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Monday 5 February 2018
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin OffensesRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that BASIN WELLS, age 30, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty to both counts of the indictment charging him, respectively, in count 1 with conspiracy to possess heroin with the intent to distribute and in count 2 with with possession of heroin with intent to distribute.
WELLS faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a one million dollar fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 assessment fee for both counts.
WELLS was arrested by Louisiana State Police Troopers on February 8, 2016, Lundi Gras, in a parking lot in the French Quarter with three others: Lilbear George, Sidney Lebanks, and Kalique Hardin, all of whom possessed guns, heroin, and cash. Lilbear George is also under indictment for the December 18, 2013, murder of Loomis Armored US security guard Hector Trochez at the Chase bank at Carrollton and Claiborne Avenues.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Michael E. McMahon was in charge of the prosecution.
Nashville Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Sending Internet Threat Targeting Law Enforcement OfficersRead the Press Release
Robert Ellis Waddey, 23, of Nashville, Tennessee, was sentenced today to serve five months in prison for communicating a threat by interstate commerce, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran of the Middle District of Tennessee. Chief U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw, Jr. also ordered that at the conclusion on the prison sentence, Waddey be placed on two years’ supervised release, the first six months of which will be spent in a halfway house. Chief Judge Crenshaw also fined Waddey $6,600.
“We will review every threat and act of violence against our law enforcement officers,” said U.S. Attorney Cochran. “If a federal nexus exists, we will aggressively pursue those responsible and bring the appropriate federal charges when warranted.”
Waddey was indicted in February 2017 and pleaded guilty in July 2017.
According to court documents, in September 2015, Waddey posted a photograph on Instagram which depicted a handgun pointed at a Tennessee State Trooper vehicle. The posting was captioned, “F*** them non attentive hoes” and a comment read, “Gona die lookin at his computer.” Photographs subsequently found on Waddey’s phone also depicted a uniformed police officer bleeding heavily from the head and captioned “only a dead cop is a good cop.” Another photograph depicts a uniformed police officer who appears to have been shot multiple times in the back and laying in the street, while yet another photograph depicts a screen shot of a video showing another uniformed police officer who appears to have been shot and laying on the ground bleeding. This photo is captioned, “ON TAPE: OFFICER SHOT IN THE HEAD D….”
Waddey admitted during his plea hearing that on September 13, 2015, while sitting in his vehicle at a traffic light in South Nashville, he took a photograph of a Glock pistol in his hand, positioned in such a way where the pistol would be viewed in the same frame as a police car on a traffic stop in the distance with the blue lights activated. Waddey posted with the photograph a slang threat to law enforcement. Various text messages sent by Waddey also conveyed threats toward law enforcement and indicate the pleasure he took in the number of targeted cop killings.
Waddey also admitted during the plea hearing that his subjective intent in making the communications was to threaten law enforcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U. S. Attorneys Brent Hannafan and Courtney L. Coker prosecuted the case.
Mission Man Sentenced for Possession of a Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Stolen Firearm was sentenced on February 5, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Kevin Bordeaux, age 19, was sentenced to 13 months in custody, followed by 2 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Bordeaux was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 15, 2017. He pled guilty on November 15, 2017.
The conviction stems from an incident between November 11-13, 2016, when 14 firearms, including a Henry Repeating Arms Mimi Bolt .22 rifle “Broden” rifle, were stolen from a home in Mission. Co-defendant Stephanie Bear Heels obtained the “Broden” rifle following the burglary. She and co-defendant Angelito Moran knew that the defendant and his brother, co-defendant Keith Bordeaux, were looking for guns to buy/trade for narcotics. Co-defendant Keith Bordeaux purchased the “Broden” rifle from Moran and Bear Heels for $50 worth of methamphetamine. The “Broden” rifle was recovered by law enforcement from Keith and Kevin Bordeaux’s home.
Defendant knew or had reason to know the “Broden” firearm was stolen and the possession of the firearms by any person other than the owner would be unlawful. Further, the Defendant was a prohibited person, being an unlawful user and addicted to a controlled substance, methamphetamine and marijuana, at the time of the incident.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Kevin Bordeaux was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mexican National Sentenced to 71-Months in Federal Prison for His Role in Conspiring in the Distribution of Almost 22 Kilograms of Cocaine and Funneling Drug Proceeds to MexicoRead the Press Release
Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced that Ricardo Peral-Lopez, a 43-year old Mexican national, was sentenced Friday by United States Chief District Judge Michael J. Reagan to 71 months in federal prison for one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of money laundering conspiracy to run concurrently, three years of supervised release to follow the imprisonment, a $250 fine on each count, and a $100 special assessment fee for each count.
Facts revealed in open court at the sentencing and on the record revealed that Peral-Lopez facilitated in the distribution of almost 22 kilograms of cocaine, used his bank account and others’ to funnel drug proceeds back to Arizona and eventually to Mexico, personally drove drug proceeds across the border into Mexico, and paid for the insurance of a vehicle holding 6 kilograms of cocaine later transported from Arizona to Belleville, Illinois and South Carolina. At sentencing, Chief Judge Reagan commented that the offense involved a "substantial" amount of cocaine having a street value of over $600,000. In sentencing Peral-Lopez to 71-months of imprisonment on each count to run concurrently, three years of supervised release, a $500 fine and $200 in special assessment fees, Chief Judge Reagan indicated that this sentence reflects the seriousness of the
offense and deters others from committing similar crimes.
Evidence in support of this prosecution was obtained in an investigation conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF initiative is designed to bring federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and resources together to identify, target and dismantle large national and international drug trafficking organizations. Agencies participating in this case include the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, the Illinois State Police, and Fontana, California Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Monica A. Stump prosecuted this case.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces the Appointment of Senior Counsel to the US AttorneyRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, today announced the selection of Audrey Strauss as Senior Counsel to the US Attorney.
Ms. Strauss will return to the Office where she was an Assistant US Attorney for seven years, from 1976 to 1983, and tried more than twenty cases, eventually being promoted to the Chief of Appeals in the Criminal Division and later as Chief of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Unit. Ms. Strauss also served on the staff for the Independent Counsel for the Iran Contra matter. Following her public service, Ms. Strauss practiced at the firms of Fried Frank Harris & Jacobson, where she was a Litigation Partner from 1990 to 2012, and Mudge Rose Guthrie & Alexander, where she became a partner in 1986. Most recently, Ms. Strauss served as Vice President and Chief Legal Officer for Alcoa Inc. Ms. Strauss earned her Juris Doctor degree at Columbia Law School, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and a Kent Scholar. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude from Barnard College.
In making the appointment, Manhattan US Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “I’m delighted to announce that Audrey Strauss will be (re)-joining us today in her new role as Senior Counsel to the US Attorney. Audrey’s career has been notable for her commitment to the legal profession and the rule of law: she served as an Officer and Trustee of the Federal Bar Council, as a former President of the New York Council of Defense Lawyers, and as a board member of the Office of Appellate Defender. Most recently Audrey has served as a board member of the Innocence Project, a position she just left in order to come back to serve the Office. She has also served as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. It is an illustrious record of service, and I am so happy that she has decided to return to the Office.”
Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking a Minor by ForceRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Washington, D.C., man pleaded guilty today to forcibly sex trafficking a minor.
According to court documents, Justin Shayne Robinson, 26, lured the 16-year-old victim to a motel in northern Virginia. Once the minor victim arrived, Robinson directed photos to be taken of the minor, and created online advertisements for commercial sex acts with the minor. Robinson and his co-conspirator, Markus Jakeem Plummer, 27, of Woodbridge, then prostituted the minor over a period of roughly a week. Robinson and Plummer took all the proceeds of the minor’s commercial sex acts for their own benefit. Robinson and Plummer kept watch over the minor to ensure that she continued to see clients and was unable to escape. Robinson used violence to force the victim to continue working for him, including choking her, leaving medically documented bruising on her leg and neck.
Robinson pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud, or coercion, and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of life in prison when sentenced on April 27. Plummer pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sex traffic a minor by force, fraud or coercion on January 12, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on April 13.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge, Washington Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Russell is prosecuting the case.
The Fairfax County Police Department and Prince William County Police Department provided significant assistance during this investigation.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:17-cr-310.
Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Elderly in Magazine ScamRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arizona man pleaded guilty today to his role in a conspiracy that defrauded elderly victims, including several Virginia residents, out of nearly $500,000.
According to court documents, Raheem Oliver, 38, operated a magazine subscription renewal fraud scam that began when he or one of his associates contacted magazine subscribers and offered to renew their subscriptions over the phone. When a subscriber agreed, Oliver would double or triple-bill their accounts, without ever actually renewing their subscriptions as promised. Throughout this process, Oliver also identified victims who were particularly vulnerable to such a scam, primarily including elderly individuals. Oliver targeted those vulnerable victims with threatening phone calls, falsely representing that the victims needed to pay thousands of dollars at a time for purported renewal fees, past-due balances, fines, attorneys’ fees and other legal fees, and court costs. He threatened victims with legal action, often including arrest, if they did not make the payments as requested, and thereby convinced victims to mail checks and wire money to him and his associates in Arizona.
Oliver victimized approximately 250 individuals in total, including a 94-year-old resident of Alexandria and an 84-year-old resident of Painter who suffers from Alzheimer’s.
Oliver pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on June 22. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Robert B. Wemyss, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Michael L. Brown, Alexandria Chief of Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Bateman is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-9.
Lancaster Man Charged with Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
Jaritza Torres, 32, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was charged by Information with one count of theft of government funds, announced United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen. According to the Information[1], the defendant received Social Security benefits intended for her minor child, after the child began living with another relative. The defendant is also alleged to have falsely reported to the Social Security Administration that her child remained in her care after the child had moved. The defendant’s alleged actions resulted in a loss to the government of approximately $26,885.
If convicted, the defendant faces a substantial period of incarceration, a 3‑year period of supervised release, restitution to the government of $26,885, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda R. Reinitz.
[1] An Information is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Kenner Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement of Mail MatterRead the Press Release
YVONNE WILSON, age 37, of Kenner, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court yesterday before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to embezzlement of mail matter by a postal service employee, announced U. S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
According to court documents, the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) received information regarding complaints of theft of mail. After further investigation, it was determined that YVONNE WILSON (WILSON), a U.S. Postal Service City Carrier Assistant, was the postal service employee who might have been involved in the thefts.
On July 14, 2016, a USPS-OIG agent prepared two decoy letters, one being a first class letter addressed to W.P. in Metairie, Louisiana, containing cash in the amount of $115.00, and another first class letter addressed to M.H. in Metairie, Louisiana, containing cash in the amount of $100.00. The agent placed them in the mail stream at the Metairie Main Post Office located at 3301 17th Street, Metairie, Louisiana. Both letters were to be handled and delivered by WILSON as the letters were on her assigned route. USPS-OIG agents maintained surveillance of WILSON as she serviced her assigned route. After they determined that WILSON had opened the decoy letters, the agents approached her, identified themselves, and explained why they had approached her. They also observed a plastic Wal-Mart bag in her postal vehicle containing the two open decoy letters. WILSON admitted that she had opened the decoy letters, took the cash from the letters, and placed the $215.00 cash in her wallet.
WILSON faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five (5) years, a fine of $250,000.00 and three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. Sentencing is set for June 21, 2018.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service- Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Loan AMimi@ Nguyen.
Kalamazoo-Area Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – Brandon Jacob Cochran, 26, formerly from Portage, Michigan, pled guilty before the Hon. Ellen S. Carmody, U.S. Magistrate Judge, to producing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced today. Cochran faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years of imprisonment, and he will be required to serve a term of supervised release after his prison term has been completed. Cochran will also be required to register as a sexual offender. U.S. District Judge Janet T. Neff will sentence Cochran on a date to be scheduled by the Court.
Cochran admitted at the plea hearing that he used his cellphone to create pornographic images of a three-year-old child at a home in Kalamazoo County. The conduct occurred in July 2015. Cochran admitted that he photographed himself sexually abusing the young child. Law enforcement later learned of the conduct and searched Cochran’s cellphone. Cochran was arrested in November 2017, and he has remained in custody since that time. He will remain in jail pending sentencing.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney's Office, county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit the following web site: www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials.
The Detroit and Cleveland Divisions of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Portage Police Department, and Michigan State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Lewis prosecuted the case.
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Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Wichita Tax Return PreparerRead the Press Release
A tax return preparer in the Wichita, Kansas, area prepares fraudulent tax returns for her customers, according to a new civil lawsuit filed by the Justice Department today. The suit, filed in federal court in Wichita, Kansas, asks the court to permanently bar Ma Guadalupe Valenzuela (a/k/a Maria Guadalupe Valenzuela a/k/a Lupe Valenzuela, individually and doing business as Servicio de Income Tax) from preparing federal tax returns for others. The government also asks the court to order Valenzuela to turn over the names of customers for whom she has prepared federal tax returns since 2012.
The complaint alleges that the defendant unlawfully understates her customers’ income tax liabilities and overstates these customers’ refunds. According to the complaint, Valenzuela unlawfully prepares federal tax returns that lowers her customers’ federal tax liabilities by claiming bogus child tax credits, improper dependency exemptions, and false filing statuses.
The IRS has a list of steps on their website that you can take now in anticipation of filing your 2017 federal income tax return. Return preparer fraud was one of the IRS’s Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2017 and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. The IRS has some tips on their website for choosing a return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Wichita Tax Return PreparerRead the Press Release
A tax return preparer in the Wichita, Kansas, area prepares fraudulent tax returns for her customers, according to a new civil lawsuit filed by the Justice Department today. The suit, filed in federal court in Wichita, Kansas, asks the court to permanently bar Ma Guadalupe Valenzuela (a/k/a Maria Guadalupe Valenzuela a/k/a Lupe Valenzuela, individually and doing business as Servicio de Income Tax) from preparing federal tax returns for others. The government also asks the court to order Valenzuela to turn over the names of customers for whom she has prepared federal tax returns since 2012.
The complaint alleges that the defendant unlawfully understates her customers’ income tax liabilities and overstates these customers’ refunds. According to the complaint, Valenzuela unlawfully prepares federal tax returns that lowers her customers’ federal tax liabilities by claiming bogus child tax credits, improper dependency exemptions, and false filing statuses.
The IRS has a list of steps on their website that you can take now in anticipation of filing your 2017 federal income tax return. Return preparer fraud was one of the IRS’s Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2017 and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. The IRS has some tips on their website for choosing a return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Inland Empire Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of International Travel to Have Sexual Conduct with a Minor, which He FilmedRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A Murrieta man pleaded guilty this afternoon to a federal offense of traveling to Britain to engage in illegal sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl.
Derek Lorenzo Longoria, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. When he pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal, Longoria admitted that he made a video recording of sexual contact he had with the girl.
In a plea agreement filed in this case, Longoria admitted traveling to the United Kingdom in September 2011, and again in January 2012, for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with a girl he knew was under the age of 16. During the trip in early 2012, Longoria, who was 23 at the time, engaged in sexual activity with the girl and used his smartphone to video record the incident.
Longoria used the internet and telephone calls to communicate with the victim over a two-year period, during which he convinced the victim to take sexually explicit photos and videos of herself, which she then sent to Longoria. In his plea agreement, Longoria admitted that he knowingly possessed a child pornography video depicting another victim. Federal investigators discovered this child pornography when they searched Longoria’s residence in March 2015 after the victim contacted law enforcement authorities in Britain.
After Longoria pleaded guilty, Judge Bernal scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 7. The parties agreed in the plea agreement that a sentence of between seven years and 10 years in prison is appropriate, but the court is not obligated to follow that recommendation.
Once he is released from custody, Longoria will be required to register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph B. Widman, chief of the Riverside Branch Office, is litigating this case.
Huntington man sentenced to federal prison for heroin crimeRead the Press Release
Investigators utilized drug dog and undercover officer to seize heroin and catch defendant red-handed
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man who received a shipment of heroin in the mail in December 2016 was sentenced today to two and a half years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. David Lee Zirkle, 37, previously pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute heroin. U.S. Attorney Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the United States Postal Inspection Service and the West Virginia State Police Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
On December 9, 2016, officers were notified that a package suspected of containing controlled substances was scheduled for delivery to a residence on Collis Avenue in Huntington. A West Virginia State Police K-9 officer gave a positive indication that the package contained drugs. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant and discovered approximately 30 grams of heroin. Investigators then removed the heroin, replaced it with another substance, and conducted a delivery of the package utilizing an undercover postal inspector. Zirkle accepted delivery and took possession of the package at the Collis Avenue residence. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at that residence, and upon entry, officers located Zirkle with contents of the package in his hand. Officers also seized digital scales and cash from the residence.
Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence.
This case was prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
Honduran Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Use of a Social Security NumberRead the Press Release
NAHUM VERDE-ORTIZ, age 39, a citizen of Honduras pleaded guilty on February 1, 2018 to a one-count indictment for illegal use of a Social Security number, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
VERDE-ORTIZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than five (5) years, a fine of $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.00. Additionally, VERDE-ORTIZ is subject to a period of supervised release after imprisonment of up to three years. Sentencing has been scheduled for March 29, 2018.
According to the indictment, on October 20, 2017, VERDE-ORTIZ used a social security number that did not belong to him to register for a safety training course that his employer required him to take before he could begin working for the company as a construction worker.
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Spiro G. Latsis is in charge of the prosecution.
Hamden Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Drug Distribution and Money Laundering OffensesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WAYNE BRADBURY, 33, of Hamden, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 18 months of imprisonment, followed by six years of supervised release, for drug distribution and money laundering offenses.
This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 3, 2016, a 22-year-old male purchased 30 40-milligram oxycodone pills from Tahir Farid in exchange for $900. On January 5, 2016, after consuming some of those pills, as well as other substances, the victim was found unresponsive at a friend’s residence in Weston. He remains in a coma with no brain activity and, according to medical personnel, is in a “persistent vegetative state.”
The investigation revealed that, prior to the victim’s overdose, BRADBURY supplied oxycodone pills and marijuana to 19-year-old Ryan Looney who sold the oxycodone pills to Farid, who then distributed a portion of them to the 22-year-old victim. According to investigators, BRADBURY had been supplying Looney with drugs on credit and had Looney repay him by depositing cash into BRADBURY’s back account. BRADBURY then withdrew the cash at ATMs to pay his drug supplier.
On July 18, 2017, BRADBURY pleaded guilty to one count of distributing oxycodone and marijuana to an individual under 21 years of age, and one count of money laundering.
Judge Chatigny ordered BRADBURY to begin serving this federal sentence after he completes a state sentence for unrelated firearm offenses.
Farid and Looney, both of Hamden, each previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, oxycodone. On November 30, 2016, Farid was sentenced to six months of imprisonment. Looney awaits sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad, U.S. Marshals Service, Weston Police Department and Monroe Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Clark.
Gulfport Man Pleads Guilty to Selling MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Hector Serrano-Cruz, 41, of Gulfport, Mississippi pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze.
An investigation into methamphetamine trafficking in Biloxi, Mississippi led FBI agents to determine that Hector Serrano-Cruz was a source of supply for methamphetamine. On June 12, 2017, a confidential source identified Hector Serrano-Cruz as his source of supply for methamphetamine. When Serrano-Cruz contacted the confidential source in order to collect the proceeds of past methamphetamine sales and to determine whether an additional three pounds of methamphetamine was selling, they agreed to meet. Serrano-Cruz arrived at the meeting with the source and he was arrested at that time.
Serrano-Cruz will be sentenced on May 8, 2018 by Judge Guirola, and faces a maximum penalty of forty years in prison and a $5 million fine.
The case was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Meynardie.
Fresno County Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Mail Carrier and Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — James Gonzales-Gay, 35, of Sanger, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill to 12 years and six months in prison for assaulting a mail carrier with the intent to commit robbery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on September 15, 2017, a mail carrier delivering mail in the area of Maple and Huntington, in Fresno, felt someone jump onto the bumper of his mail delivery truck. Gonzales-Gay appeared at the driver’s door, pulled the mail carrier from the truck, and began driving it away. After Gonzales-Gay drove the mail truck a short distance, the carrier was able to catch up to the truck and disable it. Gonzales-Gay elbowed the mail carrier in the face while struggling over control of the vehicle. After taking the keys from the ignition, the carrier was able to escape. Gonzales-Gay was soon thereafter stopped by law enforcement officers, who found parts of a Taurus handgun on Gonzales-Gay’s person. Gonzales-Gay is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel J. Montoya prosecuted the case.
Four Suspects Arrested in West Tennessee on Federal Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Four West Tennessee residents have been indicted on conspiracy to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base (crack cocaine); distribution of and possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine; and conspiracy to commit money laundering. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the indictment today.
The West Tennessee Drug Task Force from the 28th Judicial District and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation conducted a 22-month investigation of the Calvin Cole Drug Trafficking Organization operating in Crockett and Madison counties. A federal grand jury in Jackson, Tennessee, returned the indictment on January 16, 2018, but the indictment remained under seal until the arrests on February 1, 2018. The indictment contained counts alleging violations of the federal Controlled Substances Act and money laundering statute.
United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "This indictment and takedown represents another great example of law enforcement working together to dismantle drug trafficking organizations and remove criminals from the Western District of Tennessee. We will not tolerate illegal drug activity disrupting the daily lives of citizens in our small communities, and we will hold accountable those offenders who distribute poison in our district. This is a high impact case that will improve public safety and the quality of life in our rural counties."
The suspects arrested during the operation were:
Calvin "Fathead" Cole, 43, Jackson, Tennessee
Tony "Bone" Douglas, 42, Jackson, Tennessee
Arvis "Shorty" Ball, 55, Alamo, Tennessee
Bob Terry, 65, Bells, Tennessee
Over 100 agents and officers from 15 agencies served 13 search warrants simultaneously. Multiple agencies assisted throughout the investigation, including the Crockett County Sheriff’s Department, TBI Aviation Unit, the 28th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Jackson-Madison County Metro Narcotics, the 26th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshal’s Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the West Tennessee Drug Task Force – 30th Judicial District and Interstate Interdiction Unit, Tennessee Department of Revenue, the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Gibson County SWAT, Humboldt SWAT, Milan P.D. SWAT, Jackson P.D. SWAT, Madison County SWAT, Jackson P.D. Aviation Unit, Jackson P.D. Gang Enforcement Unit, Jackson P.D. Street Crimes, Jackson P.D. Bomb Unit, Tennessee Army National Guard, and ROCIC. Humboldt General Hospital assisted as well.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Beth C. Boswell of the Western District of Tennessee is prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.
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Former Supervisory United States Border Patrol Agent Found Guilty of Multiple Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorneys Michael G. Wheat (619) 546-8437, Alessandra P. Serano (619) 546-8104, Jennifer E. McCollough (619) 546-8773
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – February 2, 2018
SAN DIEGO – Martin Rene Duran, a former supervisory United States Border Patrol Agent, was convicted by a federal jury today of seven counts of illegal transportation of firearms and one count of possession of a short-barreled rifle following a three-day trial.
According to evidence presented at trial, Duran purchased seven firearms in Arizona in 2011, 2013 and 2014. Duran made these purchases using an Arizona driver’s license with an address where he never lived and claimed Arizona residency even though he resided in California. At the time of the execution of a federal search warrant in October 2015, Duran was in possession of multiple firearms that were illegal in California and one short-barreled rifle.
Duran is scheduled to appear before Senior U.S. District Judge Marilyn L. Huff on April 30, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. for sentencing.
“Federal law enforcement officers are not above the law,” said U.S. Attorney Adam L. Braverman. “All citizens are required to abide by the laws of the United States.”
“This decision affirms the efforts the Department of Homeland Security makes to hold its personnel to the highest standard and shows it will not tolerate malfeasance which tarnishes the hard work performed by employees on a daily basis,” said Jeffrey Gilgallon, Special Agent in Charge, ICE Office of Professional Responsibility.
“Bringing a case against another federal agent is never pleasant, but we hold public safety and a commitment to justice above all,” said Bill McMullan, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Los Angeles Field Division. “It is ATF’s mission to quell firearm trafficking and when we see those engaged in illegal firearms activity we act on it.”
DEFENDANT Case Number 15cr2817-H
Martin Rene Duran Age: 48 Chula Vista, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(a)(3) – Illegal Transportation of Firearms: Maximum Penalties: 5 years’ incarceration, a fine of $250,000, three years of supervised release.
Title 26, United States Code, Sections 5861 and 5871 – Possession of Unregistered Firearm: Maximum Penalties: 10 years’ incarceration, a fine of $250,000, three years of supervised release.
AGENCIES
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Office of Professional Responsibility
Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General
U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Office of Professional Responsibility
Former Silicon Valley CEO Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Employees of Tech Company Start-UpRead the Press Release
The founder and chief executive officer of a now-defunct Silicon Valley technology company start-up known publicly as WrkRiot pleaded guilty today for defrauding several of his company’s former employees by luring them to join his company based on false and misleading statements about his educational, professional and financial background, and by enticing them to continue working for his company through forged documents purportedly reflecting salary payments that were never made.
Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Alex G. Tse of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California and Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett of the FBI’s San Francisco Field Office made the announcement.
Isaac Choi aka Yi Suk Choi, Yisuk Choi, Yi Suk Chae and Isaac Chae (Choi), 36, most recently of Orange County and previously of Santa Clara, California, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Edward J. Davila of the Northern District of California. Sentencing has been scheduled for May 24 before Judge Davila.
As part of his guilty plea, Choi admitted that while attempting to recruit potential employees, he made false and misleading statements about various topics, including his educational and professional history, and the amount of his wealth. Choi admitted in his plea that, in truth, he never attended any business school, that he was never employed in any capacity by any financial institution, and that he exaggerated his wealth. He further admitted that in August 2016, while at WrkRiot’s office in Santa Clara, he emailed several of his employees fake wire transfer confirmation documents purporting to reflect their salary payments for the purpose of convincing his employees to continue working for his privately failing company.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s San Jose Resident Agency. Trial Attorney Cory E. Jacobs of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Schenk of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California are prosecuting the case.
Former Silicon Valley CEO Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Employees of Tech Company Start-UpRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – The founder and chief executive officer of a now-defunct Silicon Valley technology company start-up pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Alex G. Tse, Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. The Honorable Edward J. Davila, United States District Judge, accepted the guilty plea of Isaac Choi, aka Yi Suk Choi, Yisuk Choi, Yi Suk Chae, and Isaac Chae (Choi) this afternoon.
According to the plea agreement, Choi, 36, most recently of Orange County and previously of Santa Clara, Calif., was founder and chief executive officer of a company known publicly as WrkRiot. As part of his guilty plea, Choi admitted that while attempting to recruit potential employees, he made false and misleading statements about various topics, including his educational and professional history, and the amount of his wealth. Choi admitted in his plea that, in truth, he never attended any business school, that he was never employed in any capacity by any financial institution, and that he exaggerated his wealth. He further admitted that in August 2016, while at WrkRiot’s office in Santa Clara, he emailed several of his employees fake wire transfer confirmation documents purporting to reflect their salary payments for the purpose of convincing his employees to continue working for his privately failing company.
On June 1, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted Choi charging him with five counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Pursuant to today’s plea agreement, Choi pleaded guilty to one count and the remaining charges will be dismissed.
Choi faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Judge Davila also may order an additional period of supervised release. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Judge Davila scheduled Choi’s sentencing for May 24, 2018.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Schenk and Trial Attorney Cory E. Jacobs of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. This case was investigated by the FBI’s San Jose Resident Agency.
Former Camden County Deputy Indicted for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a former Camden County, Mo., sheriff’s deputy has been indicted by a federal grand jury on child pornography charges.
Leonard Jerome Wilson, 39, formerly of Camdenton, Mo., was charged in a two-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo., on Dec. 21, 2017. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon Wilson’s arrest and initial court appearance in South Carolina. Wilson remains in federal custody and will be transported to the Western District of Missouri to face charges.
Wilson was employed as a Camden County sheriff’s deputy at the time of the alleged offenses.
The federal indictment alleges that Wilson received child pornography between April 26, 2015, and July 17, 2017. Wilson is also charged with possessing child pornography on July 17, 2017.
Garrison cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Camden County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Project Safe Childhood
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."
Former CFO of Insurance Brokerage Company Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison and Agreed to Pay $674,093 in Restitution for Embezzlement and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Money supported a family owned business, personal expenses and gambling activity
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The former Chief Financial Officer of Market Finders Insurance Corporation was sentenced today in United States District Court, by Chief Judge Joseph H. McKinley, Jr., to 37 months in prison and agreed to pay $674,093 in restitution, for committing tax evasion and embezzlement announced United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman.
Sylvia Rebecca Smith, 63, of Louisville, was charged by criminal Information with one count of wire fraud for devising an embezzlement scheme to obtain money from her employer, Market Finders Insurance Corporation (“Market Finders”) and then diverting those funds to PBS Insurance Underwriting Corporation, and two counts of failing to report embezzled funds as income on her tax returns. At the time, Smith was the bookkeeper for PBS Insurance and her husband was the sole owner.
Smith admitted in a plea agreement, that from July of 2013 through April of 2015, while employed as CFO of Market Finders, she generated fraudulent loan checks from her employer and diverted it into the bank account of PBS.
Specifically, during the relevant time period, the defendant devised a scheme to embezzle funds from Market Finders and Market Finders Insurance Premium Budget Corp. (“Market Finders Premium Budget”), a subsidiary of Market Finders, by creating fraudulent insurance financing contracts between Market Finders Premium Budget and existing insurance clients of PBS Insurance without the knowledge of those existing clients. Smith admitted to manipulating the records so that her theft of funds would not be detected by her employer.
Smith admitted that she and her husband used a portion of the fraudulent loan proceeds to fund her husband’s business and to pay for personal expenses for herself and her husband and to pay for gambling activity.
Further, Smith used a portion of the proceeds to make payments on the previous loans she had falsely created from Market Finders Premium Budget. When the scheme was discovered by Market Finders and brought to an end, Smith had not repaid approximately $674,093.
Additionally, Smith admitted to failing to report approximately $258,504 in embezzled funds as income for tax year 2013 and omitted approximately $514,696 in embezzled funds as income for tax year 2014 on Form 1040 of the U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Zimdahl and is being investigated by the Louisville Metro Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Federal Way Resident Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Sex Offenses, Production and Distribution of Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
A 38-year-old Federal Way, Washington man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 18 years in prison and lifetime supervised release for five federal felonies involving the sexual exploitation of children, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. STEVEN MARC RIGTRUP was arrested in April 2017, and pleaded guilty in November 2017 to enticement of a minor, two counts of distribution of child pornography, possession of child pornography and production of child pornography. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge James L. Robart asked him, “Where is there some acknowledgement that you have destroyed peoples’ lives? ...You must be removed from society for the protection of our community.”
According to records filed in the case, in February 2014, RIGTRUP molested a 15-year-old girl he met after placing an ad on Craigslist. RIGTRUP photographed his molestation of the teen and the photos were sent to another sex offender in southern California. In November 2014, RIGTRUP was arrested and prosecuted in King County Superior Court for soliciting sex via the internet with someone he thought was a teen-ager. In fact, the person he was trying to entice was an undercover officer. RIGTRUP was sentenced to a year in prison, but quickly became involved in child exploitation offenses again following his release. Law enforcement received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited children that images of child sexual abuse had been uploaded from an email account associated with RIGTRUP. When law enforcement searched RIGTRUP’s residence and electronic devices in February 2017, they discovered more than 588 images and four videos of children being raped and molested.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys= Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Marie Dalton.
Fayetteville Woman Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today in federal court, before United States Magistrate Judge Kimberly A. Swank, DAQUANJRA TASHA WHITE, 28, of Fayetteville, pled guilty to one count of Sex Trafficking of Children.
During the defendant’s guilty plea hearing, the Government summarized the evidence supporting the defendant’s guilty plea. Throughout the fall of 2015 into 2016, WHITE met the minor on Facebook, struck up conversations about WHITE’s escorting services, and convinced the minor to meet with her. When the minor got together with WHITE, she took pictures of her(in various stages of undress), posted those pictures on Backpage, took the victim or arranged for her transport to various hotels, arranged for her to have sex for money with men, and took portions of the monies collected. WHITE told the minor what to charge and what to do, even stating the girl worked for her.
At sentencing, the defendant faces not more than life in prison and up to $250,000 in fines.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Fayetteville Police Department conducted the investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Fairbanks Sex Offender Sentenced for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Fairbanks, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Tommy Hanson, 54, of Fairbanks, was sentenced on Friday, Feb 2, 2018, to serve 20 years in prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for the receipt of child pornography. In November 2017, a federal jury found Hanson guilty after a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline.
According to evidence presented at trial, in 2007, Hanson pled guilty to the possession of child pornography and had been sentenced to eight years in prison. In that case, Hanson admitted to the use of newsgroup binaries to receive thousands of images of depicting child sexual exploitation, and then backing those images up to CD-ROMS.
Following his release from prison in 2012, Hanson was subjected to a term of supervised release. As a condition of his release, Hanson was not to possess computers without the approval of the probation office, and if found in possession of any computers, the devices were subject to search.
United States Probation Officers searched Hanson’s home in North Pole, Alaska, on Oct. 12, 2016. During the search, the probation officers found Hanson in possession of an unauthorized computer and an external hard drive. A forensic search of the computer and hard drive by the FBI revealed thousands of images of child pornography that Hanson had downloaded between 2012 and 2016 using internet newsgroups, after his release in the prior case. The FBI discovered additional forensic evidence linking Hanson to the computer and external hard drive, such as chat logs. In the chat logs, Hanson told a friend that he was not allowed to have the computer but that he was not concerned about being searched by the “feds” given the remote location of his home.
The United States Probation Office and the FBI conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Alexander and Kyle Reardon prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of the Department of Justice ongoing Project Safe Child (PSC) initiative. In May 2006, DOJ launched PSC, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, PSC combines federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, identify and rescue victims and to educate the public about safe Internet use, thereby reducing the risk that children might fall prey to online sexual predators. For more information about PSC, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov or call the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.
Essex County, New Jersey, Man Gets 42 Months in Prison for Selling Fake Driver’s Licenses Online, Filing Bogus Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Newark man was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for selling fake driver’s licenses through an online shop and filing fraudulent tax returns using stolen identity information, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Alexis Scott Carthens, 40, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with authentication features and one count of conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims. Judge Linares imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From October 2012 through August 2014, Ricardo Rosario, 35, of Jersey City, New Jersey, with the assistance of Carthens and Abraham Corcino, 36, of Jersey City, sold fake driver’s licenses over the Internet. In connection with their illegal operation, the defendants ran a website that was available at “fakeidstore.co” and “fakedlstore.com.”
A number of the fake driver’s licenses sold by Rosario and other conspirators were used by criminal actors in connection with “cash out” schemes where stolen credit card information, usually obtained through hacking or ATM skimming operations, was encoded on to counterfeit credit cards and used to steal cash from victims’ accounts.
The website sold fake New Jersey, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin driver’s licenses, and the website boasted that the licenses had “scannable barcodes” and “real” holographic overlays. The price for each fake driver’s license was approximately $150, but the website offered bulk pricing for orders of 10 or more.
The website allowed its users to pay by bitcoin, a cryptographic-based digital currency, or MoneyPak, a type of prepaid payment card that could be purchased at retail stores. The “FAQ” section of the website indicated that orders would be received approximately one to two days after payment was received and described the website’s policy with respect to returns: “No Refunds. No snitching.”
Rosario created and ran the website. Corcino and Carthens assisted Rosario by creating and mailing the fake driver’s licenses purchased through the website. Corcino also maintained an Instagram account to promote the website.
At his plea hearing, Carthens admitted that his role was to create the driver’s licenses and to mail them to the website’s customers. Carthens also admitted that he believed that some of the website’s clients were using the fake driver’s licenses to commit credit card fraud.
Carthens also admitted to his involvement in a separate scheme, spanning from December 2012 through November 2013, to use information stolen from a medical lab to file false and fraudulent tax returns. Carthens admitted working with at least one other conspirator, who assisted Carthens by providing him with email addresses and physical addresses to receive the fraudulently claimed tax refund money.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Linares sentenced Carthens to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $121,922.32.
Rosario and Corcino have both pleaded guilty to related charges. Rosario was sentenced to 63 months in prison. Corcino was given three years of probation.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark; inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Ruth M. Mendonca; and special agents of IRS–Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zach Intrater of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Ward, deputy chief of the asset forfeiture program.
Defense counsel: Wanda M. Akin Esq., Newark
El Departamento de Justicia Busca Dar por Terminadas las Operaciones de una Preparadora de Declaraciones de Impuestos Sobre la Renta de WichitaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Una preparadora de declaraciones de la renta del área de Wichita, Kansas, prepara declaraciones de impuestos fraudulentas para sus clientes, según un nuevo litigio civil presentado hoy por el Departamento de Justicia. El litigio, presentado ante un tribunal federal de Wichita, Kansas, pide al tribunal prohibir permanentemente a Ma. Guadalupe Valenzuela (alias Maria Guadalupe Valenzuela, alias Lupe Valenzuela, individualmente y como empresa de Servicio de Impuestos sobre la Renta) preparar declaraciones de impuestos federales para otros. El gobierno también pide al tribunal que ordene a Valenzuela entregar los nombres de los clientes para los que ha preparado declaraciones de impuestos federales desde 2012.
La denuncia alega que la acusada subestima ilegalmente las responsabilidades fiscales de sus clientes y sobrestima sus reintegros. Según la denuncia, Valenzuela prepara ilegalmente declaraciones de impuestos federales que subestiman las responsabilidades fiscales federales de sus clientes al demandar créditos tributarios incorrectos por niños, exenciones de dependencia indebidas y estados civiles falsos a efectos impositivos.
El IRS dispone de una lista de medidas en su sitio web que usted puede tomar ahora en anticipación a su declaración de impuestos federales de 2017. Los fraudes de los preparadores de declaraciones de impuestos son una de las Doce estafas tributarias más comunes de 2017 del IRS y los contribuyentes que estén buscando un preparador de declaraciones de impuestos deben actuar con cautela. El IRS da algunos consejos en su sitio web para escoger a un preparador de declaraciones de impuestos y ha inaugurado un directorio gratuito de preparadores de declaraciones de impuestos federales.
En la última década, la División de Impuestos ha dictado medidas cautelares contra cientos de preparadores de declaraciones de impuestos inescrupulosos. La información sobre estos casos está disponible en el sitio web del Departamento de Justicia. En esta página figura una lista, por orden alfabético, de las personas a las que se ha prohibido preparar declaraciones tributarias y promover estrategias fiscales. Si cree que una de las personas o las empresas a las que se ha impuesto esta prohibición puede estar violando una orden judicial, sírvase ponerse en contacto con la División de Impuestos indicando los detalles.
Detroit man pleads guilty to illegally possessing pain pillsRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit man caught with oxycodone in September 2017 pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Curtis Holcomb, 39, entered his guilty plea to possession with the intent to distribute oxycodone. U.S. Attorney Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the West Virginia State Police Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
“Any Detroit drug dealer who comes to Huntington to push pain pills is in for a rude awakening,” said U.S. Attorney Stuart. “We will keep working with our law enforcement partners to make sure these out-of-state criminals get the message – they’re not welcome and we’re taking back our streets.”
On September 15, 2017, agents with the DEA and the West Virginia State Police Violent Crime and Drug Task Force used a confidential informant to arrange a purchase of 500 oxycodone pills from Holcomb. On his way to meet the informant, a trooper with the West Virginia State Police conducted a traffic stop on Holcomb’s vehicle on Artisan Avenue in Huntington. Troopers searched Holcomb and recovered 454 thirty mg oxycodone pills in his sock. As part of the plea agreement, Holcomb admitted to all the drug trafficking activity charged in the indictment.
Holcomb faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on May 7, 2018.
Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie S. Taylor are handling the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
This drug prosecution is part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
Convicted Felon with Possession of a Weapon Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOSHUA JOHNSON, age 37, has pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. Sections 922(g)(1). The defendant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in the Bureau of Prisons, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
JOHNSON was arrested by personnel of the New Orleans Police Department on July 9, 2015, and charged with illegally carrying a weapon and possession of a firearm or weapon by a convicted felon. During an investigatory stop pat down, Officer Gray discovered a firearm in JOHNSON’S waistband. JOHNSON was subsequently arrested. JOHNSON admitted to possessing the firearm for protection, and advised he had been robbed and held for hours at gunpoint in March, 2015. Therefore, the firearm which JOHNSON possessed on July 9, 2015 had to travel in and affect interstate and foreign commerce.
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 U.S. Attorney wishes to thank the hard work of the NOPD and ATF in investigating the matter. The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Privitera.
Citizen of Mexico Pleads Guilty to Heroin Trafficking and Immigration OffensesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on February 2, ONEL ARANA-GERVACIO, also known as “Arana Ricardo Leon Cepeda,” 44, a citizen of Mexico last residing in Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to heroin trafficking and immigration offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 21, 2016, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office in Alabama conducted a motor vehicle stop of a car hauler that was carrying a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu. A search of the Malibu, which was registered to ARANA, revealed that it contained a hidden compartment (“trap”), which is commonly used to conceal and transport illegal contraband, including narcotics, firearms and currency. Law enforcement officials obtained court authorization to install tracking devices on the vehicle and, between October 2016 and January 2017, HSI agents observed it at various locations in Connecticut and Rhode Island.
On January 17, 2017, agents located the vehicle at 1091 Maple Avenue in Hartford. On January 20, surveillance officers observed activity on another vehicle located at the Maple Avenue residence consistent with manipulating a mechanical hidden compartment. Officers then observed ARANA placing two duffel bags into that second vehicle and then driving off. At approximately 8:30 p.m., a Hartford Police cruiser pulled the car over. The vehicle also contained a hidden trap, but a search revealed no contraband.
A subsequent search of 1091 Maple Avenue revealed more than six kilograms of heroin, approximately 500 grams of cocaine and a “finger press,” which is used to process bulk quantities of heroin into 10-gram-bags known as “fingers.” Agents also seized drug distribution materials, including sifters, grinders, scales, vacuum sealers and kilo wrappers, which were coated in heroin residue and field-tested positive for the presence of fentanyl.
Agents then searched the Malibu, which was located in the garage of 1091 Maple Avenue, and recovered approximately $260,000 in cash from inside the trap.
Laboratory testing of the seized heroin revealed that some of it contained fentanyl.
The investigation revealed that in October 2013, a U.S. Border Patrol agent encountered ARANA near Hidalgo, Texas, and determined that ARANA had unlawfully entered the U.S. from Mexico. He was removed to Mexico on November 2, 2013.
ARANA pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, one kilogram or more of heroin, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. He also pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of two years. Judge Shea scheduled sentencing for May 1, 2018.
ARANA has been detained since his arrest on January 20, 2017.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Hartford Police Department and the Connecticut State Police, with the assistance of the Baldwin County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Gustafson and David T. Huang.
California and Ohio Residents Plead Guilty to Trafficking 15 Kilograms of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A California resident and an Ohio resident pled guilty last week to federal charges involving their participation in trafficking over fifteen kilograms of methamphetamine.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Miami Field Office, and Scott Israel, Sheriff, Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), made the announcement.
Defendants Ricardo Zavala, 24, of California, and Jeffery Clevenger, 65, of Ohio, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation to Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846 and 841(b)(1)(A). According to court documents, the defendants arranged to travel to the Southern District of Florida to sell more than fifteen kilograms of methamphetamine. On November 20, 2017, the defendants traveled to a hotel located in Broward County. The defendants subsequently transported the narcotics and were taken into custody.
At sentencing, each defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years imprisonment and a maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment. The sentencing hearings are set for April 12, 2018, at 10:30 and 11:00 A.M. before Senior U.S. District Judge William Zloch in Fort Lauderdale.
Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI and BSO. This case is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Katz.
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.
California Man Sentenced to Five Years for Federal Heroin Trafficking Conviction in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Jamell Damian Harris, Jr., 38, of Los Angeles, Calif., was sentenced this afternoon in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 60 months in prison for his heroin trafficking conviction. Harris will be on supervised release for four years after completing his prison sentence.
The DEA arrested Harris in July 2017, after seizing approximately 470 grams (1.04 pounds) of heroin from him during an interdiction investigation at the Amtrak Train Station in Albuquerque. The criminal complaint setting forth the charge against Harris stated that the heroin was concealed in a suitcase belonging to Harris’ travel companion.
Harris subsequently was indicted on Aug. 8, 2017, and was charged with conspiracy and possession of heroin with intent to distribute on July 13, 2017, in Bernalillo County, N.M.
On Sept. 27, 2017, Harris pled guilty to Count 2 of the indictment charging him with possession of heroin with intent to distribute. In entering the guilty plea, Harris admitted transporting approximately 390.90 grams of heroin from Victorville, Calif., to Albuquerque on the Amtrak train by concealing the heroin inside a shopping bag of men’s clothing in a suitcase belonging to his traveling companion. Harris also admitted that he intended to give the heroin to another individual for further distribution when he reached his final destination of Chicago.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rumaldo R. Armijo prosecuted the case as part of the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in New Mexico.
The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. HOPE’s law enforcement component is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. Targeting members of major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.
Bowling Green Physician Guilty of Conspiring to Unlawfully Distribute and Dispense Controlled Substances and Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman today announced the guilty plea by former Warren County, Kentucky, physician Charles Fred Gott to multiple charges of unlawful distribution and dispensing of controlled substances and health care fraud, in United States District Court, before United States District Judge Greg N. Stivers.
Charles Fred Gott, age 66, a formerly licensed physician in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, was initially indicted by grand jury in Bowling Green on June 10, 2015. According to the terms of the plea agreement, Gott has agreed to serve a sentence of 96 months in prison, and pay restitution in an amount to be determined at sentencing. Gott is scheduled for sentencing by Judge Stivers, in Bowling Green, on May 7, 2018, at 9am.
Today’s plea agreement covers criminal activity between 2006 and September 19, 2013, in Warren County, Kentucky. In court today, Gott admitted to conspiring with members of his office and others to knowingly and intentionally distribute and dispense, not for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice, Schedule II, Schedule III and Schedule IV controlled substances. Included are 14 counts of unlawfully dispensing Methadone and Fentanyl – Schedule II controlled substances, Hydrocodone – a Schedule III controlled substance, and Clonazepam and Oxymorphone – Schedule IV controlled substances – between June 10, 2010 and September 19, 2013.
Further, between 2006 and September 19, 2013, Gott admitted to falsely and fraudulently billing various health care benefit programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, among others, by submitting claims for office visits at a higher code than the service actually provided for patients under his care.
Also, during that same period, Gott falsely and fraudulently billed various health care benefit programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, among others, by submitting claims for medically unnecessary spirometry tests for patients and electrocardiogram (EKG/ECG) tests for patients.
Gott is further subject to forfeiture to the United States government any and all proceeds derived from unlawful activity as a result of the offenses and forfeiture of his license to practice medicine.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mac Shannon, Lettricea Jefferson-Webb and Joseph Ansari. This case was investigated by the Warren County Drug Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Drug Diversion Section, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Kentucky State Police, Office of the Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Division and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The Warren County Drug Task Force, led by Director Tommy Loving, along with detectives from KSP’s West Drug Enforcement Branch, were instrumental in identifying and developing this case for federal prosecution.
Bookkeeper Admits to Embezzling Client FundsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A local woman has entered a guilty plea to 12 counts of mail and wire fraud and four counts of filing a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Gwendolyn M. Berry admitted that from September 2008 through Oct. 1, 2014, she took funds in excess of $1.7 million from a family for whom she provided bookkeeping services. Berry stole from the education accounts of the minor children and other family bank accounts and it to make payments for the benefit of herself and her family.
Berry has also admitted she filed a false federal tax return for the tax years 2011 through 2014. In each of these tax returns, Berry omitted reporting some of her income and falsely claimed a refund.
Sentencing is set for May 4, 2018, before U.S. District Judge Gray Miller. At that time, she faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each of the fraud counts as well as another three years for the tax convictions.
Berry was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The U.S. Secret Service and IRS - Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Annis is prosecuting the case.
Biloxi Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Antonio Michael Ross, 49, of Biloxi, Mississippi, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Thomas M. Annello, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.
On March 31, 2017, Antonio Michael Ross approached a safety checkpoint in d’Iberville, Mississippi. As he approached the checkpoint, he took evasive action which was observed by police officers. As a result, officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop. Ross did not immediately stop his vehicle, sped up and ran a stop sign. As he was fleeing, Mr. Ross threw a bag out of the vehicle which later was discovered to contain over 100 grams of pure methamphetamine.
Ross will be sentenced on May 8, 2018 by Judge Guirola, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Meynardie.
Berrien County Resident Charged with Federal Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Lori Lynn Pawielski admits embezzling more than $1.9 million and failing to pay $511,433 in federal income tax
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — United States Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that Lori Lynn Pawielski, a resident of Buchanan, Michigan, has been charged with tax evasion. Pawielski has agreed to plead guilty to one count of attempting to evade or defeat tax and pay the Internal Revenue Service additional tax due and owing for tax years 2009 through 2015.
In a Felony Information filed in federal court, the government alleged that, in March 2016, Pawielski willfully attempted to evade and defeat income tax due and owing to the United States for calendar year 2015 by preparing and signing a false and fraudulent Form 1040 tax return. The charge alleges that the Form 1040 tax return falsely claimed that her taxable income was $149,160 when in fact it was $330,166. The charge also alleges that the tax due and owing for calendar year 2015 was $84,516, not $28,941 as reported on the tax return.
If convicted, Pawielski faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
In a written plea agreement filed with the Court, Pawielski admitted embezzling more than $1.9 million from her former employer between 2009 and 2016 by writing 271 checks to herself without her employer’s authorization. She further admitted that she concealed her embezzlement by altering the company’s accounting software to make it appear those checks were issued to suppliers. Pawielski admitted that she failed to report the additional income to the IRS on her 2009-2015 federal tax returns. She has agreed to pay restitution to the IRS, currently estimated at $511,433, and restitution to her former employer in the amount of $1,962,611.
This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation division and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher O’Connor.
An arraignment and plea hearing is scheduled for February 15, 2018. The charge in a felony information is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
END
Attorney General Sessions Will Travel to Tampa on Wednesday to Deliver Remarks on Efforts to Combat Drug Trafficking and End the Opioid CrisisRead the Press Release
WHO
Attorney General Jeff Sessions
WHATAttorney General Jeff Sessions will deliver remarks on efforts to combat drug trafficking and end the opioid crisis.
WHEN
Wednesday, February 7, 2018
12:50 p.m. EST
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida
Press Room (Check-in: 32nd floor // Press will be escorted up to 35th floor)
400 N. Tampa St.
Tampa, FL 33602
OPEN PRESS
(Final access and Camera Preset: 12:10 p.m. EST // Final access time for print media: 12:40 p.m. EST)
NOTE: All media must RSVP and present government-issued photo I.D. (such as a driver’s license) as well as valid media credentials. The RSVP and any inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Kelly Laco in the Office of Public Affairs at (202) 305-5219 or [email protected]. Please RSVP with the email address of the person(s) attending the event, so that we may reach them directly if details change. Media may begin arriving at the USAO lobby on the 32nd floor at 11:45 a.m. for a security screen. ALL gear must be in place in the press room by 12:10 p.m. EST. Note--the AG will not be taking questions upon the conclusion of his remarks.
Albuquerque Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Armed Robbery of Pizza Delivery PersonRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Xavior Akina, 21, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court to 84 months in prison for violating the Hobbs Act by robbing a pizza delivery person on March 7, 2016. Akina will be on supervised release for three years after completing his prison sentence.
Akina was charged in a three-count indictment filed on May 10, 2016. The indictment charged Akina with two counts of violating the Hobbs Act, the first on March 6, 2016, by robbing a Domino’s Pizza employee at gunpoint, and the second on March 7, 2016, by robbing a Papa John’s Pizza employee at gunpoint. It also charged Akina with brandishing a firearm during the two crimes of violence, and alleged that Akina committed the offenses in Bernalillo County, N.M.
On July 20, 2017, Akina pled guilty to the armed robbery of a Papa Johns pizza delivery person and to brandishing a firearm during the robbery. In entering the guilty plea, Akina admitted that on March 7, 2016, he threatened the victim with a firearm and demanded money from the victim while the victim was delivering pizza.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eva Fontanez.
Albuquerque Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Bank Robbery ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Richard J. Hall, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court to 63 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction on a bank robbery charge.
Hall was arrested on April 6, 2017, on a criminal complaint charging him with robbing the Wells Fargo Bank located at 1800 Eubank Blvd. NE, in Albuquerque, on March 30, 2017. According to the complaint, Hall robbed the Wells Fargo Bank by handing a bank teller a note in which he threatened to hurt someone if the bank teller did not give Hall money.
Hall subsequently was indicted on April 26, 2017, on a bank robbery charge. On June 13, 2017, Hall pled guilty to the indictment without the benefit of a plea agreement.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney George C. Kraehe prosecuted the case.
"Freedom Fighter Bandit" Arrested and Charged with Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Nilsa Marie Urena, 25, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was charged with bank robbery yesterday, after being arrested near the Greyhound Bus Terminal in Nashville on Saturday, following an earlier robbery of the Upper Cumberland Credit Union in Crossville, Tennessee.
According to allegations in the criminal complaint, on Saturday, February 3, 2018, a woman entered the Upper Cumberland Federal Credit Union and handed a teller a note which read, “Bomb [;] 20 minutes [;] no cops [;] Allah.” The robber was given $1,000 in $100 bills, after which she left the bank and walked toward a nearby apartment complex, where another bank employee observed her to be changing clothes.
During the immediate investigation by responding officers from the Crossville Police Department and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department, officers determined that a suspect matching the description of the robber was seen entering a vehicle at a nearby grocery store. The investigation led officers to an address where the vehicle was registered, where they learned that the vehicle’s owner operated a car service and was currently transporting a client to Nashville.
Officers called the owner of the vehicle and surreptitiously alerted him to the possibility that he was transporting a bank robbery suspect. It was determined that the rider’s destination was the Greyhound Bus Terminal in Nashville and the driver continued to send text message updates to the officers, updating them with the destination and estimated time of arrival.
The complaint alleges that after the suspect was dropped off at the Greyhound Terminal, she was taken into custody at a market across the street by officers from the Nashville Metropolitan Police Department and the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
The complaint also alleges that Urena was being sought by the FBI for her involvement in multiple bank robberies in Georgia and had been dubbed by the media as the “Freedom Fighter Bandit.” There was also an active warrant for Urena charging her with one of those robberies in Douglas County, Georgia.
If convicted, Urena faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Cochran commended the outstanding response and investigation by the Crossville Police Department; the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department; the FBI; the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department; and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. U.S. Attorney Cochran also commended the actions of the witnesses and the driver of the vehicle who provided invaluable assistance to law enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Friday 2 February 2018
Wilmington Man Sentenced to More Than 18 Years for Drug Distribution and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that yesterday in federal court, Senior United States District Judge W. Earl Britt sentenced DARIUS J. WILLIAMS, 38, of Wilmington, to 225 months of imprisonment followed by 6 years of supervised release.
WILLIAMS was named in an Indictment filed on July 19, 2017 charging him with Distribution of a Quantity of Heroin. On September 27, 2017, WILLIAMS was also named in a two-count Criminal Information. Count 1 charged Conspiracy to Distribute and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Heroin, Cocaine Base, and Marijuana. Count 2 charged Possession of a Firearm by Felon. On September 27, 2017, WILLIAMS pled guilty to Counts 1 and 2 of the Criminal Information.
On February 21, 2017, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) observed an individual using heroin in a restaurant parking lot in Wilmington. His sleeve was rolled up, exposing his forearm, and 87 dosage units of heroin were in his lap. The man informed the agents he was on federal supervised release. The agents seized the evidence and took him into custody where he was debriefed. Agents learned the individual was living in a federal halfway house, where he had previously purchased heroin from WILLIAMS, who was also on federal supervised release and living in the same house.
On February 23, 2017, the man assisted the FBI in their investigation of WILLIAMS. At the FBI’s instruction, and with their supervision, the man traveled to WILLIAMS' residence in Wilmington. Upon arrival, he purchased 351 dosage units (9 grams) of heroin. Before leaving, WILLIAMS told the man to call whenever more heroin was needed. On June 26, 2017, agents coordinated with federal probation to place WILLIAMS under arrest at the probation office in Wilmington.
Following WILLIAMS' detention, law enforcement monitored a number of phone calls between WILLIAMS and associates under the belief that WILLIAMS was attempting to lead them to a location where narcotics were stored. Law enforcement officers observed the associates park their vehicle near the address identified as belonging to WILLIAMS' mother. The associates were detained upon leaving. An examination of the vehicle recovered two plastic bags containing 91.78 grams of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), 33.68 grams of cocaine, 62.78 grams of marijuana, and a loaded .380 pistol which was later determined to be stolen.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the criminal investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney Bradford Knott handled the prosecution of this case for the government. At sentencing, Judge Britt instructed that, among other reasons, WILLIAMS’S recidivism with serious drug trafficking felonies served as a basis for the sentence imposed.
Upshur County residents admit to their roles in a methamphetamine distribution operationRead the Press Release
LKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Two Buckhannon, West Virginia residents have admitted today to conspiring with others to distribute methamphetamine, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Amanda Mae Bachman, also known as “AB,” age 33, and Steven Larry Harper, also known as “Skip,” age 40, each pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Bachman and Harper admitted to conspiring with others to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. The crime occurred in Upshur County and elsewhere from March 2016 to September 2017.
Bachman and Harper each face up to life incarceration and a fine of up to $10,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives, The Mountain Region Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, the Greater Harrison Drug &Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, the West Virginia State Police, Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, the Buckhannon Police Department, and the Weston Police Department investigated.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
United States Withdraws Appeal of Medical Malpractice JudgmentRead the Press Release
Harrisburg - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that it withdrew an appeal of an April 20, 2017 district court decision that included findings of fact and conclusions of law, and its verdict and judgment on May 9, 2017.
In this FTCA medical malpractice action, the district court entered a verdict in favor of Plaintiffs Christina Late and Nathan Armolt, individually, and as parents and natural guardians of D.A., a minor. The court awarded plaintiffs $103,967.10 in past medical expenses; $5,000,000 in past and future noneconomic damages; and $3,553,616 in lost earnings and fringe benefits. The court also awarded plaintiffs future medical expenses at a present value of $9,309,503.90 and at a future value of $32,984,383.50.
The future value payment of $32,984,383.50 will be provided to the Clerk’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The Clerk will deposit the money in an interest bearing account. The Clerk will then make yearly payments to the Plaintiffs per the Court’s schedule for the next 74 years. All interest earned in the account will be returned to the United States at the end of the 74 years or when the minor dies, whichever occurs first.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the United States often files protective notice of appeal, while the Solicitor General’s Office determines whether an appeal should be continued. In this case, the Solicitor General’s Office determined that an appeal should not proceed. Because of attorney-work product and deliberative-process considerations, no further information can be provided about this decision.
“The United States Attorney’s Offices throughout the country are tasked with defending government employees accused of medical malpractice, and there are times when district courts will find our employees negligent,” said U.S. Attorney Freed. “Our mission, however, is to defend the government’s employees and to limit damages with the assistance of medical and economic experts. We respect the court’s decision in this matter, and wish nothing but the best for the minor child and his parents.”
# # #
U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Greg Brooker Delivers Remarks at the Department of Justice’s Human Trafficking SummitRead the Press Release
Remarks as prepared for delivery.
Good Morning. Thank you to Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard Downing for the introduction and thank you to Attorney General Sessions and Associate Attorney General Brand for hosting this Summit. As noted, I am Greg Brooker, the United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota. I am pleased to be here today to talk about an issue that my office is deeply committed to, and that the Department has placed such a high priority on: Prosecuting Human Trafficking Cases.
It is timely that this Summit comes at the end of Human Trafficking Awareness Month and with the Super Bowl taking place just two days from now in my home town of Minneapolis. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight trends and cases in my federal district, as well as talk about some of the proactive work we have done to prepare for a potential uptick in human trafficking during one of the world’s largest sporting events.
Sex trafficking is a market-driven enterprise, and empirical data show that a major sporting event like the Super Bowl can bring about an increase in online sex ads on Craigslist, Backpage, and other places. We also know from recent research studies that those who purchase commercial sex are not confined to one demographic group -- they come from all walks of life. According to a recent survey of 750 men in Minnesota, most sex buyers are men between the ages of 30 & 60. More than 70 percent of them are white, and half are married. Nearly 70 percent have kids and almost half make $50,000 or more a year.
A recent assessment by the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center (HSTC) concludes that high profile events with large crowds, like the Super Bowl, can be attractive targets for sex traffickers, and we know that there is a short-term uptick in advertisements during this period.
In preparation for the Super Bowl in Minneapolis, an Anti-Sex Trafficking Team with over 40 organizations was created to map out strategies to crack down on sex trafficking - from all angles - across the entire state. The Team is led by Hennepin County, which is Minneapolis, and Ramsey County, which is St. Paul. And the Team includes the US Attorney’s Office, Carlson Family Foundation and the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, which have both been leaders on this issue. The Team also includes representatives from nonprofits, hospitals, private businesses, and law enforcement entities and has been supported by the National Football League.
So what has this Team been up to? We have developed a plan that includes additional emergency shelter beds, increased street outreach and a hotline to report trafficking related tips. We have created a 24-hour, fully staffed hotline to ensure victims can immediately find safe shelter. Service providers have worked with city governments to relax zoning requirements if needed during the timeframe of the Super Bowl to ensure that no one will be denied space in a shelter in the cold winter months in Minnesota. What is especially unique is that this Team not only brought together private and public sector stakeholders, but it includes the key voices of sex trafficking survivors.
The Team designed multiple public awareness campaigns, specifically for the Super Bowl, including the “Don’t Buy it” campaign, designed to educate men and boys about sex trafficking. This campaign aims to focus on the demand side.
Here’s a short clip of the “Don’t Buy It” Public Service Announcement running in Minnesota and Online:
“Don’t Buy it” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVE4Z2RXsCc
The Team also created a campaign aimed at preventing at-risk youth from being trafficked. The “I Am Priceless” campaign is geared toward youth between the ages of 8 and 12 who are at risk for being trafficked. The Team sought the input of youth who are trafficking survivors to develop the campaign, which is focused on reaffirming self-esteem and self-worth. These campaign ads are on posters at malls, on bus shelters, murals, billboards, and include a 30-second radio spot. They are being featured on social media apps like Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and YouTube. Here’s a short clip of the “I am Priceless” video:
“I Am Priceless” https://vimeo.com/240218675
In the months leading up to the Super Bowl, bus drivers, hotel workers and all 10,000 Super Bowl volunteers received training on how to identify sex trafficking when they see it and where to report it. In addition, U.S. Bank has taken the lead to train internal investigators and analysts to identify trends and red flags that may be human trafficking indicators – this new Team is reporting directly to law enforcement.
A collaborative team of dozens of local police departments and federal agencies, led primarily by Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, and the Minneapolis Police Department, has made great efforts to plan and execute proactive strategies such as coordinating targeted sex trafficking stings during the week of the Super Bowl. And multiple arrests have been made.
Human trafficking, of course, is not limited to large-scale events like the Super Bowl. Sadly, these crimes against human rights occur 365 days a year. It is a prevalent and persistent problem that shows its face in many disturbing ways, yet often remains hidden in plain sight.
Many people wouldn’t think of Minnesota as one of the prime locations for human trafficking; however, the FBI has identified the Twin Cities as the nation’s 13th largest location for child sex trafficking in the country. Minnesota is unique in its geography, its diverse populations and its major industries. The Twin Cities represent a large metropolitan area that is home to more than a dozen Fortune 500 companies, a major international airport, the largest shopping mall in the United States, as well as multiple major league sports teams and event venues. We also share our northern border with Canada, we have an international shipping port in Duluth, and through our interstate corridors we are directly connected to other large Midwestern cities such as Chicago, St. Louis, and Milwaukee. The State has 11 federally recognized Indian Tribes and is home to many immigrant groups, including sizable Hmong, Somali, Ethiopian, and Liberian communities. Minnesota pretty much has everything. However, the things that make our state unique are also the things that present human trafficking vulnerabilities. Minnesota is also nationally recognized as a leader on human trafficking awareness – its Safe Harbor Law served as a template for federal legislation. This is why the fight against human trafficking is a crucial mission that none of us can afford to ignore or to only emphasize during a Super Bowl.
In 2016, the district was one of only six districts designated as an Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team (ACTeam) location. This is a collaborative initiative among my office, the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Labor. Through this initiative, we focus on developing high impact human trafficking investigations and prosecutions, as well as developing strong partnerships with victim service providers and state and local law enforcement partners.
I am proud of the depth and breadth of the work of my office, in conjunction with our partners in federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement. Together we have investigated and prosecuted trafficking cases ranging from large-scale, transnational organized criminal enterprises, to individual traffickers who target minor victims, to labor traffickers who prey on vulnerable, often foreign-born populations.
We know that as people go about their busy lives they usually aren’t paying attention to indicators of human trafficking, so these crimes often occur in plain sight. That’s why through our federal and state law enforcement task forces in Minnesota, we have trained those on the front lines to identify signs of human trafficking and to report it to law enforcement. Throughout the year, we are focusing our training efforts on employees who work in hotels, airports, casinos and other hospitality and entertainment occupations. We are also reaching out to schoolteachers and administrators, bankers, transportation industry workers, hospital workers and faith communities. These trainings throughout Minnesota have resulted in actionable tips that have contributed directly to the successful investigation and prosecution of human traffickers. We have also collaborated with an organization called “COAST” – Club Operators Against Sex Trafficking – to provide education and training to owners and employees of adult entertainment clubs who may be most likely to encounter the signs of a sex trafficking victim – currently my office is investigating such tips now.
Let me highlight a handful of the cases we’ve handled that are result of some of these tips.
Last year, in a wealthy suburb of St. Paul, local police officers encountered a woman wandering the streets at night, bloody, beat up and frail. She was heading in the direction of the airport. They stopped and spoke to the woman and because of their recent training; the officers were able to quickly recognize that the woman was a victim of human trafficking and were able to access the appropriate help and resources for her, including involving Homeland Security Investigations from the outset. The subsequent investigation revealed that the woman endured horrific abuse at the hands of the defendant, Lili Huang. In addition to being held against her will and forced to work up to 18 hours a day, the victim was kicked, punched, grabbed by her hair and threatened with knives. The victim told law enforcement that she hid clumps of her hair, which had been grabbed and torn out by the defendant, under her mattress so that she wouldn’t be forced to eat it. My Office worked hand in hand with our state and local law enforcement partners to achieve a successful prosecution of the defendant, who was ultimately sentenced to more than a year in custody after which she will be deported to China, ordered to pay over $100,000 in restitution to the victim and to third-party victim services, and required to forfeit her house.
In another all too common scenario, last year four teenage girls testified at a federal trial against a trafficker who had sold them for sex in the Twin Cities. The investigation began when a concerned mother reached out to her local Sheriff’s Office to report that a man named Deuvontay Charles was recruiting her 17-year-old daughter to engage in prostitution. In the defendant’s Facebook messages, he described how the girl could “make money” and promised a trip to Las Vegas and that “life will be smooth sailing.” He told her that he would provide condoms and protect her from the “clients.” The defendant also instructed the young girl to save his phone number as “Daddy.”
That initial report led to law enforcement identifying additional juvenile victims. A 14-year-old girl told law enforcement that this same defendant had requested sexually-explicit images of her. The defendant also sent two pornographic images of an adult female and instructed the 14-year-old victim to send pictures of herself in similar sexual poses.
The defendant trafficked a second victim, who was also only 14-years-old, and used her to produce sexually-explicit images. Charles asked the victim to make a video of herself engaged in sexual acts. While recruiting the victim, the defendant asked if she wanted “to make money.” When she asked what he meant, Charles replied “sex.” Knowing she was only 14-years-old, Charles responded that while she is “kinda young,” there would be a lot of money to make.
Charles preyed on yet another victim. He sent messages to a 17-year-old about making “quick money.” After picking the victim up in a Minneapolis suburb, he posted her as an “escort” on backpage.com. He then made a hotel reservation using an alias and paid for the room in cash. For the next several days, the defendant sold the victim for commercial sex and kept all the money the victim received as a result of the sex acts that she was forced to engaged in.
At the time he committed these offenses, Charles was a registered sex offender based on a prior conviction for soliciting a child to engage in sexual conduct.
Clearly, this man is a predator who targeted vulnerable young girls. Justice was served when the victims’ important testimony led to Charles’ conviction and a thirty-six year sentence in federal prison.
Our office is also actively prosecuting one of the largest transnational sex trafficking cases in the nation. This particular case is truly remarkable because of the collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies, victim service providers, and industry partners across multiple jurisdictions who took on this case and attacked the international criminal enterprise from every angle.
The investigation started through good old fashion police work. A federal agent with Homeland Security Investigations received a report from her HSI colleagues in Arizona that multiple Thai women were being trafficked in Arizona and the operation was moving some of the women to Minneapolis. Our office commenced an investigation with our federal and local law enforcement partners and, eventually, other federal, state and local jurisdictions from around the country.
We worked with multiple U.S. Attorneys’ offices, HSI, state and local law enforcement across the country, the Department of State, as well as components within the Department of Justice including the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section. Through surveillance, review of records and receipts, and other techniques, law enforcement learned that these victims were being trafficked in nearly every major city throughout the U.S. under the watchful eye of a massive criminal organization.
I would like to take a moment to describe the vast criminal enterprise that was responsible for trafficking hundreds of impoverished women from Bangkok, Thailand, to cities through the United States, including Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Houston, Dallas, Austin, Seattle and right here in the nation’s capital. Putting the pieces together required close coordination with international, national, state and local partners. It is the result of more than four years’ worth of work, and begins the current prosecution process of dismantling a highly profitable operation that generated millions of dollars through a highly sophisticated sex trafficking scheme.
These victims typically came from impoverished backgrounds and spoke little English- vulnerabilities that the traffickers exploited during the recruitment process. The women were promised a better life in the United States in exchange for a large “bondage debt,” of anywhere between $40,000 and $60,000. The women were told that, after they worked off their debt, they could become U.S. citizens. The recruiters who met with them in Thailand were friendly, helpful and made the future in the United States sound bright. They brought them to photography studios to take professional-quality, escort-style photographs, which ultimately were sent to traffickers here in the United States and used to advertise the victims for sex on websites. The traffickers also encouraged the women to get breast implants in an effort to make the women “more appealing” to men in the U.S. The cost of the cosmetic surgery was added to the victims’ bondage debt.
When the women arrived in the U.S., everything changed. They were essentially held prisoner in prostitution houses and only allowed to leave if accompanied by an employee of the organization. The women were forced to have sex with strangers for many hours every day, even if the men were abusive. They were threatened by the organization. The traffickers ensured that the women remained isolated in the United States. They had little money, no freedom of movement, and no interaction with the outside world.
The structure of this sex trafficking organization was hierarchical. It consisted of Traffickers, House Bosses, Money Launderers, Facilitators and Runners. Each of these players had their own clearly defined role to play in keeping this criminal organization profitable.
At the top of the organization were the Traffickers. Traffickers in the United States and in Thailand were responsible for recruiting the victims and controlling the bondage debt. They learned everything they could about the women, including detailed information about their families.
The information obtained about the victims’ families was an important part of the scheme. Armed with this information, the traffickers threatened anyone who wanted to or tried to escape the organization, including threats that their families would be harmed if the women did not do everything they were told.
The traffickers also determined where in the United States the women would be sent. But first, they had to get the women into the U.S. The traffickers did this by engaging in widespread visa fraud, including arranging sham marriages and lying on visa applications, in order to facilitate the travel of the women from Thailand into the United States. Once in the U.S., the women were sent to one of many houses of prostitution.
The House Bosses, who reported to the traffickers, were responsible for the day-to-day operations of these houses. They advertised the women, usually on websites like backpage.com, scheduled sex buyers, and ensured that the cash earned by the victim was routed back to the trafficker, with the house boss taking her cut. Little money was left for the victim herself to pay off the bondage debt.
The Facilitators assisted in the money laundering and other activities of the organization. They helped lease apartments and other locations used as houses of prostitution, book travel, advertise the women, and schedule commercial sex acts. They were also responsible for laundering and routing millions of dollars generated through this commercial sex trade.
And, finally, there were the Runners. The trafficking organization feared the women would try to escape, so the runners accompanied them when they left the house, apartment, or hotel room. The runners were also responsible for bringing them to and from the airport. The organization regularly moved the woman to different cities so that the women did not develop connections, to generate new clientele and to supply new markets. Runners also took them to the bank where the victims would deposit the payments on their bondage debt. The runners were typically men, and were often paid, at least in part, in sex with the victims.
This prosecution has been a massive undertaking. As noted, to date, it is one of the largest federal sex trafficking prosecutions in the United States. In total, we have publicly indicted 38 members of the organization.
Seventeen have thus far pleaded guilty. A trial date has been set for early May for the remaining defendants. Hundreds of victims have been recovered around the country. Millions of dollars have been seized, which will go toward much-deserved restitution to the victims. Weapons have also been confiscated.
One thing I would like to emphasize in particular is our work in helping the victims find hope and a sense of justice. As noted, this organization made millions of dollars annually and the prosecution team is working to secure that money for victim restitution. The DOJ Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) is playing an integral role in this aspect of the case. MLARS has documented more than $25 million in proceeds from the commercial sex acts having been laundered back to the traffickers. When dealing with this level of organized crime, we know that we can only shut down a sophisticated sex trafficking organization when we take away their money.
My office has also collaborated with an organization in Los Angeles called the Thai Community Development Center, a DOJ grantee. They specialize in working with the Thai population to help provide victims with access to culturally sensitive and language specific resources and services. Today, some of the victims have learned English, some are taking vocational courses, and some are living independently and finding a future.
We take seriously the Department of Justice’s directive to take a victim-centered approach to our trafficking cases and, thankfully, Minnesota has unique resources that provide exceptional services to stabilize and support victims throughout a case’s full investigation and prosecution.
In conclusion, while the increased awareness and attention that the Super Bowl brings to this issue is important, I want to again emphasize that human trafficking is not a problem unique to the Super Bowl or any other major event. If we want to get the problem of human trafficking under control, awareness and enforcement efforts must continue long after the big game is over.
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U.S Attorney Statement on Veteran Care Agreement with Disability Rights OregonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore. – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Disability Rights Oregon announced that they have reached an agreement providing Springfield, Oregon veteran Michael Williamson with continued in-home care services, at least through April 15, 2018. With this temporary extension of services in place, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will continue to seek a long-term solution to keep Mr. Williamson in his home.
“We are pleased to announce that the VA reached an agreement with New Horizons, a home health agency, to extend Mr. Williamson’s in-home care services in the short-term,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “We look forward to our continued work with the VA and Disability Rights Oregon to find a long-term solution that will provide care to an honored veteran in an integrated setting with the appropriate level of care to meet Mr. Williamson’s needs.”
Two Springfield Men Arrested for Distributing Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Springfield men were arrested today and charged in separate indictments in federal court in Springfield with distribution of crack cocaine.
Donovan Coombs-Thompson, 24, of Springfield, and Kayvon Lovejoy, 26, were each charged in separate indictments with two counts of distribution of crack cocaine. Both men were detained following an appearance in federal court in Springfield this afternoon.
The indictment charging Coombs-Thompson alleges that in October 2017, he distributed cocaine base on two occasions. The indictment charging Lovejoy alleges that in August 2017, he distributed crack cocaine on two occasions.
Coombs-Thompson faces no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years of supervised release, and a fine of $1 million. Lovejoy faces no greater than 30 years in prison, a minimum of six years of supervised release, and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Springfield Police Commissioner John Barbieri; and Holyoke Police Chief James Neiswanger made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case
The details contained in the indictments are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Men Charged with Drug Offenses Following Investigation of Drug Trafficking at D.C. Barber ShopRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Washington D.C. / Greenbelt, Maryland – Two area men have been arrested in an investigation that led to the seizure of firearms, ammunition and narcotics at various locations in the District of Columbia and Maryland, including a barbershop and surrounding property in Southeast Washington.
The charges were announced today by Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning, United States Attorney Jessie K. Liu; Thomas L. Chittum III, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Special Agent in Charge Daniel L. Board, Jr., of the Bureau of ATF - Baltimore Field Division; Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD); and Henry P. Stawinski III, Chief of the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department.
On Feb. 1, 2018, law enforcement agents from ATF, MPD and the Prince George’s County Police Department executed search warrants on three locations and five vehicles linked to a seven-month investigation into alleged drug trafficking from the Next Level Cuts barbershop and surrounding property in the 2400 block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE. The searches led to the seizure of firearms, ammunition, and quantities of narcotics.
The investigation established that drug traffickers would use the barbershop and adjoining property as a stash location for the trafficking of narcotics. A search at that location led to the seizure of more than $7,000 in cash, more than 800 grams of PCP, more than 300 grams of heroin, boxes of Suboxone strips, three firearms, and ammunition.
As a result of the search warrants, Anthony Fields, 44, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia with drug trafficking offenses. As a result of a subsequent search warrant executed in Prince George’s County, James Venable, 46, of Fort Washington, Md., was arrested by Prince George’s County officers on narcotics and firearms charges.
The charges in criminal complaints are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
In announcing the arrests and seizures, Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning, United States Attorney Liu, Special Agent in Charge Chittum, Special Agent Board, Chief Newsham, and Chief Stawinski commended the work of those who are investigating the case. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who are handling the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Macchiaroli, and from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Sykes.
Two Austinites Sentenced to Federal Prison on Fraud and Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
In Austin today, a federal judge sentenced two Austinites to federal prison for defrauding Dell, Inc. and the Internal Revenue Service, announced United States Attorney John F. Bash, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio, and IRS-Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Andy Tsui, San Antonio.
Senior United States District Judge Sam Sparks sentenced 50-year-old Kelly Burton Nunn and 55-year-old Bryan Dale Wallace to 40 months and 26 months in federal prison, respectively, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Sparks also ordered that Nunn pay $10,888,122 restitution; Wallace, $849,000 restitution--jointly and severally with Nunn.
“Today’s sentencing is a reminder that the Department of Justice takes fraud against the business community very seriously,” stated United States Attorney John F. Bash. “Together with our law-enforcement partners, we will remain steadfast in our efforts to protect the American economy from those who seek to profit from deception and dishonesty.”
In November 2017, Nunn pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of subscribing a false Income Tax Return. Wallace pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge.
According to court records, Kelly Nunn and Bryan Wallace conspired from January 2007 to August 2012 to defraud Nunn’s employer, Dell, Inc. (Dell), by charging Dell for services Dell did not receive or excessive amounts for services that Dell did receive. Nunn and Wallace submitted numerous fraudulent invoices under the business name of Bison Services (Bison) for computer-aided-design services related to management of Dell’s business locations. The defendants admitted that they caused Dell to pay Wallace millions of dollars to which Wallace was not entitled. Wallace subsequently paid over $1 million to Nunn during the course of their scheme.
“The defendants in this case carried out a lengthy scheme of fraud and deception for their own personal gain,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs. “The message today is clear - those who seek to line their pockets by defrauding others will be held accountable.”
On November 8, 2017, Kelly’s wife--47-year-old Tobie R. Nunn--pleaded guilty to the same tax charge as her husband. By pleading guilty, the Nunns admitted that in April 2011, they intentionally filed electronically a fraudulent 2010 Individual Income Tax Return with the IRS that substantially understated their actual income.
Tobie Nunn remains on bond pending sentencing scheduled for 9:00am on February 23, 2018, before Judge Sparks. She faces up to three years in federal prison.
FBI agents and IRS-Criminal Investigation agents investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Alan Buie is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.