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Thursday 1 February 2018
Florida Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years for Attempting to Entice A Minor for SexRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL –U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Eric Bishop (43, Orlando) to 17 years and 5 months in federal prison for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. He pleaded guilty on September 25, 2017.
According to court documents, between June 12 and June 21, 2017, Bishop communicated with an undercover FBI agent who was posing as the grandfather of a five-year-old autistic child. During those communications, Bishop made plans to meet and have sex with the “child.” When arrived to meet with the “child,” he was arrested.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alejandro J. Salicrup.
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 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 locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Felons who Stole Guns Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BOISE – Robby David Haley, 28, of Weiser, Idaho, and, Shawn Michael Hart, 28, of Payette, Idaho, were sentenced in federal court on Tuesday for unlawful possession of firearms, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. U.S. District Judge David C. Nye ordered Haley to serve 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered Hart to serve 54 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Nye also ordered both defendants to pay restitution jointly and severally in the amount of $21,299.
According to court records, in February of last year, Haley and Hart broke into a home in Weiser, Idaho. The homeowner, who was out of state at the time, returned to discover that several items, including seven firearms and ammunition, were stolen. Several weeks later, Hart and Haley were arrested. Haley told police that he and Hart broke into the home, stole property including firearms, and pawned the property for cash. Haley and Hart, both felons, were prohibited from possessing firearms. Both pled guilty in federal court to one count of unlawful possession of firearms.
At his sentencing, Haley promised to work towards an associate degree in computer science while in prison to repay the victim. After the court sentenced Haley, the victim, a retired computer scientist, asked if she could use the restitution money to establish a fund for Haley’s education.
The case was investigated through the combined efforts of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Ontario Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
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, a 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 launches in 2001.
Federal Jury Convicts Knoxville Man and Former Washington State Prosecutor Turned Leader of Sovereign Citizen Movement of Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Following an eight-day trial before the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, Chief U.S. District Court Judge, a jury found Randall Keith Beane, 50, of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Heather Ann Tucci-Jarraf, 45, of Pierce County, Washington, guilty of conspiracy to commit money laundering. The jury also found Beane guilty of six additional counts of wire and bank fraud.
Sentencing is set for Beane on June 12, 2018, and Tucci-Jarraf on June 26, 2018 in U.S. District Court. Tucci-Jarraf faces a sentence of up to 20 years. Beane faces up to 30 years on the charges. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Tucci-Jarraf acted as an unlicensed attorney for Beane in a scheme to defraud United Services Automobile Association (USAA) Bank, of more than 31 million dollars. In court filings, Tucci-Jarraf and Beane claim the government was foreclosed upon and has no jurisdiction over them. The defendants asserted at trial that the United States hides individuals’ secret accounts in the Federal Reserve Bank, a common ideology among sovereign citizen groups. Tucci-Jarraf was a former prosecutor in Pierce County, Washington.
"When wrongdoers attempt to stand behind an anti-government movement to hide or justify fraudulent criminal activity, they will fail. This jury sent the message that the American judicial system will not shield them, and these two defendants now know they will be punished, whether or not they acknowledge the authority of the Court to do so," said U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey.
The United States is also forfeiting a motor home worth over $500,000 that Beane purchased with the proceeds of the bank and wire fraud offenses. The loss to victim USAA bank totaled over $550,000.
Beane was arrested by FBI Special Agents in July 2017 as he attempted to flee in a half-million dollar motor coach purchased with stolen funds. He resisted arrest and fought the agents during the incident. Tucci-Jarraf was arrested in Washington, D.C., after attempting to meet with President Trump at the White House.
“Americans are free to believe as they choose about their government,” said Renae McDermott, special agent in charge of the FBI Knoxville Field Office. “When those beliefs turn into criminal actions, law enforcement must act.”
The FBI’s white collar crime squad and cyber task force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cynthia Davidson and Anne-Marie Svolto represented the United States.
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Federal Judge Sentences Three Men Involved in International Child Pornography RingRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Three men involved in an international online child pornography ring responsible for producing and sharing thousands of images and videos of child pornography were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr., announced R. Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Gregory L. Wiest, Acting Special Agent in Charge of ICE/Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Georgia and the Carolinas and Sheriff Van Duncan of the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
Dane William Anderson, 32, of Candler, N.C., was sentenced to 20 years in prison; Samuel Heineman, IV, 54, of Marietta, Pennsylvania, previously residing in Berlin, Germany, was sentenced to 21 years in prison; and Mark Christopher Klein, 38, of Hugo, Minnesota, was sentenced to 16 years in prison. All three defendants were also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to register as sex offenders after they are released from prison.
“The three men sentenced today were part of a sinister network of online child predators, responsible for producing and amassing child pornography on a scale rarely seen. It took law enforcement nearly a year to shift through and analyze Anderson’s massive collection of disturbing images and videos,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “While this sentence will never repair the trauma suffered by the victims in this case, it does, hopefully, send a message of deterrence to other would-be offenders.”
“This was a heinous child predator conspiracy, crossing international and state borders,” said acting HSI Special Agent Wiest. “Our deepest concern is for the victims of these horrible crimes and we hope today’s sentencing can help them continue on the path of recovery.”
According to court documents and other court records, from 2002 through 2015, the three men were members of a child pornography ring referred to as the “Rippernet,” that produced child pornography through “capping.” Capping is a sophisticated method of producing child pornography by tricking victims, in this case teenage boys, into performing sexually explicit acts in front of webcams, and capturing the video to create new child pornography. Court records show that the defendants induced their young victims by creating false online personas of adolescent girls, specifically developed to be sexually explicit and enticing.
Court records show that law enforcement identified Anderson as an individual responsible for producing images and videos of child pornography, which he traded with others via a peer-to-peer file trading software. According to court records, a forensic analysis of devices seized from Anderson’s home revealed that the defendant possessed more than 17,000 videos and 10,000 images of files depicting the abuse of children. Court records also show that Anderson was the “archivist” of the ring, responsible for collecting and organizing the child pornography in files, and distributing the images and videos to his capper associates.
Court records show that Anderson learned the capping method from Heineman, who was the most prolific producer of child pornography using the capping method. According to court records, Heineman taught Anderson “the art of capping.” In turn, Anderson taught the method to other group members, including Klein. Court records indicate that the combined number of known production victims among the three defendants is over 2,290.
Anderson pleaded guilty to one count of production and one count of possession of child pornography. Heineman and Klein each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to sexually exploit a child. All three defendants are currently in the custody of the United States Marshal pending their designation to a federal Bureau of Prisons facility. All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Murray thanks HSI for leading the investigation. U.S. Attorney Murray also thanks the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice, aimed at combating the growing online sexual exploitation of children. By combining resources, federal, state and local agencies are better able to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue those victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
Elkhart Man Sentenced for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND - The United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, Thomas L. Kirsch II, announced that Donald J. Meachum, age 21, of Elkhart, Indiana was sentenced before District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio for one count of receipt of child pornography.
Meachum was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, from December 2013 to December 2016, Meachum used his cellular phone to download images and videos of child pornography from the internet. Some of these videos or images involved minors under the age of 12.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the St. Joseph County Cybercrimes Unit. This case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Maciejczyk.
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East Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to Time Served for Participating in Counterfeit Currency SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A Pittsburgh-area resident has been sentenced in federal court on his conviction of conspiracy and passing and uttering counterfeit money, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence yesterday on Shad McClelland, 31, of East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Shad McClelland received a sentence of time served and two years of supervised release, of which the first three months he will be on home detention with electronic monitoring.
According to information presented to the court, McClelland conspired and passed counterfeit $100, $50 and $20 FRNs throughout the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Assistant United States Attorney Shardul S. Desai prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the United States Secret Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of McClelland.
East Hartford Man Sentenced to More than 6 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing HeroinRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JOEL GONZALEZ, also known as “Tuti,” 34, of East Hartford, was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello in Hartford to 77 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in November and December 2015, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crime Gang Task Force and Hartford Police made a total of six controlled purchases of heroin from GONZALEZ at 71 Warrenton Avenue and 30-32 Putnam Street in Hartford.
GONZALEZ was arrested on December 16, 2015. On that date, a search of his East Hartford residence revealed 30 bags of heroin and $23,302 in cash; a search of 71 Warrenton Avenue revealed 2,000 bags of heroin and $5,298 in cash, and a search of 30-32 Putnam Street revealed 330 bags of heroin, approximately 30 grams of crack cocaine, approximately 12 grams of cocaine and $2,762 in cash.
GONZALEZ has been detained since his arrest. On May 10, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 100 grams or more of heroin.
The FBI Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson.
Duquesne Woman Admits Passing Counterfeit Bills throughout Western PARead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – An Allegheny County resident pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of conspiracy and passing and uttering counterfeit money, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Destiny S. Dayton, 21, of Duquesne, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on January 31, 2018, to three counts before United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that between May 16, 2015 and June 12, 2015, Dayton conspired and passed counterfeit $100, $50 and $20 Federal Reserve Notes throughout the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for May 31, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 45 years in prison, a fine of $750,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Shardul S. Desai is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Secret Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Dayton.
District Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison on Charges Stemming from Trafficking Four Children for Commercial SexRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Daraya Marshall, 37, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 25 years in prison on four federal charges of sex trafficking of children, one federal count of sexual exploitation of a minor, and one District of Columbia offense of first-degree child sexual abuse.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Marshall pled guilty on Oct. 16, 2017, the day that his trial was scheduled to begin in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He had been charged by the grand jury in a 15-count indictment; the remaining counts were dismissed at sentencing pursuant to the plea agreement. Marshall was sentenced by the Honorable Tanya S. Chutkan. Following his prison term, Marshall will be placed on 15 years of supervised release. By law, he will also be required to register as a sex offender for a minimum period of 25 years. Judge Chutkan also ordered Marshall to pay $21,800 in restitution and an equal amount in a forfeiture money judgment.
According to the government’s evidence, Marshall and his co-defendant, Jarnese Harris, 31, ran a sex trafficking operation out of their apartment in Southeast Washington. At times, Marshall had six or more women and girls prostituting for him, including Ms. Harris. In 2014 and 2015, Marshall separately persuaded four girls - who were ages 14, 15, 15-16, and 17 years old - to prostitute for him by engaging in commercial sexual acts with strangers who responded to ads placed on Backpage.com. These commercial sexual transactions would occur either in Marshall’s apartment, or Marshall or Harris would drive the victims to other locations in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Marshall and Harris took pictures of the girls in sexually provocative poses, and paid for and placed advertisements on Backpage.com.
The victims were vulnerable because of their youth and difficult life circumstances, and Marshall lured them with the promise of independence and a chance to make money. He provided the victims with food and marijuana, let them stay in his apartment, and gave them rides to and from home or school so that they could work for him at night and on weekends. Additionally, Marshall took photos and videos of one of the victims, which depicted child pornography, when the victim was 15 and 16 years old. He also sexually abused one of the victims by engaging in intercourse with her when she was just 14 years old.
Marshall and Harris came to the attention of law enforcement in May 2015, after the mother of the 14-year-old victim reported to police that she learned her daughter, who had run away and been reported missing, was being prostituted by a man living on South Capitol Street. After an initial investigation, Marshall was arrested and charged in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. During the investigation, additional victims and federal charges were identified and Marshall was charged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Marshall has been in custody since his arrest on June 29, 2015.
“Daraya Marshall cold-heartedly exploited four teenage girls, including one who was in the eighth grade, and turned them into prostitutes,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “Time after time, he took advantage of vulnerable victims for his own financial gain. Today’s sentence holds him accountable for his reprehensible actions. This case highlights our commitment to preventing and prosecuting those who engage in human trafficking. “
“Child sex trafficking is a horrible crime that creates a cycle of victimization and must be stopped,” said Assistant Director in Charge Vale. “The FBI is committed to bringing child predators to justice and rescuing children from this heinous exploitation. We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to aggressively prevent and investigate crimes against children.”
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director in Charge Vale, and Chief Newsham expressed appreciation for the work performed by detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Division, and Special Agents and Analysts of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. They also recognized the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Arvind K. Lal, Chief of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section; Assistant U.S. Attorney Chrisellen Kolb; former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Cook; former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marina Stevenson; Victim/Witness Advocates Lezlie Richardson and Veronica Vaughan; Victim/Witness Security Specialists Lesley Slade, Tanya Via, and Wanda Queen; Paralegal Specialists Tiffany Jones and Elena Buruncenco; Litigation Technology Specialist Claudia Gutierrez, and Criminal Investigators John Marsh and Mark Crawford.
Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassidy Kesler Pinegar, Kenya K. Davis, and Jason Park, who prosecuted the case.
Department of Justice Announces Settlement with Z Street over Improper IRS TreatmentRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced that it has entered into a settlement with Z Street, a non-profit corporation dedicated to educating the public about various issues related to Israel and the Middle East, pending approval by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Z Street alleged that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) applied heightened scrutiny to applications for tax-exempt status received from organizations connected in any way to Israel, and applied this policy to Z Street’s application, resulting in delay. The settlement agreement includes an apology from the IRS to Z Street for the delayed processing of the group’s application for tax-exempt status.
“Tax exemption eligibility should be based on whether an organization’s activities fulfill requirements of the law, not a group’s policy positions or the name chosen to reflect those views,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman. “The attorneys at the Department of Justice work hard to ensure that all Americans receive equal treatment under the law. Today’s settlement further illustrates this commitment.”
This is the final settlement in a series of cases brought by groups alleging that their tax-exempt status was delayed by the IRS based on inappropriate criteria, including names and policy positions. The United States District Court for the District of Columbia recently approved settlement agreements in Linchpins of Liberty v. United States and True the Vote v. IRS. In Norcal Tea Patriots v. IRS, the United States agreed to a settlement in this class action lawsuit which is currently pending approval in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. In Freedom Path v. IRS, the United States entered into a settlement resolving a wrongful disclosure claim and dismissing other claims, including allegations of improper IRS targeting. A single regulatory challenge remains following the settlement. Freedom Path lost this challenge at the District Court and the issue is currently on appeal to the Fifth Circuit.
Announcement and quote from Attorney General Jeff Sessions in Linchpins of Liberty v. United States and Norcal Tea Patriots v. IRS can be found here.
Coventry Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – Marcus A. Venson, 29, of Coventry, pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Venson, previously convicted in Rhode Island state court for drug trafficking, was found to be in possession of a loaded firearm at the time of his arrest in May 2017 by Rhode Island State Police following an incident in Newport.
Venson’s guilty plea is announced by United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch; Newport Police Chief Gary T. Silva; Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police; and Mickey Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Project Safe Neighborhoods is a federal, state and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
According to information presented to the Court, during the afternoon of May 26, 2017, the Newport Police Department transmitted a broadcast for law enforcement to be on the lookout for Venson who was in possession of a handgun and who was a passenger in taxi, after allegedly brandishing a firearm earlier in the day. The broadcast provided law enforcement with a detailed description of the cab that it was traveling on Route 138 over the Newport Bridge and possibly heading to Coventry.
Shortly after the police broadcast, North Kingston Police contacted the Rhode Island State Police and advised them that one of their officers observed the cab traveling on Route 4 North passing Exit 6. A Rhode Island State Police Trooper observed the cab traveling on Route 4 North and then exit the highway, at which time Rhode Island State Police Troopers conducted a motor vehicle stop.
A Rhode Island State Police trooper approached the rear of the cab and observed a rear seated passenger that fit the description of the suspect sought by the Newport Police Department. The trooper ordered the suspect out of the cab and to lay face down on the ground. The State Police trooper searched the suspect and seized from him a fully loaded, Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver.
Venson is scheduled to be sentenced on April 19, 2018, by U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. Felon in possession of a firearm is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 10 years in federal prison; 3 years supervised; and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard W. Rose.
The matter was investigated by the Newport Police Department and the Rhode Island State Police, with the assistance of the North Kingstown Police Department, Warwick Police Department and members of the ATF Task Force, including the Special Investigations Unit at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections.
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Couple Pleads Guilty to $2.7 Million Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rockland couple pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to engaging in a scheme to embezzle more than $2.7 million from Bank of America using fraudulent donations to non-profit organizations.
Palestine Ace, a/k/a Pam Ace, 45, a former Senior Vice President of Bank of America’s Global Wealth & Investment Management Division pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, five counts of wire fraud, and 12 counts of bank fraud. Her husband, Jonathan R. Ace, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and one count of engaging in an unlawful monetary transaction. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Palestine Ace for May 16, 2018, and May 17, 2018, for Jonathan Ace.
From approximately October 2010 to April 2015, the couple engaged in an embezzlement and kickback scheme to defraud Bank of America of approximately $2.7 million using fraudulent donations to non-profit organizations. As part of the scheme, Palestine Ace used her position as a Senior Vice President at Bank of America to misappropriate funds from a marketing budget and transfer the money to non-profit organizations. Specifically, Palestine Ace authorized 75 transactions, each under $50,000, to non-profit organizations in Boston and Atlanta. Then, the couple, either directly or indirectly, informed the non-profit organizations that a substantial portion of the donated funds had to be returned in order to ensure that Bank of America would continue to fund the organization. The non-profit organizations either wrote a check to Jonathan Ace or a co-conspirator, or they returned funds to a Bank of America account, to which the couple had access. On various occasions, Jonathan Ace pressured the recipients of the donated funds to return a higher percentage of the funds to him, by using intimidation and threats of public humiliation.
Palestine and Jonathan Ace used a portion of the funds they embezzled from Bank of America to support their lifestyle and pay for personal expenses, including lavish birthday parties and the purchase of a $17,000 Kawasaki motorcycle.
The charges of wire fraud and bank fraud each provide for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of unlawful monetary transaction provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, two years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans; Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and Raymond Moss, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil J. Gallagher of Lelling’s Economic Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Corpus Christi Man Convicted of Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 40-year-old Corpus Christi man has admitted he possessed child pornography, announced U.S. Ryan K. Patrick.
In March 2017, Queensland Police Services in Australia identified a computer discussing child pornography on an Internet website. That computer was later linked to Timothy Traut who was using a profile name of “Horndog.” Traut had posted pictures to that website and made comments about the desire to have sexual intercourse with a child pictured in some of those images.
Agents later executed a search warrant at his residence, at which time they seized various electronic devices. Forensic analysis on those devices revealed more than 850 images and approximately 104 videos child pornography. Many of those videos included images of sexually explicit conduct involving prepubescent girls.
Today, Traut admitted he reviewed and collected child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzalez Ramos accepted the guilty plea today and set sentencing for May 2, 2018. At that time, Traut faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Upon completion of any prison term imposed, Traut also faces a maximum of life on supervised release during which time the court can impose a number of special conditions designed to protect children and prohibit the use of the Internet.
Traut has been and will remain in custody pending his sentencing hearing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugo R. Martinez is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Convicted felon sentenced to 10 years in federal court on ammunition chargeRead the Press Release
Three prior felonies result in an Evansville man sentenced for illegal possession of ammunition
PRESS RELEASE
Evansville –United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced today that an Evansville man was sentenced for possessing ammunition as a convicted felon after being arrested by the Evansville Police Department during a domestic disturbance in 2016. Jason E. Galloway, 40, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition.
“Convicted felons have no right to carry firearms or ammunition in the state of Indiana,” said Minkler. “If someone chooses to willfully violate federal law, they will face serious consequences.”
According to a police report generated by the Evansville Police Department, police were called to the 1100 block of North Main Street on January 21, 2016, on a reported domestic violence incident. When officers arrived, they spoke with Galloway’s former wife who stated Galloway had waived a gun around the house, threatened to shoot her, and assaulted her and her minor daughter. Officers found a stolen .22 caliber revolver in the house and a cylinder loaded with eight rounds of ammunition. Galloway left the home before officers arrived, but officers found him behind a nearby gas station with live ammunition in his pocket and placed him under arrest.
Galloway cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition because he has three felony convictions. The convictions include:
- Manufacturing methamphetamine, Henderson County, Kentucky, in 2000
- Criminal recklessness resulting in serious bodily injury, in Posey County, Indiana, in 2010
- Battery, Vanderburgh County, Indiana, in 2013
This case was investigated by the Evansville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“ATF is committed to combating gun violence in our communities,” said Trevor Velinor, ATF Special Agent in Charge for the Columbus Field Division. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to make Evansville safer for all residents.”
“This should serve as another example to those who wish to create havoc in our community that justice will in turn wreak havoc on their lives,” said Evansville Police Chief Billy Bolin.
According to Assistant United States Attorney Kyle M. Sawa, who is prosecuting this case for the government, Galloway must also pay a $1,000 fine and serve three years of supervised release following his sentence.
In October 2017, United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced a Strategic Plan designed to shape and strengthen the District’s response to its most significant public safety challenges. This prosecution demonstrates the office’s firm commitment to utilize and partner with law enforcement agencies to prosecute individuals engaged firearm violations in the District’s most violent areas. See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan Section 2.2
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Contractor Sentenced to 5 Years Probation for Making False Statements and Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MICHAEL SPEARS, age 53, of New Orleans, was sentenced to five (5) years probation by the Honorable U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman today for making false statements in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001 and theft of government funds in violation of 18 USC § 641.
According to court documents, SPEARS was a contractor for homeowners eligible to receive grants funded by FEMA through the Home Mitigation Grant Program, also known as the HMGP. These grants would allow homeowners to elevate their houses to prevent catastrophic damage from future natural disasters. In 2011 and 2012, each elevation grant from HMGP was worth up to $100,000.00 with contractors and homeowners being entitled to an advanced payment of 80% of the grant prior to a contractor doing any elevation work. The HMGP expected homeowners receiving HMGP grants to commit their $30,000.00 Road Home elevation grant to the total cost of the elevation.
In 2011, SPEARS signed contracts with multiple homeowners in the Eastern District of Louisiana to elevate their homes through the HMGP. For many of these contracts, SPEARS received advanced payments from the HMGP prior to starting the elevation work. For at least two contracts, the homeowners gave him Road Home elevation funds prior to HGMP approving their grants or giving them an advanced payment.
On or about May 5, 2012, SPEARS was placed on a restricted status with the HMGP that prohibited him from getting any advanced payments on new elevation contracts because he was significantly out of compliance with a number of his pending elevation projects. On or about July 20, 2012, in an effort to be removed from his restricted status with the HMGP, SPEARS falsely represented to the program that certain funding recipients had requested that their elevation be delayed when, in truth and in fact, they had not requested a delay. In August 2012, the HMGP removed SPEARS from restricted status on representations from him that he would have the properties completed by the end of 2012.
However, as of 2013, SPEARS had still failed to do any work on at least 3 properties for which he had received $118,000.00 in federal funds, including the two properties for which he had received the Road Home elevation funds as down payment. Despite demands, SPEARS has not returned the funds to the government or the homeowners.
As part of the sentence imposed, SPEARS was ordered to pay $118, 000 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Department of Homeland Security-OIG, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Greenfield was in charge of the prosecution.
Columbia Man Sentenced to 99 Months in Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - David Morris, 57, of Columbia, New Hampshire, was sentenced to serve 99 months in prison for possession of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.
According to court documents and statements in court, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at two residences associated with the defendant on July 20, 2016. A review of various electronic devices found in the residences showed that they contained hundreds of images and videos of child pornography.
Morris pleaded guilty on October 25, 2017. After serving his 99-month sentence, he will be on supervised release for the rest of his life.
“Child pornography offenses are terrible crimes that have, at their core, the abuse of the children depicted in the images,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting children from predators and pornographers. Along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to identify and prosecute those who possess, distribute or produce child pornography in order to protect our children and our community.”
The case was investigated by the New Hampshire Crimes Against Children Task Force in conjunction with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Manchester, as well as the Lincoln, Littleton, and Columbia police departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Seth Aframe and Georgiana Konesky.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Charleston drug dealer sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for opioid and gun crimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for drug and gun crimes, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. A jury previously found Charles York Walker, Jr., 39, guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Walker also pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing heroin and one count of distributing fentanyl. U.S. Attorney Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team, assisted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the West Virginia Regional Jail Authority.
During the trial, witnesses testified that Walker was arrested in Charleston by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team on July 14, 2017. A search warrant was later executed at Walker’s apartment on Washington Street, West, and officers seized Walker’s cell phone and two handguns. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Walker’s cell phone and discovered photos linking Walker to one of the handguns. A witness testified that he saw Walker pistol whip an individual with a .38 revolver, which was the same type of gun as one of the firearms seized from Walker’s apartment. Walker was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because of a 1997 federal drug conviction, a 1998 state conviction for wanton endangerment, and a 2010 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
In addition to the firearms charged in the superseding indictment, Walker was also charged with three counts of distributing drugs. On the first day of trial, Walker pled guilty to the three drug counts, admitting that he sold drugs in Charleston on three separate occasions. He admitted to selling heroin to a confidential informant working with law enforcement on April 14, 2016, on the railroad tracks close to Beuhring Avenue. He also admitted that he sold fentanyl to a confidential informant on June 23, 2016, in a drug deal that began at the KFC on Washington Street, West. Walker additionally admitted that on July 12, 2016, he sold heroin to a confidential informant at the apartment on Washington Street, West.
“Walker is justifiably headed to prison for a long time,” stated U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart. “If you sell illegal drugs or if you violate gun laws, I will do all I can to send you to prison for as long as we possibly can.”
Assistant United States Attorneys Steven I. Loew and Clint Carte are in charge of the prosecution and tried the case before a federal jury. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence and presided over the trial.
This prosecution was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking with existing local programs targeting gun crime. This case is also 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 illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Castle Rock Breast Cancer Charity Promoter Sentenced for Failure to File Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
DENVER – Adam C. Shryock, age 37, of Castle Rock, Colorado, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Michael J. Watanabe on January 25, 2018 to serve 12 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release for willful failure to file a tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer and IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Steven Osborne. Shryock, who pled guilty on April 4, 2017, was also ordered to pay restitution of $430,970 to the Internal Revenue Service.
According to the information and plea agreement, Shryock created a promotional campaign “Boobies Rock Awareness for Breast Cancer” in February, 2011 and subsequently incorporated “Boobies Rock” in California in April, 2011 as its sole owner and operator. Between April, 2011 and June 2013, Boobies Rock!, operating as a for-profit business, held between 3,600 and 4,500 promotional events selling breast cancer awareness merchandise and accepting donations at bars and sporting events throughout the country.
The Boobies Rock merchandise consisted of t-shirts, hoodies, koozies and bracelets. Hiring managers and/or sales representatives accepted cash, checks, and credit card payments at the events. Shryock instructed the money received be deposited into bank accounts controlled by Shryock at two different banks. Proceeds were also mailed or hand delivered to Shryock’s Castle Rock residence.
During the years under investigation over 2,200 cash deposits totaling over $1.8 million were made into Shryock’s accounts. Shryock used some of these funds to support his lifestyle. Based on over $2.4 million in income, Shryock earned operating Boobies Rock and other businesses between 2011 and 2013, along with income Shryock did not report in 2010 while residing in California, the amount of restitution owed to the IRS is $430,970.
“Schemes to conceal and insulate wealth in order to evade income tax, such as those utilized by Shryock do not ‘rock.’ They are unfair to every taxpayer who obeys the law and pays his/her fair share. The public should know that IRS CI will do everything we can to hold individuals accountable ensuring that our tax system is fair to everyone,” Steven Osborne, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Denver Field Office said.
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Martha Paluch.
Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jeremy Jorge, 21, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott S. Allen, Jr., and Wei Xiang, who are handling the case, stated that on at least seven occasions, between December 2016 and September 2017, the defendant sold what he marketed as heroin in exchange for sums of money between $300 and $1,300. A forensic analysis later determined that the substances contained a mixture of various controlled substances including heroin, fentanyl, butyryl fentanyl, furanyl fentanyl, and U-47700. In total, Jorge distributed over 24 grams of fentanyl in the Buffalo community.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 15, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.
Bradenton Man Sentenced to Ten Years for Possessing Methamphetamine with the Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven today sentenced Andrew Aaron Kutt (46, Bradenton) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. He pleaded guilty on November 3, 2017.
According to court documents, during January and February 2017, Kutt sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to an individual inside his residence on multiple occasions. On February 24, 2017, deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Kutt’s residence and recovered various controlled substances, including more than 20 grams of crystal methamphetamine and over 4 grams of a substance containing fentanyl. Kutt admitted that all the drugs found in the home belonged to him.
This case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation entitled “Hot Batch.” The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. The investigation was conducted by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.
Berkeley County man admits to firearm chargeRead the Press Release
MARTISNBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jarius Jovanghn Styles, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearm charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Styles, age 31, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Styles, having previously been convicted of felonies in Virginia, admitted to illegally possessing a Rock Island Armory 10mm pistol. The crime occurred in June 2017 in Berkeley County.
Styles faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara K. Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.Berkeley County man admits to cocaine chargeRead the Press Release
MARTISNBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Martinsburg, West Virginia man has admitted to distributing cocaine, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Michael Jacque Severe, age 33, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Base.” Severe conspired with others to distribute crack cocaine in Berkeley County from April 2015 to February 2017.
Severe faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. 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 Lara K. Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.Beaumont man sentenced to 10 years in prison for kidnapping girls after theft in SulphurRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Beaumont man was sentenced Tuesday to 120 months in prison for kidnapping two girls after stealing the truck they were in.
Henry Dwight Moore, 23, of Beaumont, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey on one count of kidnapping. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release. According to the October 11, 2017 guilty plea, Moore drove a black truck into a Lowe’s parking lot in Sulphur, La., on December 13, 2015. He stole a customer’s purse who had walked away from it to return a shopping cart. A bystander saw Moore take the purse, and the bystander jumped into the back of Moore’s truck as he drove away. The truck’s engine died at one point, and the bystander attempted to confront him. Moore got the engine started again and sped off, leaving the bystander in the truck bed. Eventually Moore stopped and the bystander got out. Moore then continued westbound on Interstate 10 in the rain. He lost control and struck the side of a Toyota Tundra truck. After the accident, Moore’s truck died again, and he and the Tundra pulled over to the side of the road. After the Tundra owner exited the truck and walked to the passenger side to inspect the damage, Moore jumped into the driver’s seat and drove off. Inside the Tundra truck were the owner’s daughters ages 5 and 7. Moore told the girls he was going to drop them off at a police station but instead abandoned the car and the girls on the side of the road in Orange, Texas. The oldest girl located her father’s cell phone and called 911 for help.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog prosecuted the case.
Aggravated Felon Found to Be Back Illegally in the United States Sentenced to Four Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Rene Rolando Ceron-Flores (39, El Salvador) to four years in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported. He pleaded guilty on October 31, 2017.
According to court documents, Ceron-Flores, an alien of the United States, was convicted of criminal sexual abuse of a minor in July 2014 and was deported in October 2014. In September 2017, Ceron-Flores was found to be voluntarily back in the United States illegally.
This case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean P. Shecter.
4 Individuals Indicted for Trafficking Methamphetamine and MarihuanaRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, PR – On January 31, 2018, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment against four individuals as a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation led by the U.S Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, DEA and the Puerto Rico Police Department, announced today United States Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. The defendants are charged in a three-count indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and the use of mail to distribute controlled substances.
The indictment alleges that beginning in the year 2015, the defendants conspired to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine in Puerto Rico for significant financial gain. U.S Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, DEA San Juan Tactical Division Squad, and PRPD, started an investigation into a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) responsible for shipping crystal meth (also known as “ice”) and marihuana from the state of California to Puerto Rico via the United States Postal Service (USPS) with the assistance of two postal employees.
The defendants are:
1. José Chávez, a.k.a. “El Mejicano/El Ingeniero”- sent the drugs from California to Puerto Rico
2. Pedro Rodríguez Valentin- USPS employee
3. Julio Valenzuela Morel- facilitator
4. Josué Torres Colón- USPS employee
According to the indictment, the defendants mailed the packaged methamphetamine and/or marihuana to Puerto Rico from United States Post Offices in California. They had the methamphetamine and/or marihuana laden boxes have specific existing addresses on the postal employee’s delivery route, so that he could take control of the package to deliver to co-conspirators. The defendants and co-conspirators held meetings in Puerto Rico or Florida to discuss the distribution of controlled substances and communicated via text or phone regarding the shipments of controlled substances to Puerto Rico and its distribution. They used Well Fargo and Banco Popular accounts to pay co-conspirators for the shipments of methamphetamine.
“The US Attorney’s Office will continue to vigorously pursue the criminal prosecution of U.S. Postal Service employees and others who would defraud the U.S. Postal Service or utilize its services in their criminal schemes,” said United States Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. “We are committed to dismantling and removing the threat posed by these criminal organizations flooding our communities with dangerous narcotics.”
Eileen Neff, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office stated: “The U.S Postal Service, Office of Inspector General will utilize every resource available, to include our strong law enforcement partnerships, to prevent USPS employees from abusing positions of public trust by assisting with the trafficking of methamphetamine, as alleged in this case. This type of destructive and dangerous scheme will not be tolerated. We greatly appreciate the support of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Puerto Rico Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this matter.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Montes under the supervision of Julia Díaz-Rex, Deputy Chief for International Narcotics Unit. If convicted, the defendants could face a minimum penalty of 10 years up to life imprisonment and/or fines of up to $10,000,000. Indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). This multi-agency task force investigates and dismantles major drug trafficking organizations responsible for the movement of multi-kilogram quantities of narcotics as well as the gang violence that accompanies drug trafficking.
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2017 Year in Review:Read the Press Release
• 144 cases filed involving members/associates of gangs in Utah
• 204 Project Safe Neighborhoods cases filed – the majority targeting felons with guns
• 41 indictments returned in child exploitation cases
• 41 robbery cases indicted, including 29 bank robbery cases
• 300 cases filed charging illegal re-entry into the countrySALT LAKE CITY -- Efforts to capitalize on existing law enforcement partnerships and re-invigorate successful programs already in place to reduce violent crime and make communities safer for everyone are well under way in Utah.
“As the United States Attorney in Utah, I use my position to ensure that the efforts aimed at reducing violent crime in our state are working toward the same goal without duplicating efforts. We are promoting collaboration between federal, state, local and tribal agencies, existing task forces, and other stakeholders to prioritize efforts to reduce violent crime in our neighborhoods,” U.S. Attorney John W. Huber said today.
“We look to identify the offenders who are responsible for violent crime in Utah neighborhoods. The cases we filed last year are representative of those efforts,” Huber said. “My partners and I will build on the momentum we established last year with targeted and prioritized enforcement efforts. Our primary goal is to reverse recent trends and reduce violent crime in Utah, where every resident deserves to live and thrive in a safe neighborhood. The recent spate of violence on the west side of Salt Lake County – likely gang related – brings into focus the urgency of our combined efforts.”
Transitioning into 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is focused on enhancing and expanding Utah Project Safe Neighborhoods, an initiative targeting violations of federal firearms laws, to include other areas of violent crime such as gang activity, drug distribution, organized crime, domestic violence and robberies.
Utah is fortunate to have well-established working relationships between law enforcement agencies at the local, state, and federal levels, Huber said. “Our law enforcement officers and agents in Utah are skilled at helping us identify the most violent offenders in a community.”
Case examples:
Gangs
- Operation Rio Grande case – US v Jose Rodriguez, aka King Kong: A grand jury returned a six-count indictment in December charging Jose Rodriguez, aka King Kong, with drug and firearms violations. The two incidents that make up the indictment come from investigations done by Salt Lake City police officers working as a part of Operation Rio Grande. Rodriguez is charged with distribution of heroin, distribution of cocaine base, carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime and felon in possession of a firearm for the first incident in late September. He also faces distribution of heroin and felon in possession of a firearm in connection with an October incident. Rodriguez, age 35, a Mexican national living in Salt Lake City, faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each of the drug distribution counts and up to 10 years for each of the felon in possession counts. Carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense has a mandatory five-year sentence which would run consecutive to any other sentence imposed. Indictments are not findings of guilt. Individuals charged in indictments are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in court. A five-day jury trial has been set for March 5, 2018, before U.S. District Judge Robert J. Shelby. Rodriguez, who has entered not guilty pleas to the charges, will remain in custody pending the resolution of this case. U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul M. Warner found him to be a danger to the community and a risk of non-appearance at a detention hearing.
Salt Lake City police officers are investigating the case.
Robberies
- 112-month sentence for serial bank robber: Bret Michael Edmunds, age 41, of Salt Lake City, was charged with seven counts of bank robbery in an indictment returned May 3, 2017. As a part of a plea agreement in October 207, he admitted to a March 28, 2017, robbery of Zions Bank in Draper and an April 3, 2017, robbery of Utah First Credit Union in Provo. In both cases, Edmunds told the teller he had a gun. Edmunds is serving 112 months in federal prison for the convictions. He was ordered to pay $8,977 in restitution to the victim banks.
The FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force, which includes officers from the Salt Lake City Police Department and the Unified Police Department, investigated the case. Local police agencies in Salt Lake and Utah counties also assisted with responses to the robberies.
Firearms
- Criminal career spanning a decade: Jonathan Fernando Chavez, age 31, of Logan, Utah, was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison Nov. 9, 2017, after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition following a felony conviction. U.S. District Judge Robert J. Shelby issued the sentence. Chavez was charged with felon in possession of a firearm and associated ammunition and possession of a sawed off shotgun in April 2017. In a sentencing memorandum, a federal prosecutor told the Court that Chavez’ criminal career – which spans more than a decade – includes a drug charges, escape from custody, and aggravated burglary. “The defendant’s criminal history score does not tell everything about his troubling characteristics, particularly his gang affiliation,” the prosecutor told the Court. “An examination of the defendant’s criminal history suggests that the only apparent periods of non-criminality in the life of the defendant occur, for the most part, when he is in custody. The defendant’s criminal history and characteristics are as disturbing as they are diverse,” the prosecutor wrote in the memorandum
The Cache County Sheriff’s Office and special agents of the ATF investigated the case. Utah AP&P also contributed to the case.
- Assault on a federal officer: Jarvis Charlie Cuch, age 28, of Ft. Duchesne, will be sentenced in February after pleading guilty in December to assault on a federal officer and possession of a firearm after a felony conviction in U.S. District Court Monday afternoon. The plea agreement includes a stipulated 12-year sentence, subject to the Court’s approval. As a part of stipulated facts included in the plea agreement, Cuch admitted that on Dec. 18, 2016, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) police officers working in Ft. Duchesne attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a vehicle he was driving. Cuch fled from the BIA officers. As the officers continued their pursuit, Cuch admitted he reached out of the vehicle window and fired two rounds from a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, according to the plea agreement. The pursuit went from Ft. Duchesne through Vernal City. Vernal City police officers and Uintah County Sheriff’s Office deputies assisted the BIA in apprehending Cuch after his tires were spiked and his car came to a stop in Vernal. Cuch was on escape status with federal authorities when the crimes occurred. Cuch was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in March 2017.
Special agents of the FBI investigated the case. Vernal police officers and Uintah County Sheriff’s Office deputies assisted in stopping Cuch’s car and his bringing him into custody.
Child Exploitation
- 27 ½ years in prison, lifetime supervision: Donald Ray Fritcher, age 36, of Salt Lake City, is serving 27 ½ years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of child pornography. He was sentenced in July 2017. Fritcher will be on supervised release for life when he finishes his federal prison sentence. Fritcher admitted that between about July 1, 2015, and April 2016, he shared, through a file sharing program, images and videos of child pornography. These images included depictions of prepubescent and minor children posing in various stages of undress and in sexually explicit poses. He further stipulated that the images also depicted the sexual abuse of minor children. Fritcher had more than 600 images and videos in his possession. Included in the pictures Fritcher took were images of two minor victims. Fritcher, a registered sex offender in Utah, has two previous state convictions for attempted sex abuse of a child. According to the indictment filed in the case, the pictures of the two minors were taken after his convictions in state court.
Federal authorities arrested Fritcher in Utah in May 2016. His arrest followed an investigation conducted by special agents of Homeland Security Investigations in Salt Lake City and Philadelphia working in collaboration with an investigator with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The special agents of Homeland Security Investigations in Utah are members of the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force.
- Second case from Dr. Ward investigation: Robert Edwin Francis, age 41, of Lehi, Utah, will serve 144 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to receipt of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Dee Benson imposed the sentence Jan. 22, 2018. Francis was charged with production, receipt, and possession of child pornography in an indictment returned in August 2017. Francis admitted he engaged in sexually explicit conduct involving children via an on-line social network and that he possessed at least 150 but fewer than 300 images of child pornography.
Special agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Davis County Sheriff’s Office, and the Utah ICAC Task Force are investigating these cases.
- Change of plea hearing set in Dr. Ward case: A change of plea hearing for Dr. Nathan Clark Ward has been scheduled for March 5, 2018, at 3 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Dee Benson.
Immigration
- Four deportations – four DUIs: Oscar Antonio Lara-Garcia was charged in September 2017 with illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien. (There are 14 versions of his name – also known as -- on his plea agreement document.) Lara-Garcia has been removed from the United States four times. He has four DUI convictions and two prior possession of controlled substances convictions. Lara-Garcia pleaded guilty to illegally re-entering the country in November 2017. He faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced Feb. 5, 2018.
- Firearms and drug distribution: Mario Roman-Cornello was charged with illegal re-entry, alien in possession of a firearm, possession of an unregistered sawed off shotgun, and possession with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin in September 2017. He was selling heroin and had agreed to facilitate the sale of the sawed off shotgun and possibly other firearms at the time of his arrest. He pleaded guilty in January to possessing a firearm while illegally present in the country and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Roman-Cornello faces a minimum mandatory five years in prison with a maximum of 40 years when he is sentenced in March.
- Operation Rio Grande case – US v Jose Rodriguez, aka King Kong: A grand jury returned a six-count indictment in December charging Jose Rodriguez, aka King Kong, with drug and firearms violations. The two incidents that make up the indictment come from investigations done by Salt Lake City police officers working as a part of Operation Rio Grande. Rodriguez is charged with distribution of heroin, distribution of cocaine base, carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime and felon in possession of a firearm for the first incident in late September. He also faces distribution of heroin and felon in possession of a firearm in connection with an October incident. Rodriguez, age 35, a Mexican national living in Salt Lake City, faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each of the drug distribution counts and up to 10 years for each of the felon in possession counts. Carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense has a mandatory five-year sentence which would run consecutive to any other sentence imposed. Indictments are not findings of guilt. Individuals charged in indictments are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in court. A five-day jury trial has been set for March 5, 2018, before U.S. District Judge Robert J. Shelby. Rodriguez, who has entered not guilty pleas to the charges, will remain in custody pending the resolution of this case. U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul M. Warner found him to be a danger to the community and a risk of non-appearance at a detention hearing.
Wednesday 31 January 2018
Worcester Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to fraud and identity theft charges arising from unlawfully using the identity of a disabled Medicare beneficiary for 17 years.
Jose Agosto, 51, pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud, four counts of misusing a Social Security number, three counts of making false statements relating to health care services, and five counts of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for April 25, 2018. Agosto was charged on Aug. 9, 2017, and has been in custody since.
Agosto admitted that he began living under the name of another individual in order to avoid the consequences of an arrest warrant, and that he used the victim’s name and other personal identifying information to obtain replacement Social Security cards, driver’s licenses and bank accounts. Agosto also admitted to seeking medical treatment under the victim’s name and that doing so caused medical providers to submit more than $148,000 in claims to Medicare, despite the fact that Agosto was not a Medicare beneficiary. In addition, Agosto executed promissory notes under the victim’s name and then defaulted on those notes. Agosto acknowledged that by using the victim’s identity, Agosto threatened the victim’s continued receipt of Social Security and Medicare benefits as well as the victim’s credit rating.
Furthermore, Agosto admitted to leaving threatening voice mails in an effort to intimidate the victim and his family. In these voice mails, Agosto threatened to kill various members of the victim’s family and warned of a “massacre.” One such statement made by Agosto was: “I’m going to start killing all of your family one-by-one. I’ll start killing your mother, I’ll kill your sister, and then the last one’s going to be you.”
Each wire fraud count provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. The charges of Social Security fraud and making false statements provide for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Philip Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations; and Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Regional Office, made the announcement today. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and the Massachusetts Bureau of Special Investigations provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Woman Charged with Smuggling Cash Across the BorderRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Liliya Dzyuba, 42, of North York, Ontario, Canada, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with bulk cash smuggling. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on January 25, 2018, Customs and Border Protection officers encountered the defendant at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry coming into the United States from Canada. Dzyuba indicated that she was coming to Buffalo and staying for a few days to go shopping at the Eastern Hills Mall. When asked how much money she was traveling with, the defendant responded “$5,000.00.” Dzyuba was given a Customs Declaration form and checked “no” when asked if she was carrying “currency or monetary instruments over $10,000 U.S. or Foreign equivalent.” The defendant declared a total of $5,000 and signed the form.
However, during subsequent searches, officers discovered that Dzyuba was carrying $37,000.00 in U.S. Currency around her waist and hidden in her pants. She also had a list of names and money wire transfer locations in the Buffalo, NY area.
The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and bail was set at $5,000 cash. The government requested that Judge McCarthy stay his release order. The release order was stayed and another appearance is scheduled for February 1, 2018, at 11:00 a.m.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Washington Man Sentenced to over 5 Years in Prison for Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – Eric David Fletcher, a 36-year-old resident of Washougal, Washington, was sentenced today to 66 months in prison followed by 5 years supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen handed down the sentence.
On December 12, 2014, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation (“MTDCI”) completed a controlled drug purchase wherein a Confidential Source (“CHS”) purchased approximately three ounces of methamphetamine for $3,300.00 from Judy Collins and her supplier/son, Eric Fletcher. They met at the La Quinta Inn in Butte, Montana to do the transaction. The CHS and Fletcher discussed future purchases of approximately a half-pound of methamphetamine and discussed meeting halfway between Butte and Washington for the transaction. Fletcher also stated that he would normally pick up at least a half-pound on a regular basis and bring it over to Butte for resale. That methamphetamine was later sent to the DEA Western Regional Laboratory. Analysis of the drug evidence revealed 81.4 grams of actual methamphetamine with a purity of 97.8%.
On January 24, 2015, the FBI and MTDCI used the same CHS to communicate with Fletcher. They learned that Fletcher was on his way from Washington to Montana with a drug load. The CHS advised investigators that Fletcher would be soon arriving in Saint Regis, Montana. Investigators saw Fletcher’s vehicle exit the highway and enter the Motel 6 parking lot. Officers conducted a traffic stop of Fletcher’s car. As officers patted Fletcher down for weapons/officer safety they discovered a plastic baggie containing suspected heroin. A search warrant for Fletcher’s vehicle was obtained and executed by officers. The search resulted in officers finding a .22 caliber pistol, ten rounds of .22 caliber ammunition, a digital scale, and a plastic baggie containing suspected methamphetamine. The suspected methamphetamine found in Fletcher’s car was later sent to the DEA Western Regional Laboratory for testing and revealed that there was 108.5 grams of methamphetamine with a purity of 98.2%. After the traffic stop, Fletcher waived his rights and agreed to talk with investigators. He admitted his role in the drug conspiracy. He told investigators that he had made approximately 12 to 18 trips from Washington to Montana beginning in September or October of 2014 and that he had distributed between three and eight ounces each time he made the trip. Fletcher further told investigators that he still owed his source of supply in Washington money because of methamphetamine that had been fronted to him.
Fletcher’s co-conspirator Judy Collins previously pled guilty to drug trafficking on August 10, 2016, and was sentenced to 72 months in prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan R. Whittaker and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement to identify those responsible for significant violent crime in Montana. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a recently reinvigorated Department of Justice program that has proven to be successful in reducing violent crime. Today’s sentencing is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program.
U.S. Attorney announces office changesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, Byung J. “BJay” Pak, has announced leadership changes designed to address Department of Justice priorities, critical issues in the district, and the vision for the priorities of this Office, to enhance the mission of the office, and better serve the citizens of this district.
“As the U.S. Attorney I am grateful for the opportunity to lead an office with so many talented and dedicated professionals,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “It is my sincere belief that these changes will energize the office and help us focus on the matters that are the most impactful to the citizens of our district.”
These changes became effective on January 16, 2018. The Assistant U.S. Attorney (“AUSA”) and administrative leadership announcements are as follows:
- First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kurt Erskine will continue to serve in his current position.
- AUSA Gentry Shelnutt will become the Deputy U.S. Attorney.
- AUSA Yonette Buchanan is the new Criminal Division Chief. AUSAs Glenn Baker and Jill Steinberg are the new Deputy Criminal Division Chiefs.
- AUSA Lori Beranek is the new Chief of our Civil Division. Additionally, AUSAs Neeli Ben-David and Darcy Coty will serve as Deputy Civil Division Chiefs.
- AUSA Larry Sommerfeld is our new Appeals & Legal Advice Division Chief.
- Greg Marshall will continue to serve in his current position as our Administrative Officer.
- AUSA Richard Moultrie is the new Chief of the Violent Crime & National Security Section (VCNS). AUSAs Katherine Hoffer and Ryan Buchannan will serve as Deputy Chiefs of the VCNS Section.
- AUSA Kim Dammers is the new Chief of our new Organized Crime & Gang Section, and AUSA Mike Herskowitz will serve as the Deputy Chief.
- AUSA Beth Hathaway will continue to serve as Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section. AUSAs Lisa Tarvin and Brock Brockington will continue their service as Deputy Chiefs of this section.
- AUSA Doug Gilfillan has been selected to serve as the Chief of the Cyber & Intellectual Property Section. AUSAs Nathan Kitchens and Kamal Ghali will serve as the Deputy Chiefs of C&IPS.
- AUSA Steve McClain has been selected as the new Chief of the Complex Frauds Section. AUSAs Jeffrey Brown and Chris Huber will serve as the Deputy Chiefs of the section.
- AUSA Jeffrey Davis is the new Chief of the Public Integrity and Special Matters Section. AUSA Brent Gray will serve as the Deputy Chief of this section.
- AUSA William Toliver is the Chief the new General Crimes Section.
- AUSA Dahil Goss will continue to as the Chief of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section (AFML). AUSA Michael Brown will serve as the Deputy Chief.
- AUSA Tommy Krepp is the new Chief of our Data Analytics Unit in the Criminal Division.
- AUSA Randy Chartash is the new lead criminal division attorney for our Health Care Fraud Unit.
- AUSA Lena Amati is the new lead civil division attorney for our Health Care Fraud Unit.
- AUSA Tom Devlin will continue in his role as Senior Trial Counsel.
- AUSA Charysse Alexander is also transitioning to a Senior Litigation Counsel.
- AUSA Bill McKinnon, a Senior Litigation Counsel who serves as our Gainesville Division Coordinator, will continue in his leadership role in Gainesville.
- In addition to her role as a Deputy Chief of the VCNS section, AUSA Katherine Hoffer will be the new Rome Division Coordinator.
- AUSA Angela Munson will serve as our Newnan Division Coordinator.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Two charged with illegally reentering U.S. after deportationRead the Press Release
Two people were indicted in federal court for illegally reentering the United States, U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said.
Jose Guillermo Uribe Perez, 30, a citizen of Mexico, was found in Austintown in December 2017 after having been previously deported to Mexico, according to the indictment.
Timateo Calel-Herrera, 32, a citizen of Guatemala, was found in Dover on Jan. 22 after having been previously deported three times to Guatemala, according to the indictment.
Assistant United States Attorney Brad J. Beeson is prosecuting the cases following investigations by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial, in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two Riviera Beach Men Sentenced for Stealing Sea Turtle EggsRead the Press Release
Two Riviera Beach men were sentenced to prison for stealing sea turtle eggs from a St. Lucie County beach.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Andrew Aloise, Resident Agent in Charge Florida, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and Major Olin Rondeau, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Southern Region, made the announcement.
Carl Lawrence Cobb, 60, of Riviera Beach, was convicted of two counts of transporting sea turtle eggs for the purpose of sale, in violation of the Lacey Act, Title 16, United States Code, Sections 3372(a)(1) and 3373(d)(1)(B). U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra sentenced Cobb to 7 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $227 in restitution to the State of Florida.
Raymond Saunders, 50, also of Riviera Beach, was convicted of one count of transporting sea turtle eggs for the purpose of sale, in violation of the Lacey Act, Title 16, United States Code, Sections 3372(a)(1) and 3373(d)(1)(B). Judge Marra sentenced him to 7 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, and ordered him to pay restitution in the amount of $227 to the State of Florida.
According to the court record, on May 5, 2017, a concerned citizen reported to the FWC that a man was disturbing sea turtle nests on North Hutchinson Island. A law enforcement investigation revealed that Cobb had removed over 200 eggs from two sea turtle nests. On May 24, 2017, law enforcement officials observed Cobb and Saunders remove approximately 469 sea turtle eggs from nests on North Hutchinson Island. Cobb and Saunders were arrested as they were transporting the eggs to Palm Beach County. The recovered eggs were relocated by marine biologists in the hope that some of them will yield hatchlings.
Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of USFWS and the FWC. This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Butler.
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.
Tucson Man Sentenced to over 8 Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On January 29, 2018, Taylor Ray Freeman, 28, of Tucson, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James A. Soto to serve 97 months in prison. Freeman had previously pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. Freeman’s term of imprisonment will be followed by lifetime supervised release, with stringent sex offender conditions, including the condition that he register as a sex offender.
Until his arrest, Freeman was employed as a live-in “house parent” by a charitable organization that houses at-risk children. An investigation revealed that Freeman had been distributing sexually explicit images of children online, and seeking to trade for new images. After Freeman’s arrest, authorities found more than 440 images and videos depicting child sex abuse from his cellphone, along with non-pornographic images of some of the children in his care.
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, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The investigation in this case was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Tucson. Carin C. Duryee, District of Arizona, and Tucson handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-00194-TUC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-009_Freeman
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Three KC Men Indicted for Kidnapping, MurderRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that three Kansas City, Mo., men have been indicted for the kidnapping and murder of a victim they were attempting to rob.
Jonathan M. Bravo-Lopez (also known as “Jonathan Vravo,” and “Shadow”), 23, and Juan D. Osorio (also known as “Spexx”), 24, both of whom are citizens of Mexico residing in Kansas City, Mo., and Marco A. Sosa-Perea, 23, of Kansas City, Mo., were charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018.
Bravo-Lopez, Osorio and Sosa-Perea are charged together with one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, one count of kidnapping resulting in death and one count of using a firearm to commit murder. The federal indictment alleges that they conspired to kidnap and attempted to rob a victim identified as “C.E.”, transporting him across state lines from Missouri to Kansas, on April 3, 2017.
According to the indictment, Bravo-Lopez and Osorio arranged to purchase $300 of marijuana from the victim; they traveled with Sosa-Perea to the victim’s residence on April 3, 2017. Bravo-Lopez and Osorio, armed with firearms, allegedly forced the victim into their vehicle and drove to Kansas. When they reached the 200 block of Donovan Road in Kansas City, Kan., the indictment says, the victim was forced out of the car, shot, and left to die on the side of the road.
Additionally, Osorio is charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Osorio allegedly was in possession of an Action Arms .45-caliber handgun on April 7, 2017.
Bravo-Lopez is also charged with illegally reentering the United States after having been deported.
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 Patrick C. Edwards. It was investigated by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department.
Southbury Man Who Detonated Pipe Bomb Sentenced to 57 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRIAN FLUMAN, 34, of Southbury, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello in Hartford to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing and detonating a pipe bomb.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 15, 2017, FLUMAN detonated a pipe bomb, which he had built, in the vicinity of Upper Grassy Hill Road in Woodbury.
On June 8, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of FLUMAN’s Southbury residence and seized three pipes with end caps, Pyrodex, a fuse, an electric blasting cap, and a semi-automatic rifle.
FLUMAN’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for larceny, burglary and narcotics possession.
FLUMAN has been detained since his arrest on July 26, 2017. On November 15, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a destructive device by a convicted felon.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police and Woodbury Resident Trooper’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacabed Rodriguez-Coss.
Social Security Administration Employee Found Guilty of Conspiring to Commit Immigration Fraud and Falsifying Government RecordsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A claims representative for the Social Security Administration in Sacramento, was found guilty today in federal court for conspiring to commit immigration fraud and falsifying government records, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
After four days of trial, a jury convicted Nelli Kesoyan, 45, of Rancho Cordova, of one count of conspiring to make false statements in a matter related to naturalization and citizenship and to obstruct, impede, or influence a pending agency proceeding, and one count of falsifying government records. The trial was held before U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr.
According to evidence presented at trial, in January 2014, Kesoyan conspired with others to make false statements in Vanik Movsesyan’s application for naturalization, submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Kesoyan’s co-conspirators included her husband, Grigor Kesoyan and Movsesyan, both of whom pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy.
Kesoyan and her co-conspirators agreed to make false statements under oath to USCIS regarding Movsesyan’s residence. Kesoyan used her position with SSA to repeatedly access Movsesyan’s SSA file and create fraudulent letters to support Movsesyan’s naturalization application. When a USCIS immigration officer continued to question whether Movsesyan actually lived in Sacramento (in fact he lived in Burbank, California), the conspirators began creating and submitting additional false documents to support the lies. Kesoyan again used her job at SSA to, access Movsesyan’s SSA file and create yet another fraudulent letter in September 2014, submitted in support of the lies to USCIS. Kesoyan also had another individual, who could not read or write in English, notarize an affidavit written in English that claimed Movsesyan lived at his house in Sacramento; this affidavit was also submitted to USCIS.
As the evidence at trial showed, Kesoyan engaged in additional misconduct. When USCIS’s Fraud Detection and National Security officers conducted a November 17, 2014, site visit at Movsesyan’s purported Sacramento residence, Kesoyan got on the phone with the actual resident and directed him to lie to USCIS officers. Concerned that the resident was not saying what he was supposed to say, Kesoyan also sent her husband, Grigor Kesoyan, and another individual to the residence to make statements to USCIS officers.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nirav K. Desai and Jeremy J. Kelley are prosecuting the case.
After the verdict, Kesoyan was taken into custody. Movsesyan and Grigor Kesoyan previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy. On March 3, 2017, Grigor Kesoyan was sentenced to time served and two years of supervised release.
Nelli Kesoyan and Movsesyan are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Burrell on April 27, 2018. Kesoyan faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Seven Aliens Indicted on Illegal Reentry Charges, False Representation of a Social Security Account Number, False Claim of United States Citizenship with Intent to Engage Unlawfully in Employment, and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned indictments charging VALENTIN GARCIA-CRUZ, age 21, of Mexico, JUAN ALVAREZ-GUTIERREZ, age 39, of Mexico, ANA ROSA FERNANDEZ, age 53, of Honduras, JUAN LOPEZ-RODRIGUEZ, age 42, of Mexico, and MARCIO SANTOS-PORTILLO, age 44, of Honduras, with Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien.
Additionally, a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned an indictment charging JOSE NOEL IZAGUIRRE-INESTROZA, age 42, of Honduras, and WILSON ABAD INESTROZA, age 37, of Honduras, with False Representation of a Social Security Account Number, False Representation of United States Citizenship with Intent to Engage Unlawfully in Employment in the United States, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien.
If convicted of Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien, GARCIA-CRUZ, found in Wake County, ALVAREZ-GUTIERREZ, found in New Hanover County, and LOPEZ-RODRIGUEZ, found in Wake County, would face maximum penalties of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
SANTOS-PORTILLO, found in New Hanover County, is alleged to have been previously deported subsequent to a felony conviction (evading arrest). If convicted, he would face maximum penalties of ten years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
FERNANDEZ, found in Onslow County, is alleged to have been previously deported subsequent to an aggravated felony conviction (conspiracy to manufacture marijuana). If convicted she would face maximum penalties of twenty years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
If convicted of False Representation of a Social Security Account Number, False Representation of United States Citizenship with Intent to Engage Unlawfully in Employment in the United States, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien, IZAGUIRRE-INESTROZA, found in Sampson County, and INESTROZA, found in Sampson County, would face maximum penalties of twelve years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The cases are being investigated by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations.
Rhode Island Man Sentenced to 90 Months for Robbing Banks in Connecticut and MassachusettsRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ROBERT CHADRONET, 41, formerly of East Providence, R.I., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 90 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for committing three bank robberies in 2015, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release following a previous federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, CHADRONET used force, violence and intimidation to rob approximately $1,000 from a branch of TD Bank located at 1003 West Main Street in Branford, Conn., on July 27, 2015; approximately $2,329 from a branch of Citizens Bank located at 1187 Boston Post Road in Westbrook, Conn., on August 27, 2015, and approximately $697 from a branch of Citizen’s Bank located at 2991 Cranberry Highway in Wareham, Mass., on September 9, 2015.
At the time of this criminal conduct, CHADRONET was on federal supervised release for a prior bank robbery conviction in the District of Rhode Island.
On October 4, 2016, CHADRONET pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of bank robbery.
CHADRONET has been detained since September 10, 2015, when he was arrested on state charges related to a bank robbery that occurred in Milford, Connecticut, on August 18, 2015. CHADRONET pleaded guilty in state court for the Milford robbery and was sentenced to 10 years of incarceration.
Judge Bryant ordered CHADRONET to pay $4,026 in restitution.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police, Branford Police Department, Milford Police Department and Wareham (Mass.) Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.
Rensselaer Man Charged with Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Darrell Chapman, also known as “Bishop” and “Sly Foxx,” age 37, of Rensselaer, New York, was indicted today for narcotics and firearms offenses.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith, New York State Police Superintendent George P. Beach II, and Vadim D. Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
A four-count superseding indictment charges Chapman with conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 100 grams or more of heroin, from approximately November 2016 until October 18, 2017; possession with intent to distribute the same quantities of cocaine and heroin; possession of four handguns and two rifles in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possession of firearms by a convicted felon. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted of one of the drug offenses, Chapman faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $8 million, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 8 years and up to life. Chapman also faces a consecutive sentence of 5 years in prison if convicted of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Chapman previously appeared before United States Magistrate Judge F. Christian Hummel in Albany, and was detained pending trial.
This case is being investigated by the New York State Police and the FBI, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus P.W. Rieck.
Renewal Resident Charged with EscapeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - An Allegheny County resident has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of escape, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count indictment, returned on January 30, 2018, named Derek Webb, 53, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
According to the indictment, on June 26, 2017, the defendant escaped from the Renewal, Inc. Residential Reentry Center, where he had been confined pursuant to a judgment order of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Marshals Service conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Putnam County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of A 12-Year-Old Girl in 2003Read the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JOHN ASMODEO, 34, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for engaging in, and videotaping, sexual activity with a minor in the fall of 2003. ASMODEO pled guilty on October 23, 2017, before U.S. District Judge Vincent Briccetti, who also imposed today’s sentence.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “This case underlines the urgent need for law enforcement to continue its efforts to protect children from those who prey on them. We will continue to use every tool available to law enforcement to prosecute and punish those who sexually exploit children.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings:
In the fall of 2003, when ASMODEO was 20, he engaged in sexual intercourse with a then 12 year-old girl (“Victim-1”) and he used a camera to record the sexual activity. He took photographs of Victim-1 as well as videos of the sexual intercourse. The camera used to create the video files was a Fujifilm Finepix 3800, a camera manufactured in Japan.
Later, ASMODEO copied the video files of Victim-1 onto a compact disk he labeled “Girls.” He gave that “Girls” disk to a third party in 2005. In 2016, that third party provided the “Girls” disk to law enforcement.
In or about April 2014, ASMODEO’S residence in Putnam County came to the attention of Homeland Security Investigations because it appeared that an Internet Protocol address connected to that residence was making child pornography available via a peer-to-peer file sharing network. A search warrant was executed, resulting in the seizure of numerous computers. The forensic examination of these items revealed thousands of sexually explicit images of prepubescent children. The examination also revealed that, on various dates in 2013, ASMODEO used a hidden camera to videotape a 10-year-old girl undressing in his bathroom.
In announcing the sentence, Judge Briccetti underscored that the defendant’s conduct was “appalling” and “extraordinarily harmful to the victim.”
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In addition to the prison term, ASMODEO, 34, of Carmel, New York, was sentenced to 10 years of supervised release.
Mr. Berman praised the efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Carmel Police Department, and the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office in connection with this investigation.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Marcia S. Cohen and Lauren Schorr are in charge of the prosecution.
Pittsburgh Man Charged with December Robbery of First National Bank in Mt. WashingtonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - One resident of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on a charge of bank robbery, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count indictment, returned on January 30, 2018, named Matthew Gallo, age 34, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about December 4, 2017, Gallo robbed First National Bank, located at 55 Wyoming Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15211. First National Bank is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000.00, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Shanicka L. Kennedy is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pharr Woman Convicted of Bank FraudRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A former bank employee has entered a guilty plea to allegations she stole more than $1 million from customer accounts, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Cynthia Luna Rodriguez, 45, of Pharr, acknowledged she committed two counts of bank fraud and one count of embezzlement that occurred over eight years. Rodriguez admitted to illegally withdrawing money from customers’ accounts and to hiding the unauthorized withdrawls by back-filling the accounts with money from other customers’ accounts and by changing the address on the customer accounts without authorization.
Rodriguez worked at First National Bank in Edinburg. Beginning in at least January 2006, she began taking money from customer accounts without authorization. She continued to do so during the time PlainsCapital Bank took over First National Bank.
A PlainsCapital Bank audit resulted in her firing on Aug. 12, 2014. Following her termination, employees discovered documents at her desk including a 1099 statement belonging to one of the victims. The statement had been altered with whiteout over the address and interest earned sections and new information typed over them. The new address was actually a private mailbox that Rodriguez leased.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant on that private mailbox, at which time they discovered multiple mailings to account holders at her address.
Further investigation revealed a large amount of unexplained money deposited into some of Rodriguez’s accounts which corresponded with the time of the unauthorized withdrawls from the victim accounts. The victim accounts belonged to individuals who interacted with Rodriguez directly when she was employed at the bank. The accounts primarily belonged to elderly individuals and to individuals living out of the country whom were not likely to regularly monitor their accounts. When account holders or their representatives came in to close their statements, Rodriguez moved money from another victim’s account to backfill the account about to be closed.
A forensic audit conducted by an outside accounting firm determined that approximately $1.3 million was taken from six victim accounts over an eight-year time span. As part of her plea, Rodriguez agreed to pay more than $1.1 million in restitution.
U.S. District Court Judge Micaela Alvarez accepted the plea and sent sentencing for April 11, 2018. At that time, Rodriguez faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a possible $1 million fine. She was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Leonard is prosecuting the case.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 300 Months in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
BOISE – Timothy Raymond Schmidt, 35, of Cincinnati, Ohio was sentenced today in
United States District Court to 300 months in prison followed by lifetime supervised release, for
sexual exploitation of children, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced.According to the plea agreement, from January 28 to April 9 of 2015, the defendant,
while in the State of Ohio, used Skype to communicate with two minor victims, ages seventeen
and thirteen, located in Valley County, Idaho. On at least 12 occasions, the defendant persuaded,
induced, and coerced the seventeen year-old victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct over
live Skype video transmissions. On at least 11 occasions, the defendant persuaded, induced, and
coerced the thirteen year-old victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct over live Skype video
transmissions.The defendant’s conduct was discovered by adult relatives of the victims and reported to
the Valley County Sheriff’s Office. The case was referred to Homeland Security Investigations
(HSI) and the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force. ICAC detectives
examined the victim’s computer and discovered 33,000 lines of archived Skype chats between
the defendant and both victims, sexually explicit images of both victims, and images of the
defendant. Within the chats, the defendant provided personal identifying information to the
victims, including his name, hometown, his place of work, where he went to college, and a
description of his tattoos. ICAC detectives were also able to identify two locations in Ohio from
where the defendant had engaged in the chats.In May of 2016, HSI Agents from Idaho and Ohio served a search warrant at one of the
locations in Ohio from where the Skype communications originated. Agents determined that the
defendant currently resided there. They seized computers belonging to the defendant from the
residence.HSI Agents also contacted a resident of the second location in Ohio where Skype
communications originated from, and confirmed that the defendant had previously stayed at the
residence. Agents observed items in the residence that were consistent with items the victims
reported observing in the background of the defendant’s live chats, including a Darth Vader
statue and model airplanes hanging from the ceiling. An HSI forensic examiner examined the
defendant’s computers and discovered evidence that both had been used to communicate with
the victims via Skype.Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Schmidt to forfeit two laptop
computers used in the commission of the charged offense. As a result of his conviction, Schmidt
will be required to register as a sex offender.“It’s so important that people realize the reach of online predators. Parents who are
concerned about sexual predators living in the neighborhood should be equally concerned about
online sexual predators living in other states or countries,” U.S. Attorney Davis said. “I
commend the federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors, who work so
hard to catch and bring to justice online sex offenders like Mr. Schmidt.” Davis continued.
“This sentence should serve as a powerful reminder to child sex offenders who
mistakenly believe that their actions on the internet or social networks will be undetected by law
enforcement,” said Brad Bench, special agent in charge of HSI Seattle. “HSI works closely with
its federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in Idaho, and across the globe, to hold
accountable those who victimize our vulnerable children.”The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Idaho Internet
Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Valley County Sheriff’s Office. The 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.”North Carolina man pleads guilty to attempted enticement of a minorRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A North Carolina man pleaded guilty today to a federal sex crime involving a minor, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Timothy Sean Coogle, 46, of Lexington, entered his guilty plea to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. U.S. Attorney Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the FBI in North Carolina.
“There are severe consequences for those who prey on our children, and these penalties should serve as a warning for anyone who even attempts this criminal activity,” said U.S. Attorney Stuart. “The officers working on these cases deserve our thanks. Their work protects our most vulnerable from sexual predators.”
Coogle admitted that from August 12, 2017, through September 22, 2017, he used his cell phone and the Internet to attempt to persuade, induce, and entice a minor residing in the Southern District of West Virginia to engage in sexual activity. Specifically, Coogle admitted that he sent messages to a 13-year-old minor female, commenting on a photo of her. The minor’s mother discovered messages from Coogle and contacted law enforcement. Soon after, Coogle began engaging in sexually explicit conversation with a person he believed to be the minor, but was actually an undercover officer. He additionally requested that the person he believed to be the minor send him sexually explicit photos and video footage, and he also sent a sexually explicit video. Coogle admitted that he engaged in all of this communication in order to persuade the person he believed to be the minor to engage in sexual activity when she visited North Carolina.
Coogle faces at least 10 years and up to life in federal prison. After his release from prison, Coogle will be required to serve a term of federal supervised release of at least five years and up to life, and he will also be required to register as a sex offender. Sentencing is scheduled for May 2, 2018.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is in charge of the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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New Jersey Couple Sentenced for Unsuccessful Bribing of SEPTA OfficialsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Nazik Modawi and Abboud Wali were sentenced to prison for their conspiring to bribe a SEPTA employee. Modawi, who bribed SEPTA employees on two occasions, earned a sentence of one-year imprisonment. Wali, who was involved with one of those bribes, was given a sentence of 6 months’ imprisonment. The Honorable Harvey Bartle III, United States District Judge in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, remarked that bribing public officials “strikes at the heart of our democracy.”
Modawi and Wali owned and operated companies, called Rides, Inc. and Safe Rides, LLC, that provided transportation services for children and adults with special needs. Modawi and Wali sought a “Disadvantaged Business Enterprise” (DBE) certification from SEPTA in order to obtain various government contracts. To expedite their application, Modawi and Wali gave cash payments to the SEPTA employee. The total amount of the bribes given to Septa employees were $10,000. The SEPTA employee immediately alerted authorities.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, and SEPTA Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise S. Wolf.
New Haven Man Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Heroin Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that RUBEN GONZALEZ, 39, of New Haven, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 77 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for his role in a heroin trafficking ring.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the DEA’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad targeted a New Haven-based heroin trafficking organization led by GONZALEZ’s brothers, Bienvenido and Antonio Gonzalez. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of narcotics and physical and video surveillance, revealed that the Gonzalez brothers regularly purchased bulk quantities of heroin from suppliers located in the Bronx, New York, and sold the heroin through a network of redistributors in New Haven and elsewhere.
The investigation resulted in federal charges against 24 individuals.
During the investigation, RUBEN GONZALEZ, who was incarcerated in state custody, instructed his girlfriend, Marimar Roman, to purchase large quantities of heroin from Bienvenido Gonzalez and then distribute the drug RUBEN GONZALEZ’s customers.
On November 6, 2017, RUBEN GONZALEZ pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, heroin.
Judge Meyer ordered GONZALEZ to begin serving his 77-month federal sentence after he completes his state sentence, which is scheduled to conclude in approximately six months.
Bienvenido Gonzalez, Antonio Gonzalez and Marimar Roman previously pleaded guilty to related charges and await sentencing.
The DEA’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad includes officers from the Bristol, Hamden, Milford, Monroe, New Haven, Shelton, Wallingford and Wilton Police Departments. The New Haven, East Haven and West Haven Police Departments, together with the U.S. Coast Guard, provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth and Patrick F. Caruso.
New Haven Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Heroin Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ELVIN PLAZA, also known as “Jordan,” 40, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for his role in a heroin trafficking ring.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the DEA’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad targeted a New Haven-based heroin trafficking organization led by Bienvenido and Antonio Gonzalez. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of narcotics and physical and video surveillance, revealed that the Gonzalez brothers regularly purchased bulk quantities of heroin from suppliers located in the Bronx, New York, and sold the heroin through a network of redistributors, including PLAZA, in New Haven and elsewhere. PLAZA regularly purchased between 200 and 300 grams of heroin from Bienvenido Gonzalez and then sold the drug to his own customers.
The investigation resulted in federal charges against 24 individuals.
PLAZA was arrested on March 16, 2017. On November 1, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, heroin.
Bienvenido Gonzalez and Antonio Gonzalez pleaded guilty to related charges and await sentencing.
PLAZA has 10 prior convictions, including three drug-related convictions, and a sexual offense that involved a minor victim.
The DEA’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad includes officers from the Bristol, Hamden, Milford, Monroe, New Haven, Shelton, Wallingford and Wilton Police Departments. The New Haven, East Haven and West Haven Police Departments, together with the U.S. Coast Guard, provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth and Patrick F. Caruso.
New Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Robbery and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SHAQUILLE RICHARDSON, 23, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to federal robbery and firearm charges.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 30, 2016, at approximately 1:41 a.m., New Haven Police officers were dispatched to Ferry Street after a report of person who had been shot. At the scene, officers found two victims. One victim had been shot in the left elbow and was bleeding heavily, and the other victim was bleeding from the nose.
The investigation, which has included witness interviews, DNA evidence, ballistics evidence and footage from a surveillance video, revealed that RICHARDSON and another individual attacked the two victims after they exited a convenience store in an attempt to steal marijuana from the victims. RICHARDSON struck one of the victims in the face with a gun.
Officers apprehended RICHARSON near the scene of the robbery. When RICHARDSON was found, he was bleeding from a gash to his hand where one of the victims had slashed him with a knife in self-defense.
RICHARDSON pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of carrying a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, which carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of five years. Judge Shea scheduled sentencing for April 25, 2018.
RICHARDSON has been detained since his arrest on June 30, 2016.
This matter is being investigated by the New Haven Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter D. Markle and Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.
New England Compounding Center Pharmacist Sentenced for Role in Nationwide Fungal Meningitis OutbreakRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former supervisory pharmacist of New England Compounding Center (NECC) was sentenced today in connection with the 2012 nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak that killed 64 and caused infections in 793 patients.
Glenn Chin, 49, of Canton, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to eight years in prison, two years of supervised release, and forfeiture and restitution in an amount to be determined later. In October 2017, Chin was convicted by a federal jury in Boston of 77 counts, including racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, mail fraud and introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud and mislead.
“Mr. Chin was a pharmacist, but again and again he acted with complete disregard for the health and safety of patients,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “Mr. Chin will now be held responsible for producing contaminated drugs that killed dozens and grievously harmed over 750 people across the country. No patient should suffer harm at the hands of a medical professional, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to combat fraud and abuse in the health care system.”
“A key aspect of the FDA’s mission is to ensure that drugs are made under high quality conditions so that no patient is at risk of harm due to poorly compounded products,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. “In response to episodes where patients were harmed by poorly compounded drugs, Congress passed a new set of laws to improve the FDA’s oversight of these products. We’re committed to the efficient, timely and robust implementation of that framework to help make sure patients can trust the reliability and safety of compounded drugs, recognize the benefits of pharmacy compounding, and that we protect consumers from harm.”
“As a licensed pharmacist, Glenn Chin took an oath to protect his patients,” said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Boston Division. “In contrast, he failed miserably by cutting corners, ignoring warning signs, and harming hundreds of people with his reckless disregard for their safety. Dozens of unsuspecting patients died because of the tainted drugs that were distributed on his watch. Now, Mr. Chin is finally being held accountable for his role in one of the worst pharmaceutical disasters in this country. The FBI hopes today’s sentence will bring some comfort to the hundreds of victims and their families who have suffered so much.”
In 2012, 753 patients in 20 states were diagnosed with a fungal infection after receiving injections of preservative-free methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) manufactured by NECC. Of those 753 patients, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 64 patients in nine states died. The government has since identified a total of 793 patients throughout the country harmed by NECC’s contaminated steroids.
Chin manufactured three lots of contaminated MPA, which comprised more than 17,000 vials of medication. In doing so, Chin ignored NECC’s own drug formulation worksheets and standard operating procedures. Specifically, he improperly sterilized the MPA, failed to verify the sterilization process, and improperly tested it to ensure sterility. Despite knowing these deficiencies, Chin directed the MPA to be filled into thousands of vials and shipped to NECC customers nationwide. During the fungal meningitis outbreak, the CDC identified 18 different types of fungi from MPA vials and patient samples. In the words of one public health official, NECC was a “fungal zoo.”
Chin directed the shipping of drugs prior to receiving test results confirming their sterility, and he directed NECC staff to mislabel drugs to conceal this practice. He also directed the compounding of drugs with expired ingredients, including chemotherapy drugs that had expired several years prior. Chin prioritized drug production over cleaning, directed the forging of cleaning logs, and routinely ignored mold and bacteria found inside the clean rooms. Lastly, for more than three years, Chin, along with co-conspirators, utilized a pharmacy technician whose license had been revoked by the Massachusetts Board of Pharmacy to compound highly sensitive cardiac drug solutions, and took steps to conceal the technician’s presence inside the clean room from state regulators.
“One of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) priorities is to protect the integrity of TRICARE, the U.S. Defense Department's health care program,” stated Special Agent in Charge Leigh-Alistair Barzey, DCIS Northeast Field Office. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates DCIS’ commitment to work with the USAO-MA, the FBI, the FDA-OCI and its other law enforcement partners, to identify, investigate and prosecute individuals who disregard pharmaceutical regulations and endanger the health and safety of U.S. military members, retirees and their families.”
“The VA provides healthcare to those who have sacrificed so much for our country and fortunately no veterans receiving VA care were harmed by the fungal meningitis outbreak. However, it is appalling that NECC staff acted with such reckless disregard for patients by putting profits over safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean J. Smith for the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General. “The VA Office of Inspector General is honored to work with our partners in law enforcement on such an important investigation and assist in bringing those individuals who were responsible to justice.”
“The sentence imposed today on Glenn Chin demonstrates the commitment of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our law enforcement partners, to the safety and health of the American public,” said Raymond Moss, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division. “Chin’s actions as a supervising pharmacist jeopardized the health of many patients and we will continue to investigate and take action against those who take part in this type of egregious behavior.”
U.S. Attorney Lelling, FDA Commissioner Gottlieb, M.D., FBI SAC Shaw, DCIS SAC Barzey, VA OIG SAC Smith, and Acting Inspector in Charge of USPIS Moss made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys George P. Varghese and Amanda P.M. Strachan of Lelling’s Health Care Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.