglary as well as a pair of binoculars, a red drawstring bag and red backpack that matched the description of those used during the burglary the previous day.
Ezenwere had previously been convicted of aggravated assault against a public servant during which he shot at an officer and for which he was sentenced to five years imprisonment. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition per federal law.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation. AUSA Carrie Wirsing prosecuted the case which was brought as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide program to reduce gun and gang crime in America and the Houston Law Enforcement Violent Crime Initiative which seeks to proactively fight violent crime across the Greater Houston area.
Federal Jury Convicts Rochester Man of Illegally Possessing A HandgunRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal jury has convicted Emmanuel Feaster, 21, of Rochester, NY, of being a felon in possession of a loaded handgun. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean C. Eldridge and Charles E. Moynihan, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that on September 27, 2015, Rochester Police Department officers, in the area of Jefferson Avenue, saw Feaster driving an all-terrain vehicle northbound on Jefferson Avenue, in the southbound lane. When officers attempted to stop the defendant, he drove the ATV onto the sidewalk and ran after being directed to produce his driver’s license. After a brief foot chase, Feaster fell to the ground and tried to get back up. The defendant struggled as officers tried to place him in handcuffs. During the struggle, Feaster threw a metal object under a vehicle parked nearby. Officers retrieved a .380 caliber semiautomatic handgun, which was loaded with six rounds of ammunition, from under the vehicle. Analysis by the Monroe County Crime Laboratory determined that DNA found on the gun belonged to the defendant. In November 2013, Feaster was convicted in Monroe County Court on a felony weapons offense and was prohibited from legally possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The trial verdict is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 20, 2018, at 4:00 p.m. before Chief Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr., who presided over the trial of the case.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Guatemalan Man Who Used a Suspected Pipe Bomb in a Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
LUBBOCK, Texas — A federal grand jury in Lubbock, Texas, returned an indictment today charging Eddie Estuardo Galindo-Mendez, 43, a Guatemalan citizen, with one count of bank robbery for the November 20, 2017, robbery of Happy State Bank in Lubbock, Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas.
Galindo-Mendez was charged last week in a related federal criminal complaint with one count of bank robbery. He was in federal custody on other charges at the time the complaint was filed.
According to the affidavit filed with the criminal complaint and the indictment, on November 20, 2017, law enforcement responded to a call for two suspected Improvised Explosive Devices (IED). One IED was located on the campus of Texas Tech University and one was used in the robbery at Happy State Bank, located in Lubbock, Texas. The IEDs were described as pipe bombs. Law enforcement reviewed surveillance video captured from Texas Tech University and Happy State Bank’s interior video systems. The videos show that around 1:27 p.m. the suspected IED was placed on a student’s truck at Texas Tech University and at around 3:00 p.m. an individual robbed the Happy State Bank utilizing a note and a suspected IED.
Employees at the bank advised that Galindo-Mendez entered the bank, approached the teller, and handed the teller a note that stated he had a bomb and requested money. Galindo-Mendez also placed what appeared to be a pipe bomb on the counter. The employees provided Galindo-Mendez with approximately $2,553 and he left the bank on a bicycle and took the note, but left behind the IED. Bomb Technicians examined the IED and determined it to be inert.
“Prosecuting violent crimes is a top priority for my office and the Department of Justice,” said U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox. “Prosecuting those violent crimes that touch upon the safety and security of our schools, universities and financial institutions is of paramount importance. To those who commit violent crimes and threaten these institutions, know that law enforcement will relentlessly pursue bringing you to justice.”
ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek stated “Today’s indictment is an example of ATF’s commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to pursue federal criminal charges against those that use firearms, explosives or arson to victimize businesses and endanger the public that patronizes them.”
“This is yet another example of the cooperative efforts that federal, state and local agencies do on a regular basis for the citizens in Lubbock and the surrounding communities,” said Assistant Chief Jerry Brewer, Lubbock Police Department Investigations Services Bureau.
An indictment is an accusation by a federal grand jury, and a defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty. However, the maximum statutory penalty for the offenses charges is 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Lubbock Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Border Patrol, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Tech University Police Department, and the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Haag is in charge of the prosecution.
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Federal Criminal Complaint and Arrest Warrant Filed Last Night Against Pflugerville, TX Man Prior to His Death After Discharging BombRead the Press Release
(Austin, TX) – Austin Police Chief Brian Manley, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Fred J. Milanowski, Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore and United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas John F. Bash announced that a federal criminal complaint and an arrest warrant were filed last night against 23–year-old Mark Conditt of Pflugerville, TX, in connection with the recent series of bombings in Austin. Those filings occurred before Conditt detonated a destructive device early this morning as authorities were attempting to apprehend him in Round Rock, TX. Conditt died during the incident.
“Hundreds of federal, state and local law enforcement officers worked together to identify and locate Conditt. I was awed by their professionalism, collaborative spirit, and indefatigable commitment to protecting the public,” stated United States Attorney John F. Bash. “I send my deepest condolences to the families of Anthony Stephan House and Draylen Mason, and I pray for the recovery of the surviving victims of these monstrous crimes.”
The federal criminal complaint charged Conditt with one count of Unlawful Possession and Transfer of a Destructive Device. The complaint affidavit remains under seal at this time. The investigation continues at this time. Because it is possible that further destructive devices were planted or mailed, residents of Austin and surrounding areas should call 911 if they see any suspicious package, bag, or backpack, or any other item that looks out of place.
“I appreciate all the hard work of the men and women of the Austin Police Department and our Federal partners for their tireless work in restoring peace to our community,” said Austin Police Chief Brian Manley. “My thoughts and prayers continue to be with those victimized by these criminal acts committed.”
“I am grateful for the extraordinary leadership demonstrated by Chief Manley during this complex and challenging investigation. He inspired an amazing team of law enforcement professionals and prosecutors who worked together and with members of the public to restore peace in our community,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.
“Thank you to the City of Austin and the surrounding communities for coming together and remaining vigilant over the past three weeks. By doing so, we were able to restore a sense of calm to the community,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Fred J. Milanowski, Houston Field Division.
The Austin Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives are investigating this case. The Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Rangers, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the United States Marshals Service, the Round Rock Police Department, the Schertz Police Department, the Pflugerville Police Department, and the Cedar Park Police Department are providing valuable assistance in this investigation. The Travis County District Attorney’s Office and the Austin Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas have collaboratively provided legal support during the investigation of these incidents.
Fairmont man admits to firearm chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Dustin Lynn Garrison, of Fairmont, West Virginia, has admitted to illegally possessing a firearm, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Garrison, age 26, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Garrison, having previously been convicted of two felonies in the Circuit Court of Marion County, is accused of illegally possessing a .308 semi-automatic pistol in September 2017 in Marion County, West Virginia.
Garrison faces up to 10 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 Sarah E. Wagner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives and the Fairmont Police Department investigated. The United State Marshal Service assisted.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Dunn Man Sentenced for Felon in Possession ChargeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today, BRANDON LEE OGLESBY, of Dunn, North Carolina, was sentenced to 78 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
OGLESBY was named in an Indictment on September 8, 2017 charging him with Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. On November 13, 2017, OGLESBY pled guilty to that charge and was sentenced in the United States District Court today.
On December 12, 2016, an officer with the Dunn Police Department, was looking for OGLESBY, to serve felony arrest warrants out of Sampson County, North Carolina, when he observed OGLESBY’S truck at a gas station in Dunn. The officer entered the store and placed OGLESBY under arrest. OGLESBY was told his truck needed to be moved because it was blocking the gas pumps; however, OGLESBY informed the officer the keys were locked inside the truck. The officer found the driver’s door of OGLESBY’S truck unlocked and opened it to find, in plain view, a .30-06 caliber rifle, which was loaded with a round chambered.
Prior to federal indictment, on July 6, 2017, OGLESBY pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Felon in Johnston County Superior Court. OGLESBY, a convicted felon, unlawfully possessed three firearms between December 12, 2016, and February 5, 2017.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Dunn Police Department, Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette handled the prosecution of this case for the government.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in Lawrence pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to identity theft and related charges.
Willy Antonio Hernandez Camilo, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of passport fraud, two counts of misuse of a Social Security number, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for June 4, 2018.
In 2014, Hernandez Camilo applied for a passport at a Methuen post office purporting to be a U.S. citizen. On the application he represented that the name, Social Security number, and date of birth of a Puerto Rican man were his. He supported the application with a birth certificate and a 2012 Massachusetts driver’s license, both in the victim’s name. In 2016, Hernandez Camilo went to a Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles office in Haverhill and applied to renew his Massachusetts driver’s license. Again, he represented the victim’s identity to be his own. Hernandez Camilo admitted that he knew the identity he used was not fabricated but belonged to a real person.
The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of passport fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised released, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of misuse of a social security number provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Office of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Corpus Christi Man Arrested on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 26-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been taken into custody on allegations he distributed child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Authorities arrested Clinton Ray Stephens this morning. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason B. Libby at 2:00 p.m. today.
According to the charges, an electronic chat room company notified the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that a known image of child pornography had been uploaded to an internet chat room identified as “UNderAg3.” The complaint alleges authorities were able to link the specific IP address associated with a user known as “Jake” to Stephens. Agents obtained a search warrant for Stephens’s residence, after which agents seized several digital devices that led to the discovery of more than 570 images and two videos of child pornography, according to the charges.
If convicted, Stephens faces a minimum of five and up to 20 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Corpus Christi Police Department’s – Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation with the assistance of NCMEC.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugo R. Martinez is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Coeur d’Alene Man Pleads Guilty to Lie and Buy Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
COEUR D'ALENE – Alex James Spooner, 23, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, pleaded guilty Tuesday to unlawful acquisition of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Spooner was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 17, 2018.
According to court records, Spooner committed what is commonly known as a “lie and buy” gun crime. A “lie and buy” gun crime occurs when someone buys a gun on behalf of another person while falsely claiming that it is for themselves. Spooner bought seven firearms for another person living in North Dakota. In doing so, Spooner lied to the gun seller by claiming the guns were for him. Four of the guns that Spooner bought ended up in Chicago. Within eight days of Spooner’s purchase of one of the firearms, it was used in a shooting in Chicago. Another gun bought by Spooner was found 13 days later during a search warrant execution in Chicago.
Sentencing is set for June 19, 2018, before U.S. District Judge David C. Nye at the federal court house in Coeur d’Alene.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the North Idaho Violent Crime Task Force and the Chicago Police Department.
“Lie and buy gun crimes are particularly pernicious,” U.S. Attorney Bart Davis said. “These guns very often end up in the hands of violent individuals who can’t buy guns because of their criminal history.” Davis went on to praise the cooperative efforts of the law enforcement agencies: “The coordinated efforts of the ATF, the Chicago Police Department and the North Idaho Violent Crime Task Force are to be commended.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
China Grove, N.C. Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years for Online Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Shawn Steven Wilson, 33, of China Grove, N.C., was sentenced today to 142 months in prison for enticement of a minor using the internet, announced R. Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad, Jr. also ordered Wilson to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.
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, and Chief Kerr Putney of Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department.
According to court documents and today’s court proceedings, Wilson responded to an online posting for individuals interested in engaging in sexual contact with a minor. From August 17 to September 1, 2016, Wilson engaged in multiple communications with an FBI undercover employee posing as the minor’s parent. During the exchanges, Wilson discussed his interest in engaging in sexual contact with the minor who he believed to be an 11-year-old girl, asked for naked pictures of the minor, and made arrangements to meet her. Law enforcement arrested Wilson when he arrived to meet the minor at an agreed-upon location for the purpose of engaging in sexual activities.
Wilson pleaded guilty in June 2017 to one count of online enticement of a minor. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. Federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.
The FBI led the investigation assisted by CMPD. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Child sexual exploitation defendant still on the runRead the Press Release
Federal fugitive charged one year ago, asking for the public’s help capturing him
PRESS RELEASE
Indianapolis-United States Attorney Josh Minkler and FBI Special Agent in Charge Grant Mendenhall are asking for the public’s help in capturing a federal fugitive wanted for the sexual exploitation of a minor. Gustavo Cruz, a/k/a Gustavo Aguilar-Cruz 42, Indianapolis, is alleged to have used his cell phone to record himself sexually abusing an 11-year-old female child.
According to the criminal complaint, law enforcement learned of the alleged sexual abuse on March 21, 2017. The victim told investigators that Cruz had sexually abused her for years. Police served search warrants on Cruz’s home and vehicle and seized electronic devices. An examination found multiple videos containing child pornography. Many of these images depicted Cruz engaged in sexual acts with the victim.
Minkler said “One year ago, a very brave child came forward to tell police what Cruz did to her, and a team of skilled investigators found evidence to corroborate her account of repeated sexual violation. While the defendant is presumed innocent, now is the time for the community to come together to tell us where Cruz is located, so that all parties can have their day in court. We will not stop seeking justice for this child.”
Cruz has eluded law enforcement for nearly one year and is a wanted fugitive. He is a 42-year-old Hispanic Male, 5’11” tall and weighs approximately 210 pounds. He has brown eyes, dark hair and a mole on his right cheek. He is believed to be living somewhere in the Midwest United States.
Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Gustavo Cruz, is encouraged to call the FBI at 317 -595-4000 or Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS (8477).
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department conducted this investigation.
"Our children are among the most vulnerable members of our community, and we must protect them in any way we can," said Grant Mendenhall, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Indianapolis Division. "We will continue to work diligently with our partners to locate this individual to ensure no other children are victimized."
“The victimization of children is an unimaginable crime that can have a devastating impact for years,” said Chief Bryan Roach. “Because of skilled and dedicated Investigators we now know the identity of the alleged suspect and we need your help to find him”.
Kristina M. Korobov is prosecuting this case for the government and said Cruz faces 30 years imprisonment if convicted.
A criminal complaint is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. All defendants are considered innocent until proven otherwise in federal court.
In October 2017, United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced a Strategic Plan designed to shape and strengthen the District’s response to its most significant public safety challenges. This prosecution demonstrates the office’s firm commitment to use partnerships with law enforcement agencies to prosecute individuals who exploit or harm children and other vulnerable victims. See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan Section 4.1
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Cartel Member Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute More Than Eleven Pounds of Methamphetamine in Lee CountyRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Juan Carlos Gonzalez (37, San Diego, California) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 11 pounds of methamphetamine. He faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, a DEA undercover agent (UC) made contact with Gonzalez after learning that he was associated with a drug trafficking organization operating out of Tijuana, Mexico. Gonzalez agreed to send a sample of his product, without payment, from California to the UC in Florida. The sample, which arrived in Fort Myers on April 17, 2017, was nearly two pounds of 99% pure methamphetamine. When Gonzalez and the UC discussed how much more product could be delivered in the future, Gonzalez said his supply was “unlimited.” In the following months, Gonzalez sent over nine more pounds of methamphetamine to the UC. DEA laboratory testing confirmed these later shipments were 100% pure methamphetamine.
On August 16, 2017, Gonzalez was arrested by federal agents at the San Ysidro port of entry coming from Mexico into California.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.
Canadian Man Charged by Superseding Indictment for Committing an Act of Terrorism Transcending National BoundariesRead the Press Release
Amor M. Ftouhi, 50, of Montreal, Canada, who was previously indicted in July 2017, for charges relating to an attack on a Bishop Airport officer in Flint, Michigan, was charged today with an additional offense of committing an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider for the Eastern District of Michigan and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jefferey E. Peterson of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office made the announcement.
According to court records, Mr. Ftouhi entered the United States from Canada for the purpose of killing government personnel in the United States. Before entering the United States on June 16, 2017, while in Canada, Mr. Ftouhi conducted online research of American gun laws and for gun shows in Michigan. Mr. Ftouhi subsequently traveled to Michigan where he was unsuccessful in purchasing a gun and purchased a knife instead. On June 20, 2017, Mr. Ftouhi walked up to the victim, who is a lieutenant with the Bishop Airport Authority and was in full uniform, and stabbed the police officer in the neck with a knife. Mr. Ftouhi referenced killings in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, and yelled “Allahu Akbar.” After his arrest, Mr. Ftouhi told law enforcement that he was a “soldier of Allah” and subscribed to the ideology of al-Qaeda and Usama bin Laden.
Ftouhi will be arraigned on the new indictment in federal court in Flint. The defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. Any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, with assistance from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Canadian Man Charged by Superseding Indictment for Committing an Act of Terrorism Transcending National BoundariesRead the Press Release
Amor M. Ftouhi, 50, of Montreal, Canada, who was previously indicted in July 2017, for charges relating to an attack on a Bishop Airport officer in Flint, Michigan, was charged today with an additional offense of committing an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider for the Eastern District of Michigan and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffery E. Peterson of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office made the announcement.
United States Attorney Schneider stated, “This additional terrorism charge against Mr. Ftouhi shows we will — to the fullest extent of the law — vigorously prosecute terrorists who seek to harm the people of Michigan.”
"Today's superseding indictment is a clear example of the work done by the Detroit Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force to hold accountable those who seek to harm U.S. citizens on behalf of a foreign terrorist group. The indictment speaks to the collaborative efforts of law enforcement and intelligence professionals at the state, local and federal level, as well as the FBI’s close relationship with our international partners in Canada," said Jeffery E. Peterson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Division of the FBI.
According to court records, Mr. Ftouhi entered the United States from Canada for the purpose of killing government personnel in the United States. Before entering the United States on June 16, 2017, while in Canada, Mr. Ftouhi conducted online research of American gun laws and for gun shows in Michigan. Mr. Ftouhi subsequently traveled to Michigan where he was unsuccessful in purchasing a gun and purchased a knife instead. On June 20, 2017, Mr. Ftouhi walked up to the victim, who is a lieutenant with the Bishop Airport Authority and was in full uniform, and stabbed the police officer in the neck with a knife. Mr. Ftouhi referenced killings in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and yelled “Allahu Akbar.” After his arrest, Mr. Ftouhi told law enforcement that he was a “soldier of Allah” and subscribed to the ideology of al-Qaeda and Usama bin Laden.
Ftouhi will be arraigned on the new indictment in federal court in Flint. The defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. Any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, with assistance from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
California Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Federal Prison for Laundering $350,000 in Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
Spokane – Joseph H. Harrington, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Julio Cesar Rosales Saucedo, age 25, of Paramount, California, was sentenced after having pleaded guilty on December 19, 2017, to conspiracy to commit money laundering of drug proceeds. Senior United States District Judge Edward F. Shea sentenced Saucedo to an 87-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of court supervision after he is released from Federal prison.
According to information disclosed during court proceedings, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Tri-Cities Safe Streets Task Force, United States Drug Enforcement Administration, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police Federal Serious Organized Crime Unit, conducted an undercover money laundering investigation of a transnational drug trafficking organization. Investigators determined the organization trafficked heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine from Mexico through Los Angeles, California to the Eastern District of Washington. According to court records, Saucedo assisted the organization by laundering over $350,000 in drug proceeds, picking up large cash drops and trafficking drugs to the Eastern District of Washington. Saucedo’s fingerprints were recovered from the packaging on 700 grams of pure fentanyl that investigators seized during the investigation.
Joseph H. Harrington said, “I commend the federal, state, local and Canadian law enforcement officers who worked on this case. Their seamless partnership resulted in the successful outcome in this matter. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington is, and will continue to be, committed to prosecuting aggressively and seeking appropriate punishment for offenders who launder drug proceeds in this District.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The OCDETF program provides supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved in the investigation of drug-related crimes.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Tri-Cities Safe Streets Task Force, United States Drug Enforcement Administration, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police Federal Serious Organized Crime Unit. This case was prosecuted by Stephanie Van Marter, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
California Man Indicted on Mail and Wire Fraud Conspiracy Charges for Telemarketing SchemeRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Naif Wedad Nazer (39, Laguna Niguel, California) with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies him that the United States is seeking a money judgment in the amount of $811,162.06, the proceeds of the charged criminal offense.
According to the indictment, between 2011 and 2015, Nazer founded and operated 10 different businesses, each of which engaged in cold-calling timeshare owners across the United States and fraudulently inducing them to pay advance fees for services that the businesses never intended to render. Nazer, and others that he had recruited for this scheme, made a series of false claims to victims, including that Nazer’s businesses would help the owner market his or her timeshare; that they had identified buyers to purchase the timeshare; that they would facilitate the sale of the timeshare; and that they would refund the advance fee within a prescribed time period if the timeshare sale did not go through.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has violated one or more federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services - Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily C. L. Chang.
Cairo Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Assisting in the 2014 Attempted Armed Robbery of First National Bank in Cairo and Other Related CrimesRead the Press Release
Otha Don Watkins, III, 35, of Cairo, Illinois, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Benton to 23 years in prison for assisting James Nathanial Watts in the May 15, 2014, attempted armed robbery of the First National Bank in Cairo and for other related crimes, announced Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. Watkins admitted that he assisted Watts in the planning of the robbery, drove him to the bank on May 15, and served as a lookout while communicating with Watts via a hand-held radio. After failing to obtain any money, Watts killed long-time bank employees Anita Grace and Nita Jo Smith and seriously injured a third employee.
Watkins had previously pled guilty in January 2018 to assisting Watts in that offense and to making false statements to the FBI during the investigation of the attempted bank robbery, possessing a stolen firearm, and conspiring with Watts to commit robberies that interfered with interstate commerce. That conspiracy included both the attempted robbery of the First National Bank and the successful May 2014 armed robbery of over $12,000 from a McDonald’s Restaurant in Charleston, Missouri.
The 23-year sentence was imposed consecutively to a 155-month federal prison sentence which Watkins was already serving for the armed robbery of another McDonald’s restaurant in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, in October 2014. According to information from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Watkins will not finish serving that sentence until January 7, 2026. Watkins will begin serving the 23-year sentence imposed today after that date.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, Watkins was ordered to pay a total of $12,062.51 in restitution to the owner of the Charleston McDonalds and its insurer. Watkins was also placed on a five-year term of supervised release to follow his incarceration. After sentencing, Watkins was returned to the custody of the United States Marshal to await his return to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
James Watts was previously sentenced in May 2017 to life in prison plus ten years for his role in these crimes.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Illinois State Police with the assistance of numerous other law enforcement agencies in Illinois and Missouri.
Bunnell Man Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Federal Prison for Firearms and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Travis Demond Johnson (38, Bunnell) to eight years and nine months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and for selling cocaine on two occasions. He pleaded guilty on November 9, 2017.
According to court documents, on June 9, 2017, Johnson sold crack cocaine and a firearm to a confidential informant (CI). A few weeks later, he again sold crack cocaine to the CI. During a traffic stop on August 2, 2017, Johnson was arrested by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office for possessing crack cocaine. The following week, while on bond for his state charges related to the traffic stop, Johnson again sold crack cocaine to the CI. On August 18, 2017, Johnson sold crack cocaine and a second firearm to the CI; he also brandished a third firearm. On August 24, 2017, a search warrant executed at Johnson’s home revealed additional crack cocaine and a fourth firearm. Johnson was prohibited from possessing firearms – two of which had been reported stolen – due to his previous felony convictions for attempted second degree murder, shooting into an occupied vehicle, battery on a law enforcement officer, and possession of cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In October 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to develop districtwide crime reduction strategies, incorporating the lessons learned since the program’s inception in 2001. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Involvement in Multi-Million Dollar Heroin, Cocaine, and Fentanyl ConspiracyRead 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 Maulana Lucas, 43, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, one kilogram or more of heroin, five kilograms or more of cocaine, and 400 grams or more of fentanyl, before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $20,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan A. Tokash and Michael P. Felicetta, who are handling the case, stated that between January 2013 and September 2015, the defendant and his girlfriend formed a relationship with co-defendant Darryl Williams to assist Williams with receiving drug shipments from California, distributing the drugs, and collecting proceeds the Western District of New York and elsewhere. In the Western District of New York alone, the defendant assisted in collecting a total of approximately $19,000,000 in cash in drug proceeds.
In May 2014, as part of the conspiracy, Lucas was directed by co-defendant Williams to meet with another co-defendant, Sonia Hernandez, to receive kilograms of cocaine.
From July 15, 2014, through March 18, 2015, Lucas received 29 pallets of shipments of illegal drugs from Herman Aguirre. Each pallet contained a mixture of approximately 30-50 kilograms of cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. The drugs were then distributed in the Western District of New York and in other cities and states. The defendant assisted in breaking down pallets of drugs and in collecting drug proceeds from surrounding states. The drugs were shipped in crates or pallets, disguised as microwaves or furniture. The drugs were unloaded at a local warehouse. Lucas also directed his girlfriend to store kilograms of drugs in the bedroom of her apartment in the Western District of New York.
On March 23, 2015, Buffalo Police seized 22 kilograms of cocaine, two kilograms of heroin, and eight kilograms of fentanyl at the defendant’s girlfriend’s apartment.Lucas was arrested in August 2016 along with 16 other defendants. To date, two of the defendants have been convicted. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division; Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Kevin Kelly, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of James D. Robnett.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 25, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.
Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine ConspiracyRead 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 Archie Phillips, 45, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. The charge carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who is handling the case, stated that between December 2012 and March 12, 2013, the defendant shipped kilogram bricks of cocaine from Houston, Texas to Buffalo, NY for distribution. Co-conspirators, including Beverly Fields, would then package cash proceeds from the cocaine distribution and ship the currency from the Buffalo area to the defendant in Houston. The defendant utilized a storage locker in Houston, to store some of the drug proceeds. In March 2013, DEA Special Agents found $284,980 in cash in plastic bags stored in the locker.
Beverly Fields has been convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
One of the defendant’s customers was Tyshawn Bradley, who was convicted of multiple charges including conspiracy to distribute 280 grams or more of crack cocaine within 1000 feet of the Perry Housing Projects.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin P. Lyons; and the United States Marshals Service, under the direction of Charles Salina.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 25, 2018, at 9:00 a.m. before Judge Skretny.
Bradenton Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to over Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Shavon Montgomery (38, Bradenton) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for distributing crack cocaine and a substance containing fentanyl and heroin. She pleaded guilty on December 20, 2017.
According to court documents, on two occasions in March 2017, Montgomery sold crack cocaine to an undercover deputy from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. On April 26, 2017, and May 4, 2017, she sold substances containing fentanyl and heroin to an undercover officer from the Bradenton Police Department. During the second transaction, Montgomery agreed to sell more fentanyl to the officer later that day, and shortly thereafter arranged a time and location to conduct the sale. When Montgomery reversed course on her way to the agreed upon location for the second sale, an officer stopped the vehicle and searched Montgomery and her two passengers. One of the passengers possessed the fentanyl that Montgomery had arranged to sell to the undercover officer. In total, law enforcement recovered approximately 33 grams of fentanyl and heroin during this investigation.
This case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation entitled “Hot Batch.” The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. The investigation was conducted by the Bradenton Police Department, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.
Belmont County woman sentenced for drug chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Faith Diane Leasure, of Bridgeport, Ohio was sentenced today to 36 months incarceration for her role in a crack cocaine distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Leasure, age 23, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Crack Cocaine.” Leasure admitted to selling crack cocaine in Ohio County in August 2016.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Perri prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Ohio Valley Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Bank robber sentenced to 14 years in prisonRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Rondell Muwwakkil has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for robbing five metro-Atlanta banks in 2016. He passed notes to tellers at banks inside of stores demanding they give him small bills in each robbery.
“Muwwakkil never cared about the terror he caused when robbing these banks,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Regardless of whether a robber uses a weapon or a simple note to rob a bank, it makes no difference. As we continue to employ our Project Safe Neighborhood initiative, we will continue to prosecute anyone who drives violent crimes in the district.”
“The FBI would like to thank the public who helped us locate and arrest this suspect,” said David J. LeValley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “As frightening as the five robberies were to the victims in the banks, there is little doubt there would have been more robberies, and more victims, had it not been for a concerned citizen’s tip.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Rondell Muwwakkil committed five bank robberies in August 2016. He committed each of the robberies by passing the bank teller a note demanding money. The robberies were scattered throughout the metro-Atlanta area.
On August 12, 2016, Muwwakkil took a taxi to the Best Bank located inside a Kroger in Decatur, Georgia, and then he went inside and robbed it. On August 17, 2016, He again took a different taxi to the same Best Bank inside of Kroger in Decatur, Georgia, then proceeded inside the store and robbed the bank. On August 22, 2016, he robbed a Best Bank inside of a Kroger in Ellenwood, Georgia, and on August 27, 2016, he robbed the Woodforest National Bank inside a Walmart in Duluth, Georgia. Finally, on August 30, 2016, he robbed the Woodforest National Bank inside the Walmart in Newnan, Georgia.
In each robbery, Muwwakkil waited in line as if he were a regular customer. When he reached the teller, he passed them a note that told them to give him all loose bills in $100s, $50s, $20s, and $10s. Muwwakkil then took the money and fled the robbery scene. Muwwakkil was identified as the robber by a tip called in to the FBI. His fingerprints were also found on the demand note given to the bank teller in the August 22 bank robbery.
Rondell Muwwakkil, 48, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $7,961.00 in restitution. Muwwakkil was convicted of the August 22 and 27, 2016 robberies on January 5, 2018, after he pleaded guilty to those robberies.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In keeping with the Attorney General’s mission to reduce violent crime, the Northern District of Georgia’s PSN program focuses on prosecuting those individuals who most significantly drive violence in our communities, and supports and fosters partnerships between law enforcement and schools, the faith community, and local community leaders to prevent and deter future criminal conduct.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary L. Webb 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.
Bakersfield Trucking School Owner and Former DMV Employee Charged in Scheme to Fraudulently Issue Commercial Driver’s LicensesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Two Bakersfield residents were arrested today for their for their roles in a conspiracy to sell California driver’s licenses to unqualified drivers, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
On March 15, 2018, a federal grand jury returned a 13-count indictment against Paramjit Singh Mangat, 54, and Javier Jesus Hernandez-Herrera, 54, charging them with criminal conspiracy, six counts of unlawful production of an identification document, and six counts of unlawful transfer of an identification document.
According to court documents, Mangat operated driving schools in Bakersfield that ostensibly provided training to those seeking to obtain driver licenses, including Akal Truck Driving School and Akal Driving School. When students had difficulty passing DMV examinations, in return for money, Mangat offered to assist them in obtaining fraudulently issued, yet official licenses through Mangat’s contact, Herrera, a DMV employee.
From approximately June 2012 through August 24, 2016, Mangat conspired with Herrera, a Licensing Registration Examiner at a DMV office in Bakersfield. In return for monetary payment, Herrera agreed to access the students’ DMV records and alter the records to reflect that the individual had passed DMV written and/or behind-the-wheel examinations, when, in fact, the individual had not passed one or more required DMV tests. Herrera’s alteration of the records resulted in the DMV issuing a California driver’s license and mailing it to that individual. The indictment also charges the unlawful production and transfer of six specific commercial licenses.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Department of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the California Department of Motor Vehicles, Investigations Division Office of Internal Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry Z. Carbajal III and David L. Gappa are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Mangat and Herrera face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy charge and a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the charges of unlawful production and transfer of identification documents. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Attorney General Sessions Will Travel to Birmingham to Address the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) CEO LuncheonRead the Press Release
****** MEDIA ADVISORY *******
WASHINGTON - Attorney General Jeff Sessions will travel to Birmingham
FRIDAY, March 23, 2018, to address the NOBLE CEO luncheon.
WHO: Attorney General Jeff Sessions
WHAT: Attorney General Sessions will address the NOBLE CEO luncheon.
WHEN: 12:45 pm. CDT
Friday, March 23, 2018
WHERE: Sheraton Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham Ballroom 3 & 4 (floor/lobby level)
2101 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N
Birmingham, AL 35203
OPEN PRESS
(Camera Preset time for K9 sweep: 11:30 a.m. CDT// Final access time for print media: 12:30 p.m. CDT)
NOTE: Media must RSVP and present government-issued photo I.D. and valid media credentials. Please RSVP via email to Kelly Laco in the Office of Public Affairs at [email protected] or 202-305-5219. Please RSVP with the email addresses of the person(s) attending the event, so that we may reach them directly if details change.
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Attorney General Sessions Issues Memo to U.S. Attorneys on the Use of Capital Punishment in Drug-Related ProsecutionsRead the Press Release
Today Attorney General Sessions issued the following memo to U.S. Attorneys providing guidance regarding the use of capital punishment in drug-related prosecutions: "The opioid epidemic has inflicted an unprecedented toll of addiction, suffering, and death on communities throughout our nation. Drug overdoses, including overdoses caused by the lethal substance fentanyl and its analogues, killed more than 64,000 Americans in 2016 and now rank as the leading cause of death for Americans under 50. In the face of all of this death, we cannot continue with business as usual.
"Drug traffickers, transnational criminal organizations, and violent street gangs all contribute substantially to this scourge. To combat this deadly epidemic, federal prosecutors must consider every lawful tool at their disposal. This includes designating an opioid coordinator in every district, fully utilizing the data analysis of the Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit, as well as using criminal and civil remedies available under federal law to hold opioid manufacturers and distributors accountable for unlawful practices.
"In addition, this should also include the pursuit of capital punishment in appropriate cases. Congress has passed several statutes that provide the Department with the ability to seek capital punishment for certain drug-related crimes. Among these are statutes that punish certain racketeering activities (18 U.S.C. § 1959); the use of a firearm resulting in death during a drug trafficking crime (18 U.S.C. § 924(j)); murder in furtherance of a continuing criminal enterprise (21 U.S.C. § 848(e)); and dealing in extremely large quantities of drugs (18 U.S.C. § 3591(b)(1)). I strongly encourage federal prosecutors to use these statutes, when appropriate, to aid in our continuing fight against drug trafficking and the destruction it causes in our nation."Note: To view the signed memo click here.
Assistant Tuskegee Football Coach Arrested on Federal Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Today, Ramone Jardon Nickerson, 33, of Phenix City, Alabama, was arrested on two charges of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one charge of possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr., from the Middle District of Alabama. Nickerson was an assistant football coach at Tuskegee University.
The charges stem from allegations that Nickerson was selling cocaine and marijuana in the Tuskegee area. Nickerson was indicted by a federal grand jury after being found with approximately 3 ounces of cocaine, a pound of marijuana, and a .40 caliber handgun on March 13, 2018 in Russell County.
If convicted, Nickerson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the drug trafficking charges, and at least 5 years for the firearms charge. There is no parole in the federal system.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Gulf Coast H.I.D.T.A., Montgomery Police Department, Autauga County Sheriff’s Office, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), Alabama Attorney General’s Office, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Prattville Police Department, and Russell County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Ben Baxley is prosecuting the case.
20 March 2018
Wisconsin Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Enticing a MinorRead the Press Release
A man who enticed a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison on March 19, 2018.
Carson Sibley, age 26, from Lacrosse, Wisconsin, received the prison term after pleading guilty to one count of enticement of a minor. At the plea hearing, Sibley admitted that, in 2017, he persuaded a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. Information from the sentencing hearing showed that Sibley met minors while playing online video games. Sibley then communicated with these minors, sometimes while pretending to be female, to entice the minors into sending him sexually explicit pictures and videos. Sibley also twice travelled to Grundy County, Iowa, while hoping to have sex with a minor. Sibley had previously been convicted of child pornography offenses and was still on probation at the time he was enticing the minors in this case.
Sibley was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Sibley was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Sibley is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office, the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the LaCrosse Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations.
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 at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-53.
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Westwego Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking More Than 1,000 Kilograms of Marijuana and Laundering the ProceedsRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MICHAEL KWAN, age 33, of Westwego, pled guilty today to two counts of an indictment charging marijuana trafficking and money laundering offenses, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A), and 846, and 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956(a)(1)(A)(i), (a)(1)(B)(i), and (h).
According to court documents, Louisiana State Police seized a shipment containing approximately 420 pounds of marijuana hidden in 12 steel drums and bound for KWAN’s Westwego warehouse. Shipping records showed that KWAN had received numerous similar shipments from his California supplier in the past, and a search of KWAN’s Westwego warehouse revealed another 161 similar steel drums. KWAN admitted to laundering the proceeds from his marijuana trafficking by using the drug money to buy seafood from fishermen before reselling it to restaurants and seafood retailers.
KWAN pled guilty to conspiring to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and conspiring to launder the proceeds. For the drug charge, KWAN faces a term of imprisonment of at least ten years and up to life, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. For the money laundering charge, KWAN faces up to twenty years in prison, a fine of $500,000, and up to five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
Judge Zainey set sentencing for June 16, 2018.
United States Attorney Evans praised the work of the Louisiana State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas D. Moses and Jeffrey Sandman are in charge of the prosecution.
Westport Inn and Restaurant to Make Changes to Comply with Americans with Disabilities ActRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached settlement agreements with the Inn at Longshore in Westport, the Pearl at Longshore Restaurant in Westport, and the Town of Westport, to resolve allegations that the Inn at Longshore and the Pearl at Longshore Restaurant were not operating in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”).
The Inn at Longshore leases its premises from the Town of Westport, which provides parking facilities for the Inn at Longshore and Pearl at Longshore Restaurant. The Pearl at Longshore Restaurant leases its premises from the Inn at Longshore.
The settlement agreements resolve an ADA complaint filed by an individual with disabilities alleging that the Inn at Longshore and Pearl at Longshore Restaurant were not accessible for individuals with physical disabilities. The inn, restaurant and town are in the process of making the changes required by the settlement agreements, which include increasing the accessibility of the entrance to the inn, doubling the number of accessible parking spaces, adding an accessible bathroom for use by restaurant patrons and visitors to the inn, providing guest rooms with communication features, ensuring the restaurant’s porch is accessible, and increasing the number of accessible dining seats within the restaurant. The Town of Westport and the Pearl at Longshore Restaurant will make improvements over the next six months and the Inn at Longshore will continue to make improvements over the next two years.
Under federal law, private entities that own or operate places of “public accommodation,” including restaurants and inns, are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability. Similarly, public entities, such as municipalities, are obligated under federal law to ensure that individuals with disabilities are not excluded from participation in the public entities’ services, programs or activities because of facilities that are inaccessible or unusable for individuals with disabilities. The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate complaints and undertake periodic reviews of compliance of covered entities. The Justice Department is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or that raises issues of general public importance, and to seek injunctive relief, monetary damages and civil penalties.
U.S. Attorney Durham noted that the ownership of the Inn at Longshore and the Pearl at Longshore Restaurant have worked quickly and cooperatively with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to address the ADA issues without litigation and that the Town of Westport offered critical and expeditious support in facilitating settlement of these matters.
“The Americans with Disabilities Act ensures that individuals are able to access and enjoy the state’s restaurants, inns and other places of public accommodation,” stated U.S. Attorney Durham. “Our Office is committed to enforcing the ADA, which requires businesses to appropriately serve the diverse populations of patrons who live, work, and visit Connecticut. We appreciate the cooperation of the ownership of the Inn at Longshore and the Pearl at Longshore Restaurant, as well as the leadership of the Town of Westport, all of which contributed to the quick resolution of this matter.”
Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 203-821-3700.
Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TTY). More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica H. Soufer of the District of Connecticut in coordination with the Disability Rights Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
Waterloo Drug User Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a Gun and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
A man who unlawfully possessed a loaded handgun and ammunition was sentenced on March 19, 2018, to nearly a year in federal prison.
Kamechie Coffer, age 20, originally from Mississippi but now residing in Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to one count of being a drug user in possession of ammunition. Information from the sentencing hearing showed that Coffer possessed a loaded handgun and multiple rounds of ammunition while riding in a car in Waterloo on July 16, 2017. Waterloo police stopped the car and then found the loaded handgun and individually packaged bags of marijuana. Coffer was arrested. While he was being transported to jail, he removed multiple bullets from his pockets and dropped them in the police car. While on release pending trial, Coffer violated his conditions of release by possessing a second gun.
Coffer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Coffer was sentenced to ten months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. He is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-2075.
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Virginia Man Sentenced on Fraud ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Michael Martin, 58, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, was sentenced to 48 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $1,113,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys MaryEllen Kresse and Elizabeth R. Moellering, who handled the case, stated that in March 2013, the defendant, operating as Capital Source Lending, LLC, agreed to work with co-defendant Christopher Venti, operating as Viewpoint Solutions Group and Secured Strategies LLC, to establish a fraudulent investment scheme involving multiple victims.
Victims who were interested in obtaining funding were solicited by Christopher Venti and others. The solicitations involved false promises of, among other things, access to “blocked” bank accounts that purportedly contained the funds victims sought. Victims were required to make advance payments into escrow in order to establish the “blocked” bank accounts in their names. Victims were falsely and fraudulently told that the “blocked” bank accounts would contain 10 times the amount of funds placed in escrow and would be accessible to the victims in approximately 30 days. The advance payments were to be released from escrow by the victim upon the victim’s confirmation that the “blocked” bank account had been established in the victim’s name.
Victims were given letters on bank letterhead that purported to confirm the existence of the “blocked” bank accounts. In reality, the defendant Martin, Venti, and others knew that the bank letters were fraudulent, and that the confirmation process established in the escrow agreements signed by the victims, was fraudulent. Pre-arranged numbers victims were instructed to call directed them to others involved in the scheme who falsely represented to victims that they worked at the respective bank and that they could confirm the existence of the claimed “blocked” bank account.
Defendant Martin and Venti attempted to obtain $1,240,000 from six individuals, two of whom sent the defendant and Venti a total of $300,000. Martin also admitted his involvement in two other fraudulent schemes, both involving false representations that Martin could obtain funding for the victims through the alleged “monetizing” of a bank instrument. None of the defendant’s victims received the funds promised by the defendant.
Christopher Venti has been convicted for his involvement in this and other investment fraud schemes and is awaiting sentencing.
Today’s sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin P. Lyons.
Union County, New Jersey, Man Admits Interstate Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Elizabeth, New Jersey, man today admitted operating a scheme to fraudulently obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars in commercial and residential merchandise from various companies, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Roy Depack, a/k/a “Ray Depack,” a/k/a “Roy Soriano,” a/k/a “John Soriano,” 43, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Beginning in 2014, Depack and others conspired to fraudulently obtain merchandise – including Apple computers, digital scales, a walk-in freezer, a snow blower, a gas backpack blower, Samsung televisions, and Milwaukie tools kits – from at least six different victim companies. In total, Depack fraudulently obtained and attempted to obtain over $900,000 in merchandise.
As part of the scheme, Depack called the victim companies and falsely claimed to be a representative of companies that had preexisting business relationships, lines of credit, or accounts with the victim companies. Depack would then direct the victim companies to ship the products to various addresses in New York, Newark, Elizabeth, and Union, New Jersey, while the victims billed the companies that Depack was pretending to represent. Depack and others sold the goods to pawn stores and other individuals.
For example, on April 10, 2017, Depack, using the name "Mike Clarke" and falsely claiming to be a representative of a food distribution company, ordered one digital scale, valued at approximately $3,614, from a victim identified in the information as “Company Six” and directed that it be delivered to Elizabeth. After the scale was delivered on April 11, 2017, Depack and another individual sold it at a pawn store in Newark for approximately $700.
The charge of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for June 26, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley W. Cohen in Newark, and postal inspectors from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Ruth M. Mendonca, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Moscato, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office National Security Unit in Newark.
Defense Counsel: Dennis S. Cleary Esq., West Orange, New Jersey
Union County, New Jersey, Auto Dealer Admits Laundering Proceeds of Fraud on Russian CitizensRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey auto dealer today admitted laundering hundreds of thousands of dollars generated by a scheme to defraud Russian citizen of monies, paid in advance, for the purchase of luxury automobiles shipped from the United States, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Sergey Kapustin, 49, of Warminster, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of money laundering.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Kapustin was the owner and president of Global Auto Group, Effect Auto Sales and G Auto Sales, located in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Global bought and sold used cars, typically high-end vehicles that were routinely classified as “salvaged.”
From January 2008 through December 2014, Kapustin defrauded customers, who usually lived in Russia, Ukraine or members of the former Soviet Union. He had at least one Russian language website that offered for sale luxury vehicles that were normally priced below market value and that could be shipped to Finland for easy delivery to Russian citizens, but only if they agreed to pay full price in advance for the vehicle. He admitted that his customers routinely either did not receive the vehicles for which they had wired payment or, alternatively, were shipped vehicles that were either not operable or in poor condition
Once the funds were deposited into one the several bank accounts Kapustin controlled, he would move those funds to other accounts from which he withdrew funds to continue the scheme, as well as for his own personal use. Kapustin admitted laundering as much as $550,000 of customer down payments.
The count to which Kapustin pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 10 years and $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for July 10, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited the special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley W. Cohen in Newark, and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel V. Grady O’Malley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Organized Crime/Gangs Unit.
Defense: Carol Gillen Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi Collects Almost $5 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions for U.S. Taxpayers in Fiscal Year 2017Read the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – United States Attorney Mike Hurst announced today that the Southern District of Mississippi collected $4,678,223.77 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2017. Of this amount, $2,310,064.36 was collected in criminal actions and $2,368,159.41 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the Southern District of Mississippi worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the U.S. Department of Justice to collect an additional $9,899,364.47 in cases pursued jointly with these offices. Of this amount, $8,008.00 was collected in criminal actions and $9,891,356.47 was collected in civil actions.
Overall, the Justice Department collected just over $15 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2017.
"This office will continue to be relentless in pursuing restitution for victims, seizing ill-gotten gains from criminals, and recovering funds owed to taxpayers. I commend the men and women in our office for their collection efforts on behalf of the American people through their tenacious pursuit of justice every single day," stated U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst.
On example of these collection efforts occurred this past August, when Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. ("HII"), a publicly traded company headquartered in Newport, Virginia, agreed to a $9.2 million settlement of allegations that it had violated the False Claims Act by knowingly overbilling the government for labor on U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships at its shipyards in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Under the settlement, the second largest under the False Claims Act in the history of the Southern District of Mississippi, HII paid the United States $7.9 million, which, combined with earlier repayments, resulted in the settlement recovery of approximately $9.2 million. The civil settlement resolved alleged labor mischarging on various
U.S. Navy and Coast Guard contracts dating back to 2003. The settlement also resolved claims disclosed by HII that it had billed the Navy and Coast Guard for dive operations to support ship hull construction that did not actually occur as claimed.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
The largest civil collections were from affirmative civil enforcement cases, in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights or environmental laws. In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Internal Revenue Service, Small Business Administration and Department of Education.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $5,414,108 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2017. This is the third largest collection among medium-sized U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the nation, and ranks in the top third of all U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
Two New York National Guard Soldiers Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulent Recruitment Bonus SchemeRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that EVETTE MERCED, a Staff Sergeant in the New York Army National Guard, was sentenced to 36 months in prison, and her husband, DARRYL HARRISON, a Sergeant First Class in the New York Army National Guard, was sentenced to 33 months in prison, for leading a scheme designed to fraudulently obtain recruiting bonuses intended to reward those who legitimately recruited soldiers to the Army National Guard. MERCED and HARRISON pled guilty on June 16, 2017, before U.S. Magistrate Judge James C. Francis IV to conspiracy to commit theft of government funds and aggravated identity theft.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “While most join the military to serve their country, Evette Merced and Darryl Harrison enriched themselves by fraudulently obtaining recruiting bonuses. Today, they were sentenced to prison for defrauding the military and American taxpayers.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings:
In September 2005, the Army National Guard established a recruiting bonus program, referred to as the Guard Recruiting Assistance Program (G-RAP), administered by a private company, Document and Packaging Broker, Inc. (Docupak). The G-RAP was designed to offer referral bonus payments to Army National Guard soldiers not otherwise involved in Army National Guard recruitment efforts for civilians the soldiers successfully convinced to serve in the Army National Guard. A participating soldier, also known as a Recruiting Assistant (“RA”), could receive up to $2,000 in bonus payments for referring another individual to join. To participate in the program, a soldier was required to establish an online account in his or her name to record the referral and recruitment efforts. The RA would input the personal identifying information of each recruit into the account. Based on certain milestones achieved by the referred soldier, a participating soldier could then receive payment through direct deposit into the participating soldier’s designated bank account. Soldiers who were themselves serving as paid recruiters for the Army National Guard as part of the National Guard’s standard recruitment program were not eligible to participate in the G-RAP or to receive a referral bonus payment, as the G-RAP was intended to be a supplement to the National Guard’s standard recruiting program.
Beginning in 2007, MERCED and HARRISON abused their positions as members of the Army National Guard then serving as full-time salaried recruiters for the Army National Guard by providing the personal identifying information of potential soldiers to various RAs in exchange for thousands of dollars in kickbacks. The RAs then used their respective online RA accounts to falsely claim that they were responsible for referring those soldiers to the New York Army National Guard. After making those false claims, those RAs received referral bonus payments totaling more than $77,000 from the G-RAP, and kicked back a significant portion of those payments to MERCED and HARRISON.
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In addition to their prison terms, MERCED, 47, and HARRISON, 53, both of Charlotte, North Carolina, were each sentenced to two years of supervised release. MERCED was also ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $28,000 and restitution in the amount of $77,000. HARRISON was ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $10,250 and restitution in the amount of $77,000.
Mr. Berman praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Army Criminal Investigation Command.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Robert L. Boone is in charge of the prosecution.
Two Mexican citizens charged for illegally reentering the U.S. after deportationRead the Press Release
Two Mexican citizens were charged with illegally reentering the United States after multiple deportations, said U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman.
Joel Tovar-Leon, 36, was previously deported four times when he was found in Ohio on Feb. 26, according to the indictment.
Rogelio Cervantes-Huezo, 45, was found in Ohio on Feb. 26 after having been previously deported, according to the indictment.
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.
The cases were investigated by the United States Border Patrol and are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Freeman.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two KC Men Plead Guilty to Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Kansas City, Mo., men have pleaded guilty in federal court to a series of armed robberies following their arrests after a head-on collision with a police vehicle in a Quik Trip parking lot.
Roy L. House, Jr., 38, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to conspiracy to commit robbery and to brandishing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. Co-defendant Curlie Pruitt, III, 39, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty to the same charges on Feb. 22, 2018.
House and Pruitt both admitted they participated in a conspiracy to rob four businesses at gunpoint in December 2016. They stole $500 and at least one carton of cigars (as well as $150 from an employee) from Road Star Gas Station, 11100 E. US 40 Hwy., Independence, Mo. They stole $200 and an undetermined amount of cigars (as well as an employee’s wallet) from Beeline Mini-Mart, 1005 Isley Blvd., Excelsior Springs, Mo. They stole $300 (as well as $200 from an employee) from Discount Smokes, 4718 N.E. Vivion Rd., Kansas City, Mo. They also robbed the Phillips 66 Gas Station at 3636 Randolph Road, Randolph, Mo.
House and Pruitt also admitted they used an American Tactical .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun during those robberies.
House and Pruitt were arrested on Dec. 20, 2016. Independence police officers were contacted by an employee at the Super 8 Hotel, 4031 S. Lynn Court Drive, in regard to two men – later identified as Pruitt and House – who were acting suspiciously. The employee feared the men were going to rob the hotel. They left the hotel but returned at approximately 9:05 p.m.
When officers arrived at the hotel, House and Pruitt were in a blue Ford 500 and were leaving the area, with Pruitt driving. A police officer activated the emergency equipment on his patrol vehicle to initiate a traffic stop, however, Pruitt accelerated the vehicle and drove through the parking lot of the Quik Trip at 4024 S. Noland Road. As Pruitt’s vehicle continued at a high rate of speed through the parking lot, traveling toward S. Noland Road, it collided head-on with the patrol vehicle of another officer who was responding to assist. The collision was severe enough to disable both vehicles.
Pruitt immediately attempted to exit his vehicle and flee, but was trapped by a third police vehicle that pinned the driver’s side door closed. Pruitt and House were placed under arrest. Officers found the loaded American Tactical .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun on the floor board of the front passenger seat area.
Under federal statutes, House and Pruitt are each subject to a sentence of up to life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Rhoades. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Excelsior Springs, Mo., Police Department.
Three Buffalo Men Arrested in Fentanyl ConspiracyRead 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 Jose Alvarez, 26, Angel Cabrera, 25, and Wilfredo Cruz, Jr., 21, all of Buffalo, NY, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute butyryl fentanyl. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott S. Allen, Jr., who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on July 27, 2017, special agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant on Alvarez’s Mazda 6 sedan. During the search, agents recovered 20 bags that contained butyryl fentanyl, a Schedule I controlled substance. The investigation determined that the defendants were staying at the hotel and casino located in Salamanca. Subsequently, a search warrant was executed at their hotel room and agents recovered another 196 bags that contained butyryl fentanyl. Alvarez is suspected of selling butyryl fentanyl on at least three prior occasions.
The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and were released on bail.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt; Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; the NYS State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Major Edward Kennedy; and the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, under the direction of Cattaraugus County Sheriff Timothy Whitcomb.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Texas Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Violently Kidnapping A Las Vegas WomanRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Texas man was sentenced today to life in prison for kidnapping his ex-girlfriend in Las Vegas, then chaining her to the floorboard of his van and driving her to a cave in New Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada.
Jack William Morgan, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson. Morgan was previously found guilty by a jury of one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and one count of kidnapping.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Morgan and co-defendant Samuel Brown conspired to use force and violence to kidnap Morgan’s ex-girlfriend and to take her to New Mexico. On January 30, 2017, Brown went door-to-door at the woman’s apartment complex until he found her. Morgan forced his way into her apartment and kidnapped her. He gagged her, dragged her down the stairs, and choked her unconscious. He then handcuffed her wrists and ankles and chained her to the floorboard of his van where Brown was waiting. They drove to a cave that Morgan carved out in the side of a remote hill in Española, New Mexico. A law enforcement alert was issued and the New Mexico State Police and Española Police Department found the van driving along U.S. Highway 84. They arrested Morgan and Brown and rescued the woman.
Brown pleaded guilty prior to the trial and was sentenced to 63 months in prison and five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Susan Cushman and Kathryn Newman prosecuted the case.
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Ten Individuals Charged with Racketeering, Armed Robbery, Carjacking, and KidnappingRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – A 27-count indictment was unsealed today in the District of Puerto charging ten defendants with racketeering, conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, firearms conspiracy, interference with commerce by robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, announced United States Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. The case was investigated by the FBI, the Puerto Rico Department of Justice, and the Police of Puerto Rico.
The purpose of the enterprise was to rob trucks carrying valuable merchandise and resell it for profit. The defendants charged in the indictment had different roles within the organization:
- Luis A. Marzan-Oyola, 42, aka Omi, coordinated the robberies; he would contact the members of the organization and give instructions.
- Luis Ortiz-Figueroa, 38, aka Geovanni, would keep control of the security guards during the robberies. Ortiz-Figueroa also drove the robbed trucks.
- Ramon L. Berrios-Cintron, 37, aka Gordo, would keep control of the security guards during the robberies and hold them at gunpoint.
- Jesus M. Rivera-Rios, 40, aka Manny/Prieto, would hold the security guards at gunpoint.
- Angel N. Orozco-Ramos, 32, aka Noel, would keep control of the security guards during the robberies. Orozco-Ramos also jumpstarted and drove the robbed trucks.
- Jose W. Sierra-Lopez, 24, aka Caguita/Menor, drove trucks owned by Rivera-Rios that contained the robbed merchandise. He also off-loaded the merchandise from the robbed trucks.
- Gilberto Ferrer-Rivera, 48, would transport Berrios-Cintron who would hold the security guards at gunpoint during the robberies.
- Samuel I. Cruz-Colon, 31, aka Chamaquito, helped off-load the robbed merchandise.
- Felix E. Morales-Olivo, 57, aka Ricky, would knowingly sell the robbed merchandise.
- William A. Vazquez-Rodriguez, 34, aka Pokemon, brandished a firearm during the April 23, 2017 robbery.
According to the indictment, on April 23, 2017, Marzan-Oyola, Ortiz-Figueroa, Berrios-Cintron, Rivera-Rios, Orozco-Ramos, and Jaime J. Ferrer-Rivera, aka Jimmy (deceased), robbed two trucks carrying alcoholic beverages at gunpoint, from two security guards at the Mendez & Company warehouse in Puerto Nuevo. The merchandise had a value of $107,815.68.
The indictment does not charge Jaime Ferrer-Rivera, a member of the enterprise whose role was to plan the robberies, because he was murdered on August 4, 2017 in Dorado while driving down road PR-696.
On May 9, 2017, Marzan-Oyola, Ortiz-Figueroa, Berrios-Cintron, Rivera-Rios, Orozco-Ramos, Sierra-Lopez, Ferrer-Rivera, Cruz-Colon, Jaime Ferrer-Rivera robbed two containers carrying General Electric appliances valued at $111,000 at gunpoint from one security guard in Haier US Appliance Solution, Inc., a General Electric appliances warehouse in Carolina.
In May 2017, Sierra-Lopez, delivered a truck loaded with robbed merchandise to Morales-Olivo. Morales-Olivo made sure that the robbed merchandise was off-loaded from the truck and sold.
On July 3, 2017, Marzan-Oyola, Ortiz-Figueroa, Berrios-Cintron, Rivera-Rios, Orozco-Ramos, Sierra-Lopez, Ferrer-Rivera, Cruz-Colon, and Jaime Ferrer-Rivera robbed two trucks carrying Kmart merchandise valued at $57,000 at gunpoint from one security guard located at the Francisco Vega-Otero warehouse in Gurabo.
On July 11, 2017, Marzan-Oyola, Ortiz-Figueroa, Berrios-Cintron, Orozco-Ramos, and Jaime Ferrer-Rivera robbed one truck carrying beverages kidnapping the truck’s driver.
On July 19, 2017, Ortiz-Figueroa, Berrios-Cintron, Rivera-Rios, Orozco-Ramos, Sierra-Lopez, and Jaime Ferrer-Rivera robbed two trucks carrying dairy products at gunpoint, from one security guard at the Colomer & Suárez Company in Ponce. As Ortiz-Figueroa fled from the authorities in one of the stolen trucks, he attempted to murder three Police of Puerto Rico officers who were chasing him. He rammed their patrol car several times with the stolen truck. The merchandise was valued at $20,000.
The investigation also revealed that Marzan-Oyola, Rivera-Rios, and Sierra-Lopez had planned to commit another robbery between November and December 2017.
“We thank the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Puerto Rico Department of Justice, and the Police of Puerto Rico for their instrumental support during the investigation of this case,” said Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The investigation in this case is part of a coordinated effort between federal and local law enforcement authorities to combat organizations such as this one who engage in the use of violence to commit robberies. We will continue to work together to keep our communities and businesses safe.”
“The allegations in today’s indictment describe organized crime in its most dangerous form, characterized by wanton acts of violence committed in a manner that demonstrates a complete lack of concern for the lives of others. This is exactly the type of conduct that should be addressed by the use of federal RICO laws to ensure that those responsible receive the maximum possible prison sentence,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Leff. “We express our gratitude to the United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI Ponce Office for making this case, and to all of the brave task force officers and agents of the FBI, DEA, HSI, U.S. Marshals, and Puerto Rico Police Department, who made today’s operation a success.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor O. Acevedo is in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted, the defendants face from 20 years to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Spokane Man Sentenced to 135 Months in Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Spokane– Joseph H. Harrington, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Christopher M. Turner, age 45, of Spokane, Washington was sentenced after having pleaded guilty on December 20, 2017, to possession of child pornography. Chief United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Turner to 135 months of imprisonment, to be followed by a twenty-year term of court supervision after he is released from Federal prison. Turner will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
According to information disclosed during court proceedings, a Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) agent was conducting an online undercover investigation using peer-to-peer software that offenders use to trade and distribute child pornography. During the investigation, Turner’s Spokane residence was identified as a place where someone was distributing images of child pornography. HSI agents obtained a federal search warrant for Turner’s residence.
Law enforcement agents with HSI executed the search warrant at Turner’s residence and seized electronic devices, including a homemade computer that Turner had built. During a forensic examination of that computer, agents identified more than 2,800 images and video files of child pornography. The child pornography on Turner’s electronic devices included images of children under the age of twelve and sadistic, masochistic and violent conduct. Many images on Turner’s electronic devices depicted children previously identified as victims by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”). In 1993, Turner was convicted in the State of Washington for rape of a child in the second degree and is a registered sex offender.
Joseph H. Harrington said, “The Court’s sentence today should serve as a warning to people who harbor a sexual interest in children – if they collect or trade child pornography, they will be actively pursued by federal and state law enforcement officers. The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute aggressively child exploitation crimes that occur in the Eastern District of Washington.”
This case was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the United States 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. The Project Safe Childhood Initiative (“PSC”) has five major components:
• Integrated federal, state, and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases, and to identify and rescue children;
• Participation of PSC partners in coordinated national initiatives;
• Increased federal enforcement in child pornography and enticement cases;
• Training of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents; and
• Community awareness and educational programs.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Homeland Security Investigations and the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation of this matter. The case was prosecuted by Stephanie J. Lister and David M. Herzog, Assistant United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of Washington.
Solon accountant charged with defrauding the IRSRead the Press Release
A two-count criminal information was filed today charging a Solon accountant with conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service and attempting to interfere with the administration of Internal Revenue laws, said U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman and IRS Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Korner.
Patrick DiPietro, 51, conspired with two other people and a company owned by the other people between 2007 and 2012 to impede the lawful function of the IRS in the assessment and collection of revenue, while enriching themselves with the tax savings.
The scheme involved checks being written from the company’s bank account payable to another entity controlled by DiPietro, purportedly as payments for rent and other business expenses. DiPietro deposited the checks into an account he controlled and then wrote checks back to the two individuals for approximately 90 percent of the amounts received, with DiPietro keeping approximately 10 percent as his “fee” for conducting the transactions, according to the information.
DiPietro also prepared federal income tax returns for the individuals and their business for 2007 through 2011 which falsely understated taxable income and overstated business deductions, according to the information.
During the IRS criminal investigation, DiPietro provided various fraudulent documents to the investigating agents in an attempt to legitimize or explain the checks written to his business entity from the other individuals’ business, including a commercial lease, a stock option agreements, a promissory note. None of the documents were, in fact, legitimate or had ever been executed by the parties, according to the information.
“This defendant enriched himself by taking money that should have been going into the U.S. Treasury,” Herdman said.
“Conspiring to impede the IRS by creating business checks for expenses not actually incurred and receiving a ‘kickback’ from those fraudulent business checks is not tax savings, but rather a recipe for criminal prosecution,” said Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Kern following an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.
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 record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
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.
Seattle Police and Homeland Security Seize 315 Pounds of Methamphetamine following Sting OperationRead the Press Release
A multi-state sting operation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) resulted in the arrest of ADRIAN PEREZ, 41 of San Diego, California and the seizure of more than 315 pounds of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. PEREZ was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in Seattle last week after he tried to take possession of 18 kilos of cocaine he intended to transport for a Canadian drug trafficking organization. Quick work by law enforcement, and especially the Seattle Police Department, resulted in the seizure of more than 150 pounds of methamphetamine from the Seattle home rented by PEREZ.
“Drug trafficking organizations use the I-5 corridor to ship large quantities of their poisons into our communities -- from San Diego to Bellingham and beyond,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “We work closely with our international, federal, state and local counterparts to identify those involved and disrupt their efforts.”
According to records filed in the case, in April 2017, RCMP and HSI began investigating a group smuggling drugs from San Diego into Canada. Last month agents went undercover and posed as drug couriers who had cocaine they were willing to sell to the criminal organization. On March 13, 2018, a member of the drug trafficking organization agreed to meet at a central Seattle parking lot to pick up 18 kilos of cocaine. PEREZ arrived at the meeting place, took delivery of the cocaine and was arrested by HSI. The next day Seattle Police Department officers served a search warrant at a ‘HomeAway’ rental property in the Leschi neighborhood which PEREZ had occupied for the previous four days. Inside officers found three large duffle bags containing 150 pounds of methamphetamine and $4,000 in cash. HSI obtained a court authorized warrant to search the vehicle PEREZ was driving. Inside they found an additional 165 pounds of methamphetamine.
“HSI continues to work closely with the Seattle Police Department and other partners to investigate crimes like drug trafficking,” said Brad Bench, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Seattle. “Three hundred pounds of meth and 18 kilos of cocaine can have devastating effects on a community, and the quick action of HSI and the Seattle Police Department thwarted that from happening.”
“Methamphetamine is second only to opioids when it comes to fatal drug overdoses,” said Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best. “Getting these dangerous drugs off the street is a testament to what is possible when we work together with our federal partners.”
Due to the drug quantities involved PEREZ faces a mandatory minimum ten years in prison if convicted.
The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by HSI with critical assistance from the Seattle Police Department.
Rock Island Man Sentenced to over Eight Years in Prison for Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. - A Rock Island man has been sentenced in federal court for illegal possession of a firearm by a felon. On March 20, 2018, U.S. District Judge Sara L. Darrow sentenced Anthony Gardner to 100 months (8 years, 4 months) in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Gardner, 31, had already pled guilty to illegally possessing a Hi-Point 9mm semi-automatic handgun on Oct. 4, 2017. At the time Gardner possessed the gun, he had prior felony convictions in Illinois state court. The gun in question had previously been reported stolen.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin C. Knight.