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9 March 2018
Boca Raton Man Arrested for Securities Fraud and Mail Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – The FBI on Thursday arrested a Florida man on securities and mail fraud charges related to a multi-million dollar scheme involving highly speculative, low-priced penny stocks, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr.
A ten-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges BRIAN ROBERT “Mailman” SODI, 46, of Boca Raton, with conspiracy to commit securities fraud and mail fraud, and related charges.
“Financial crimes prey on the unsuspecting public and undermine the integrity of the nation’s stock exchanges,” Town said. “Pump-and-dump schemes like this must be disrupted by law enforcement before they disrupt market forces.”
According to the indictment, Sodi used his Florida-based publishing houses to distribute deceptive promotional mailers recommending the purchase of select penny stocks, while hiding from potential investors that he secretly was selling the stocks he was urging them to buy. The indictment also charges that Sodi obscured his involvement in the scheme by using offshore accounts and intermediaries to launder the proceeds of his fraud back to himself and his publishing houses.
According to the indictment, Sodi conducted his scheme as follows:
He would acquire shares of a publicly-traded stock, positioning himself to benefit from selling the shares at inflated prices. Sodi would try to induce the public to purchase the stock by developing and disseminating promotional and marketing mailers that exaggerated the stock’s prospects for growth and urged readers to purchase it. The mailers would falsely and deceptively conceal and fail to disclose that Sodi intended to sell the stock he was urging others to buy. After the stock price rose, Sodi would sell the stock for a profit.
Sodi hid his ownership interest in the promoted stock by trading through Arliss, a Swiss account, instead of through a brokerage account held in his own name. He brought the proceeds of his fraud back to himself and his publishing houses through offshore accounts held by firms in Switzerland, the Cayman Islands, and elsewhere.
On Jan. 10, 2013, Sodi used the U.S. Postal Service to send mailers promoting the stock of Southern USA, Inc., a company with mining operations in Ashland, Ala., to addresses throughout the country. On March 1, 2013, after the price and volume of trading in SUSA stock had dramatically increased as a result of the promotion, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission issued an order suspending trading in SUSA stock. SUSA subsequently laid off most of its workers and suspended its mining operations in Alabama.
If convicted of the charge of conspiracy, Sodi would face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater.
The FBI investigated the case, with assistance from the SEC, the Alabama Securities Commission, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of New Jersey, the Eastern District of New York, and the Eastern District of Virginia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Keim is prosecuting.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Bloomingburg Man Pleads Guilty to Child EnticementRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Brian Michael, Special Agent in Charge of the Newark, New Jersey Field Office of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced that CODY MANN pled guilty to enticing a child to engage in illegal sexual activity. MANN faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison. MANN pled guilty today before United States District Judge Nelson S. Román.
According to the Information and other documents filed in the case to which Mann pled, as well as statements made during the plea proceeding:
Between in or about 2014 and in or about 2016, MANN used a cellphone repeatedly to direct the parent of a four-year-old child to engage in illegal sexual activity with the child. MANN further directed the parent to produce and send him images depicting child pornography featuring the child. MANN received the child pornography on his cellphone.
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MANN, 23, of Bloomingburg, New York, pled guilty to one count of enticing a child to engage in illegal sexual activity. MANN faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding work of HSI in this investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorney Gillian Grossman is in charge of the prosecution.
Andrews Electrician Sentenced to Federal Prison for False Billing Scheme and for Failing to File Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
In Midland today, a federal judge sentenced Andrews County electrician Randall Varian Hanks to 97 months in federal prison for a false billing scheme that resulted in more than a $1.5 million loss to local businesses and for failing to file tax returns, announced United States Attorney John F. Bash, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Emmerson Buie, Jr., El Paso Division, and Acting Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Andy Tsui.
In addition to the prison term, United States District Judge David Counts ordered that Hanks pay $1,786,559.68 restitution and be placed on supervised release for a period of three years after completing his prison term. Judge Counts also ordered that Hanks forfeit to the Government his Andrews County residential property, agreeing that it was proceeds generated from the defendant’s fraudulent scheme. At the end of today’s sentencing hearing, Judge Counts remanded Hanks into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his prison term.
On November 9, 2017, a federal jury convicted the 46-year-old, who once owned and operated Sandhills Electric, Inc., of four counts of mail fraud and three counts of failure to file a tax return.
Evidence presented at trial revealed that from June 2013 to May 2016, Hanks, while working for two area oilfield services companies, generated fraudulent service tickets and invoices in excess of $1.5 million for parts and services that he fraudulently claimed to have provided to the two companies’ customers. Both oilfield service companies paid Hanks and then billed the respective customers for parts and services Hanks claimed to have provided.
Furthermore, testimony revealed that Hanks received more than the applicable threshold in personal income each year, yet failed to file income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service for the calendar years 2013, 2014, and 2015, resulting in tax losses to the U.S. Government of nearly $500,000.
The FBI Oilfield Theft Task Force and IRS-CI agents investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Glenn Harwood prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.
Albany Man Charged in Connection with Fatal OverdoseRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Daniel J. Fillerup, age 34, of Albany, New York, was charged today with distribution of fentanyl that resulted in another person’s death.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Vadim D. Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Schenectady Police Chief Eric Clifford.
Fillerup appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart and was ordered detained pending further proceedings.
According to the criminal complaint, on September 29, 2016, Fillerup distributed fentanyl to a woman identified as “K.C.” When it became apparent that K.C. was in distress from using the drugs, Fillerup brought her to the Ellis Hospital Emergency Room. Minutes after bringing her to the hospital, Fillerup left, but was located later that day by Schenectady Police. K.C.’s cause of death was cardiac arrhythmia due to fentanyl intoxication.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted of the offense of distributing a controlled substance resulting in death, Fillerup faces at least 20 years and up to life in prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Schenectady Police Department, with assistance from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer.
4 from San Fernando Valley Arrested Pursuant to Federal Indictment Alleging Real Estate Fraud Scam Targeting Distressed HomeownersRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Four San Fernando Valley residents – including an alleged career conman already under indictment in a foreclosure-avoidance and bankruptcy fraud scam – were arrested this morning pursuant to a new federal indictment that alleges a $17 million scheme that defrauded – and in some cases stole homes from – distressed homeowners, many of whom were elderly victims.
The four defendants arrested this morning by federal authorities are:
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Michael “Mickey” Henschel, 68, of Van Nuys, who was originally indicted last summer in the bankruptcy fraud scheme and who allegedly continued to defraud homeowners while free on bond;
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Camerino “Mino” Islas, 40, of North Hollywood;
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Claudia “Jessica” Islas, 42, of Reseda; and
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Juan Carlos Velasquez, 43, of Sylmar.
A fifth defendant named in the superseding indictment returned yesterday by a federal grand jury – Eugene “Gene” Fulmer, 83, of Encino – is currently a fugitive being sought by federal authorities.
The four defendants arrested this morning are scheduled to be arraigned on the superseding indictment this afternoon in United States District Court.
According to the superseding indictment that was unsealed this afternoon, Henschel – who used various aliases, including “Frank Winston,” “Steve Lopez,” and “Ron Berman” – and his associates tricked homeowners into signing fraudulent deeds on their properties. Henschel and his co-defendants then allegedly used the fraudulent deeds to extort money from homeowners, charge homeowners illegal fees to delay foreclosure and eviction actions, and to steal some homes outright. The new indictment adds charges based on the fraudulent deeds.
The indictment alleges that Henschel and the others collected more than $17 million from the scheme.
In the newly alleged portion of the scheme, Henschel and his co-conspirators identified distressed homeowners who were in default on mortgages or were experiencing financial troubles, even though some had large amounts of equity in their properties. These homeowners allegedly were told that Henschel was a sophisticated real estate investor and attorney interested in purchasing their properties, or, if they wanted to keep their homes, he could help protect the homes from creditors. Henschel and the others promised distressed homeowners that they could refinance mortgages or restructure real estate holdings to insulate the properties from creditors, and that Henschel and other co-conspirators could manage the properties on an ongoing basis.
Henschel and other co-conspirators allegedly convinced homeowners to sign fraudulent documents that were recorded on titles to their homes, including trust deeds that recorded secured interests in their homes based on fictional loans that the homeowners supposedly guaranteed, and grant deeds that supposedly conveyed properties to entities that Henschel controlled.
Henschel and the others used the fraudulent filings to steal some properties outright, according to the indictment. In other cases, they allegedly exploited the fraudulent filings in a number of ways, including by initiating foreclosure proceedings on the properties, demanding money from homeowners before properties sold, and making extortionate settlement demands based on the filings.
Henschel and other co-conspirators are alleged to have leveraged the high cost of bringing and defending civil actions to extort settlement payments from homeowners, relying on the fact that it would often be less expensive for homeowners to pay the co-conspirators than to fight them in court. The indictment describes unscrupulous litigation tactics allegedly used by Henschel and his co-conspirators, which included pretending to be licensed attorneys, tricking victims into signing legal documents, fabricating documents and forging victims’ signatures.
In the bankruptcy fraud part of the scheme originally alleged in last summer’s indictment, Henschel and his co-conspirators used fraudulent filings to charge homeowners fees to delay foreclosure and eviction actions. In this part of the conspiracy, Henschel and the others had homeowners sign fraudulent deeds that transferred interests to debtors in bankruptcy cases – but the bankruptcies allegedly were fraudulent and were filed on behalf of fictional people and entities. The superseding indictment alleges that Henschel and his co-conspirators sent the fake deeds and the fraudulent bankruptcy petitions to trustees to stop foreclosure sales. Henschel and his associates allegedly delayed evictions in a similar way, mainly by sending bogus documents to sheriff’s offices. Henschel and other co-conspirators allegedly charged monthly fees for the illegal services, and some homeowners were charged large fees to clear title to their properties.
The superseding indictment charges all five defendants with one count of conspiracy and eight counts of mail fraud. Henschel is additionally charged with eight counts of bankruptcy fraud.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If the defendants were to be convicted, they each would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison on the conspiracy count and 30 years for each of the mail fraud counts. If convicted, Henschel would also face five years in prison for each of the eight bankruptcy fraud counts.
Two other individuals – Shara Surabi, 34, of Burbank, and Lidia Alvarez, 54, of Bell Gardens – previously pleaded guilty to federal charges related to this scheme.
The cases against Henschel and the others are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency - Office of Inspector General. These agencies received substantial assistance from the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, the United States Trustee’s Office for the Central District of California, the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office, the Alameda County Recorder’s Office, and the San Diego County Recorder’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kerry L. Quinn of the Major Frauds Section
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8 March 2018
Worcester Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to her role in a heroin and cocaine conspiracy.
Kristin Little, 34, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine and to possess heroin and cocaine with the intent to distribute. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Hillman scheduled sentencing for June 7, 2018. Little and four co-defendants, Vito Nuzzolilo, of Worcester; Thomas Walker, of Pemaquid, Maine; Melissa Rock, of Pemaquid, Maine; and Ricardo Ortega-Vasquez, a Dominican national residing in New York City, were indicted in July 2017.
In May 2017, as a result of an investigation into drug trafficking in the Worcester area, Little and Nuzzolilo were arrested for their roles in a drug conspiracy. (The three other co-defendants were arrested in June and July 2017.) Little sold heroin and cocaine from her apartment in Worcester and collected debts that arose from previous drug sales. In 2017, a federal wiretap captured Nuzzolilo directing Little to provide heroin and cocaine of various quantities to numerous customers.
Little faces a sentence of up to 40 years in prison, a minimum of four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Willoughby Hills man indicted for failing to register as a sex offenderRead the Press Release
A Willoughby Hills man was indicted for failing to register as a sex offender.
Patrick Denning, 57, failed to register, or update a registration, as a sex offender as required under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, after having traveled in interstate commerce, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the United States Marshals Service. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle K. Angeli.
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.
Wildwood Man Faces Additional Charges Related to Real Estate Development BusinessRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Paul Everett Creager, 39, of Wildwood, having pleaded guilty to fraud in December in association with investments he solicited for his failed residential real estate business, faces additional charges relating to that business.
A Grand Jury sitting in St. Louis handed down two additional counts of wire fraud against Creager who developed business through a number of entities using the name “Everett Builders” and “L and P Builders.”
The first count relates to investments solicited from an individual investor identified in the Indictment as M.L. The indictment alleges Creager collected more than $2.5 million in investments from M.L. through false representations about Creager’s personal wealth, his planned use of investment funds and M.L.’s exclusive status as Creager’r partner.
Contrary to Creager’s representations to M.L., the Indictment alleges Creager (1) was not a multi-millionaire and had, in fact, filed for bankruptcy in the past, (2) used M.L.’s money to buy a luxury SUV, a Harley Davidson and to sustain a lavish lifestyle and (3) sold other equity positions in his business and borrowed heavily against it.
The second count alleges that Creager intentionally filed a false affidavit at the closing of one of his homes in Kirkwood stating that all the subcontractors on the project had been paid even though he knew he still owed a storm drain subcontractor $30,000. After pocketing nearly $50,000 at the closing, Creager refused to pay the subcontractor’s bill, forcing the subcontractor to file a mechanic’s lien against the property.
Creager faces up to 20 years in prison for each of the wire fraud counts in addition to the 20 years he faces for the wire fraud count to which he pleaded guilty in December. Additionally, the government will pursue an order of restitution in favor of all the victims.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Division of the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Albus is handling the case for the government.
University Heights man sentenced to a month of incarceration for stealing Social Security benefitsRead the Press Release
A University Heights man was sentenced to 30 days of incarceration for theft of government money.
Al Plummer, 51, was also ordered to pay $45,121 in restitution. His incarceration is to be followed by six months of home confinement.
Plummer is the co-owner of Gimme Java Coffee in Shaker Heights. Plummer began stealing his grandmother’s Social Security Retirement benefits after she had passed away in July 2013. Plummer did not report his grandmother’s death and continued to withdraw the monthly benefit until he was caught in October 2016, according to court documents.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Payum Doroodian following an investigation by Kelly Clark from the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General.
U.S. Senate Confirms McGregor W. Scott as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of CaliforniaRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Wednesday, March 7, 2018, McGregor W. Scott was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to be the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California. He was been nominated for the position by President Donald J. Trump.
Mr. Scott was sworn in as the Court-appointed U.S. Attorney on December 29, 2017. He returned to the position he held from 2003 to 2009 when he was appointed U.S. Attorney by President George W. Bush.
Mr. Scott received his B.A. from Santa Clara University in 1985 and his J.D. from Hastings College of the Law, University of California, in 1989. He served as a deputy district attorney from 1989 to 1997 in Contra Costa County, California, and served as the elected District Attorney of Shasta County, California, from 1997 to 2003. After completing his first term as U.S. Attorney, Mr. Scott practiced as a partner with the law firm of Orrick, Herrington, & Sutcliffe LLP, focusing on white collar criminal defense and corporate investigations. In addition, Mr. Scott retired in 2008 from the U.S. Army Reserve as a lieutenant colonel after 23 years of service.
The U.S. Attorney serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Eastern District of California and is responsible for prosecuting federal criminal cases and representing the United States in civil litigation. The Eastern District covers 34 counties throughout the Central Valley and the Sierras, from the Oregon border in the north to the Los Angeles County line in the south. The office has 92 attorneys and 81 non-attorney staff with offices in Sacramento, Fresno, and Bakersfield.
“I am humbled and honored to be appointed by the president to lead the committed men and women in this outstanding office. I look forward to working with them and our law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe, to safeguard the Treasury, and to provide the United States with the highest quality legal representation in all the matters we handle,” U.S. Attorney Scott said.
Two indicted for illegally reentering the U.S. after multiple previous deportationsRead the Press Release
Two people were indicted for illegally reentering the United States.
Bonifacio Lopez-Herrera, 29, of Guatemala, was in the U.S. on Feb. 7, 2018. after having been previously deported twice, according to the indictment.
Jonathan Milla, 41, of Honduras, was found in Fairview Park after having been previously deported from the U.S. three times, according to the indictment.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn G. Andrachik (Milla) and Gene Crawford (Lopez-Herrera) following investigations by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
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 West Virginia men indicted on sex offender registry violationsRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Hampshire County, West Virginia, man and a Monongalia County, West Virginia, man were indicted this week by a federal grand jury on sex offender registration violations, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Anthony Dale Helton, of High View, age 50, was indicted on one count of “Failure to Register.” Helton, who had previously been convicted of a sex offense in South Carolina, is accused of traveling across state lines without updating his sex offender registration, as required by law, in November and December 2017 in Hampshire County.
In a separate case, Robert W. Tucker, Jr., of Star City, age 43, was indicted on one count of “Failure to Update Sex Offender Registration.” Rucker is accused of traveling from Monongalia County, West Virginia to South Carolina and North Carolina, without updating his registry, as required by law, in August 2016 and September 2017.
Helton and Tucker each face 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 Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the Helton case on behalf of the government. Assistant U.S. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara E. Wagner is prosecuting the Tucker case on behalf of the government. The United States Marshals Service investigated both cases.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Mineral County men admit to drug distribution chargesRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA –Jordan Foster, of Piedmont, West Virginia, and Brandon Suter, of Keyser, West Virginia, have admitted to a drug distribution charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Foster, age 22, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Hydrochloride.” Foster admitted to distributing cocaine hydrochloride in August 2017 in Mineral County.
Suter, age 26, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Hydrochloride.” Suter admitted to assisting Foster in possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride in August 2017 in Mineral County.
Foster and Suter each face 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 Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, the Mineral County Sheriff's Office, and the Keyser City Police Department investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.Two Local Men Indicted for Carjacking, Obstruction of Justice, and Discharging A FirearmRead the Press Release
Today, United States Attorney Trent Shores announced that a Federal Grand Jury indicted MICHAEL W. NEWLIN, 18, of Owasso, and BRANDON MENDINGHALL, 23, of Stillwater, for their alleged roles in a December carjacking and obstruction of justice that involved evading and shooting at a Tulsa Police Officer. This indictment is part of the United States Justice Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods national initiative to combat gun violence and violent crime.
“If you commit a federal crime and then shoot at a police officer, you can expect to meet a federal prosecutor in the courtroom,” stated U.S. Attorney Shores. “We will aggressively pursue violent criminals in our district, especially those who would further imperil the lives of the men and women sworn to protect our community. I am thankful that the officers made it home safely in this case.”
The Grand Jury alleged the defendants committed the following federal crimes:
- Count 1: Conspiracy to Carry, Brandish and Use a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence;
- Count 2: Carjacking;
- Counts 3 and 5: Carrying, Brandishing, and Using a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence;
- Count 4: Obstruction of Justice by Threatening Physical Force Against a Witness;
- Count 6: Conspiracy to Obstruct an Officer by Killing a Witness;
- Count 7: Obstruction of Justice by Attempting to Kill a Witness; and
- Count 8: Carrying, Using, and Discharging a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
The Grand Jury alleged the defendants used a firearm to carjack two victims in Tulsa, Oklahoma. According to the indictment, the defendants took away the victims’ cellular telephones, stranding the victims on the side of the road. Defendant Newlin allegedly fired shots at a police officer in pursuit as the defendants attempted to evade arrest.
The defendants face the following punishments for each alleged violation of law:
- Count 1: Not more than 20 years imprisonment if convicted of Conspiracy to Carry, Brandish and Use a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence;
- Count 2: Not more than 15 years imprisonment if convicted of Carjacking;
- Count 3: Not less than 7 years imprisonment up to life imprisonment, to run consecutively to any other sentence, if convicted of Carrying, Brandishing, and Using a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence;
- Count 4: Not more than 20 years imprisonment if convicted of Obstruction of Justice by Threatening Physical Force Against a Witness;
- Count 5: Not less than 25 years imprisonment up to life imprisonment, to run consecutively to any other sentence, if convicted of Carrying, Brandishing, and Using a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence;
- Count 6: Not more than 30 years imprisonment if convicted of Conspiracy to Obstruct an Officer by Killing a Witness;
- Count 7: Not more than 30 years imprisonment if convicted of Obstruction of Justice by Attempting to Kill a Witness;
- Count 8: Not less than 25 years imprisonment up to life imprisonment, to run consecutively to any other sentence, if convicted of Carrying, Brandishing, and Using a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence; and
- All convictions for the charged offenses carry a fine not to exceed $250,000.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan M. Roberts and Christopher J. Nassar are representing the United States in this prosecution. The FBI, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. The Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office is also an important partner in this case as federal and state prosecutors are working jointly through Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Project Safe Neighborhoods is the nationwide federal initiative to disrupt gun violence strategically and comprehensively, using all available enforcement and prosecutive tools. The initiative involves a partnership of federal, state, and local authorities, uniting their efforts and leveraging existing and new resources at all levels. Each United States Attorney’s Office will create a specialized unit that tailors its approach to the unique needs of its own district, and targets the most significant gun crime problems within that district to maximize the impact of the initiative and help ensure the safety of the community. In the coming month, there will be additional information concerning the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative in this district.
The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged federal crimes, which must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Twenty New United States Citizens Naturalized Thursday in JacksonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Twenty people from 16 different countries were sworn in as United States citizens today during a Naturalization Ceremony held at the United States District Court in Jackson, Mississippi.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda R. Anderson presided over the ceremony. Judge Anderson welcomed family, friends, soon-to-be citizens, and special guests that included students from the 4th grade at McWillie Montessori Elementary School in Jackson; Gwen Reed, U.S. Department of Homeland Security; and Judge James Graves, Jr., United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Following a performance of "America the Beautiful" by Lisa Evans and Donnie Dennis, the candidates were presented for citizenship by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitzi Dease Paige, on behalf of the Attorney General of the United States, Jeff Sessions.
After Arthur Johnston, Clerk of the U.S. District Court, administered the Oath of Allegiance for citizenship, those assembled recited the Pledge of Allegiance for the first time as United States citizens. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Clarissa Coleman, a 4th grade student at McWillie Montessori Elementary School. Dennis and Evans then sang "My Country ‘Tis of Thee."
A tribute was given by Kamari Littleton-Mack, a 4th grade student at McWillie. "To be a citizen of the United States is to live in a democratic republic," Littleton-Mack said. "You have rights as a citizen. Citizens vote for government officials and these officials represent the concerns and ideas of the citizens."
Judge Anderson congratulated the new citizens and commended the honorees for their hard work to achieve citizenship. Judge Anderson then presented them with certificates of citizenship. Representatives from the local chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution presented American flags and gift bags to the new citizens.
The students from the 4th grade at McWillie led the audience in the singing of the Star Spangled Banner.
The new citizens originated from the following 16 countries: India, Lebanon, Dominican Republic, Thailand, Yemen, Mexico, Canada, Cambodia, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Cuba, Colombia, Vietnam, Jamaica, Mauritius, and People’s Republic of China.
Twelve Individuals Charged in 46-Count Federal Indictment Alleging Duluth-Based Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Gregory G. Brooker today announced the indictment of 12 individuals for their roles in a heroin distribution conspiracy. All 12 defendants named in the indictment were charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin. The defendants will make their initial appearances this week before Magistrate Judge Leo Brisbois in U.S. District Court in Duluth, Minn.
According to the indictment and documents filed in court, from at least March 13, 2017 through the present, CARLOS NASHUN COLEMAN, 33, BERNARD BRANDON MIMS, 38, CRYSTAL BROOKE STARSTEAD, 35, CAZEMBE OSIE FRANKLIN, 44, KENNETH SKY QUADE, 24, DANIEL ALBERT AMATUZIO, JR, 29, BENJAMIN MICHAEL WOODBURY, 27, DAMIEN DEANDRE BURNETT, 33, LAVINA NICOLE SHANNON, 40, JOSEPH DANTE WILLIAMS, 28, CHEVELLA DAWN KORKALO, 23, AND ERIN MARIE ALHACHEM, 27, conspired together to distribute heroin throughout the Twin Ports area. COLEMAN, who is identified as the main distributor, transported heroin from Chicago, Illinois to the Twin Cities and throughout the Twin Ports area where the heroin was further distributed through his network of co-conspirators.
This case is the result of a cooperative investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Duluth Police Department, the Saint Louis County Sheriff’s Office, the Superior Police Department, the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office, the Hibbing Police Department, the Virginia Police Department, the Hermantown Police Department, and the Fond du Lac Reservation Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Calhoun-Lopez.
Defendant Information:
CARLOS NASHUN COLEMAN, a/k/a “Los,” 33
Apple Valley, MN
Charges:
- Conspiracy to distribute heroin, 1 count
- Distribution of heroin, 1 count
BERNARD BRANDON MIMS, a/k/a “Lil B,” 38
Superior, WI
Charges:- Conspiracy to distribute heroin, 1 count
- Distribution of heroin, 28 counts
- Possession with intent to distribute heroin, 5 counts
CRYSTAL BROOKE STARSTEAD, 35
Superior, WI
Charges:- Conspiracy to distribute heroin, 1 count
- Distribution of heroin, 5 counts
- Possession with intent to distribute heroin, 4 counts
CAZEMBE OSIE FRANKLIN, a/k/a “MC Snake,” 44
Aurora, MN
Charges:- Conspiracy to distribute heroin, 1 count
- Possession with intent to distribute heroin, 1 count
KENNETH SKY QUADE, a/k/a “Q,” 24
Unknown
Charges:- Conspiracy to distribute heroin, 1 count
- Possession with intent to distribute heroin, 1 count
DANIEL ALBERT AMATUZIO, JR, 29
Unknown
Charges:- Conspiracy to distribute heroin, 1 count
- Possession with intent to distribute heroin, 3 counts
BENJAMIN MICHAEL WOODBURY, a/k/a “Woody,” 27
Unknown
Charges:- Conspiracy to distribute heroin, 1 count
- Possession with intent to distribute heroin, 1 count
DAMIEN DEANDRE BURNETT, a/k/a “Luck,” 33
Unknown
Charges:- Conspiracy to distribute heroin, 1 count
- Possession with intent to distribute heroin, 1 count
LAVINA NICOLE SHANNON, a/k/a “Satin,” 40
Unknown
Charges:
- Conspiracy to distribute heroin, 1 count
- Possession with intent to distribute heroin, 1 count
JOSEPH DANTE WILLIAMS, 28
Unknown
Charges:
- Conspiracy to distribute heroin, 1 count
- Possession with intent to distribute heroin, 3 counts
CHEVELLA DAWN KORKALO, 23
Unknown
Charges:- Conspiracy to distribute heroin, 1 count
- Possession with intent to distribute heroin, 1 count
ERIN MARIE ALHACHEM,” 27
Unknown
Charges:
- Conspiracy to distribute heroin, 1 count
- Possession with intent to distribute heroin, 1 count
###
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Twelve Charged in Cincinnati in Connection to Mexico-Based Sinaloa Drug CartelRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged 12 individuals in a narcotics and money laundering conspiracy in a superseding indictment unsealed here today. Members of the group allegedly distributed fentanyl from Mexico in Middletown, Ohio and sent proceeds back to the Sinaloa Drug Cartel in Mexico.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot K. Isaac, Middletown Police Chief Rodney Muterspaw, Preble County Prosecuting Attorney Martin P. Votel and Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Paul A. Pride announced the charges.
In addition to the superseding indictment unsealed in Cincinnati today, 40 defendants have been charged in San Diego, as well as additional defendants charged in Columbus, Ohio, the Eastern District of Kentucky, the District of Kansas and the Eastern District of Washington.
Those charged in the Cincinnati case include:
Name
Also Known As
Age
Residence
Jose Chavez-Meraz
Chema
55
Mexico
Rolando Chavez-Garcia
24
Mexico
Favrisio Orozco-Meraz
Favi, Gordo, Gordito
34
Mexico
Raul Trejo
Duende
52
Middletown, Ohio
Donte Holdbrook
Jay
24
Middletown, Ohio
Mariela Penaloza
25
Cleveland, Ohio
Charleston Quinn
Buddy, Buddy Rowe
34
Mason, Ohio
Frank Frazier, Jr.
24
Middletown, Ohio
Jesus Diaz
Chuy, Chewey
47
Ontario, Calif.
Jettie Bailey
23
Middletown, Ohio
Christopher Watkins
23
Trenton, Ohio
Courtney Bailey
24
Middletown, Ohio
According to the superseding indictment, the conspiracy included distributing fentanyl and heroin originating from Mexico into the Southern District of Ohio.
This investigation began when undercover FBI agents in San Diego learned that a known Sinaloa Cartel money-laundering boss, Jose Lopez-Albarran, coordinated and conducted multiple bulk cash pickups from a drug trafficking organization within the Southern District of Ohio.
Lopez-Albarran was one of 40 defendants charged in the Southern District of California. According to court documents there, he and other members of the Cartel allegedly laundered tens of millions of dollars in narcotics proceeds from the United States to Mexico between 2015 and 2018. Through the investigation in California, law enforcement discovered multiple drug-trafficking cells throughout the United States.
It is alleged that the Middletown, Ohio drug-trafficking cell led by Donte Holdbrook would send drug proceeds back to the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico via Lopez-Albarran.
The superseding indictment details that the Ohio drug trafficking organization primarily conducted fentanyl sales in Middletown and received the narcotics from Mexico via Chavez-Meraz. The drugs would initially enter the United States at locations in California and Arizona, where “drug mules” would then retrieve the drugs for transport to Southern Ohio.
When a sizeable amount of drug proceeds had been collected, the co-conspirators would arrange bulk cash transports back to Mexico. Investigators witnessed at least seven bulk cash pick-ups within the Southern District of Ohio, six on Tivoli Lane in Cincinnati and one at a Comfort Inn and Suites in West Chester. Each transaction involved $25,000 to more than $180,000.
From March 28 to May 4, 2017, investigators observed multiple fentanyl sales in Middletown, several of them in exchange for as much as $2,400 in a single sale.
On August 12, 2017, Troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol stopped Jettie and Courtney Bailey in a traffic stop in Preble County, when they discovered nearly three kilograms of fentanyl and two kilograms of heroin concealed in the vehicle’s fuel tank. Similarly, Holdbrook was found to be in possession of 366 grams of fentanyl during a traffic stop on December 2, 2017.
The superseding indictment details at least six drug mule trips organized by Holdbrook from Ohio to multiple locations in California and Arizona, including at least one trip with Christopher Watkins, who was a reserve auxiliary police officer with the Seven Mile, Ohio Police Department.
It is alleged that Watkins was recruited because his law enforcement experience and police training would aid the group in avoiding detection while traveling with the drugs. Watkins allegedly traveled to Ontario, Calif. to pick up narcotics in exchange for $1,000 cash.
Crimes charged in the superseding indictment include:
Crime
Potential Sentences
Narcotics Conspiracy
10 years to life in prison
Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute
(400 grams or more)
10 years to life in prison
Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute
(1 kilogram or more)
10 years to life in prison
Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute
(40 grams or more)
Five to 40 years in prison
Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises
Up to 20 years in prison
Money Laundering Conspiracy
Up to 20 years in prison
Interstate Travel Facilitating Unlawful Activities
Up to five years in prison
In Columbus, three individuals were arrested yesterday and charged by criminal complaint with money laundering, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. The three Columbus residents charged include Timothy J.Cox, 41, Todd W. Spriggs, 37, and Randy Ellis Mullins, Jr., 40. Cox and Spriggs are each also charged with felon in possession of a firearm. A federal grand jury indicted the trio this morning in Columbus on the same charges.
In Lexington, Ky., three individuals – Gerardo Mejia-Palacio, Hector Salas-Pina and Ansar I. McIver – have been charged with crimes related to drug trafficking and money laundering. Another Lexington resident, Shontail M. Hocker, 42, was charged in the Southern District of California with conspiring to commit money laundering, based on her involvement with individuals implicated in the San Diego investigation.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of the cases by the FBI – including FBI San Diego Cross Border Violence Task Force, FBI Cincinnati Division and FBI Cleveland Division, Cincinnati and Middletown police departments, Ohio State Highway Patrol and Warren County Drug Task Force, as well as the coordination of Preble County Prosecutor Votel.
Glassman also commended Assistant United States Attorney Karl P. Kadon, who is prosecuting the Cincinnati case, and Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Prichard, who is prosecuting the Columbus case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
# # #
Tukwila Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Images of Child RapeRead the Press Release
A 40-yearold Tukwila, Washington resident pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to production and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. JESSE LEE ALLEN, was arrested in November 2016, after a witness reported that she had seen videos of the molestation of a young child on ALLEN’s cell phone. The witness made a report to Tukwila Police in October 2016 and ALLEN was located and arrested a few weeks later. ALLEN faces a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Zilly on June 7, 2018.
According to records filed in the case, the witness was involved in a romantic relationship with ALLEN and at one point checked his phone to see if there were images of other women ALLEN might be dating. The witness instead discovered three videos that showed the sexual molestation of a 6-year-old child. The witness immediately went to police.
Production of child pornography is punishable by a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison and up to 30 years in prison. Possession of child pornography is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the Tukwila Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigation (HSI). The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Cecilia Gregson. Ms. Gregson is a Senior Deputy King County Prosecutor specially designated to prosecute child exploitation cases in federal court.
Suburban Man Indicted on Federal Drug Charges for Allegedly Importing a Fentanyl Analogue from ChinaRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A south suburban man has been charged with federal drug offenses for allegedly conspiring to import a fentanyl analogue from China into the Chicago area.
In the fall of last year, SANCHEZ LACKLAND, 35, of Hazel Crest, imported methoxyacetyl fentanyl from China, according to an indictment returned Wednesday in federal court in Chicago. Lackland and others had the substances shipped through the U.S. mail to approximately 19 Chicago-area addresses, according to the indictment and a criminal complaint previously filed in the case. In December, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Lackland’s home and seized quantities of heroin, methoxyacetyl fentanyl and acryl fentanyl, as well as a loaded revolver and approximately $300,000 in cash, the complaint states.
The indictment charges Lackland with drug and firearm offenses. Lackland is a convicted felon who is not legally allowed to possess firearms.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; James M. Gibbons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Brian McKnight, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration; and Bill Hedrick, Acting Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew C. Erskine.
The indictment also charges JERMOL MIXON, 35, of Orland Park, with drug and weapons offenses. On Dec. 12, 2017, law enforcement agents followed Lackland as he delivered a package to Mixon’s home, according to the complaint. A subsequent court-authorized search of Mixon’s home uncovered quantities of heroin, methoxyacetyl fentanyl, acryl fentanyl, $10,000 in cash and materials used to manufacture drugs, the complaint states.
During the search of Mixon’s home, agents encountered him in an upstairs room within arm’s reach of a loaded handgun, the complaint states. Mixon is a convicted felon who cannot legally possess firearms.
Arraignments for both defendants are set for March 14, 2018, at 11:00 a.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Young B. Kim.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Sentencings for March 6, 2018Read the Press Release
FELIPE QUIROZ-MERINO, 50, of Oaxaca, Mexico was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on March 6, 2018 for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the United States. Quiroz-Merino was arrested in Jackson, Wyoming. He received time served plus ten days to allow for deportation proceedings, and a $100 special assessment to be remitted at the time of deportation. This case was investigated by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
TIMOTEO RAMIREZ-IOC, 39, of Col. De Cuauhtémoc, Motozintla, Chiapas, Mexico was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on March 6, 2018 for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the United States. Ramirez-Ioc was arrested in Jackson, Wyoming. He received time served plus ten days to allow for deportation proceedings, and a $100 special assessment to be remitted at the time of deportation. This case was investigated by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
CARLOS PEREZ-LOPEZ, 36, of Puebla, Mexico was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on March 6, 2018 for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the United States. Perez-Lopez was arrested in Jackson, Wyoming. He received time served plus ten days to allow for deportation proceedings, and a $100 special assessment to be remitted at the time of deportation. This case was investigated by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Savannah Man Indicted for Historic District CarjackingRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Earlier today, a federal grand jury in Savannah charged Jaquan Shakur Singleton, 23, with perpetrating an armed carjacking near Forsyth Park on February 12, 2018. The indictment alleges that Singleton brandished a nine-millimeter semiautomatic pistol and used force, violence, and intimidation to steal a Honda sedan before transporting the car into South Carolina. Shortly after the robbery, Singleton was arrested at the scene of a single-vehicle accident involving the stolen sedan. A South Carolina Highway Patrol (“SCHP”) trooper recovered a nine-millimeter semiautomatic pistol from the vehicle.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Southeast Georgia Violent Crimes Task Force and the Savannah Police Department investigated the carjacking. Along with SCHP, Jasper County Fire-Rescue responded to the accident.
If convicted of carjacking, Singleton could be sentenced to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. In addition, the defendant faces a consecutive sentence of seven years’ imprisonment for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Transporting a stolen vehicle across state lines is punishable by 10 years in prison. All federal sentences must be served without the possibility of parole.
United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine stated, “Working alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, this Office has adopted a zero-tolerance approach to gun violence. We will respond – promptly and sharply – to those who threaten the safety and serenity of our community.”
U.S. Attorney Christine emphasized that an indictment is only an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the Government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Assistant United States Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. For any questions, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.
Salvadoran National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Salvadoran national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Gerardo Alberto Perez-Fuentes, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to six months in prison and one year of supervised release. Perez-Fuentes will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In December 2017, Perez-Fuentes pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
Perez-Fuentes was previously deported on Sept. 4, 2015, and on Oct. 8, 2015. On Sept. 6, 2017, law enforcement in Chelsea encountered Perez-Fuentes and determined him to be illegally present in the United States.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Sacramento Man Indicted for Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an 18-count indictment today against Shawn Darrell Wilson, 27, of Sacramento, charging him with dealing firearms without a license, possessing a firearm as a felon, and illegal possession of a machine gun, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Wilson met with an undercover agent and two confidential sources on 17 occasions between September 12, 2017, and December 8, 2017, and sold them a variety of firearms, including a fully automatic machine gun, several AR-15-type rifles and pistols, and handguns. In all, Wilson sold investigators 46 firearms, many of which lacked a serial number or other identifying markings. Wilson is prohibited from possessing firearms based on a prior felony conviction.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with special assistance from the Sacramento Police Department and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office’s Gangs, Hate Crimes, and Narcotics unit.
If convicted of dealing firearms without a license, Wilson faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for possessing a firearm as a felon and illegal possession of a machine gun is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rome City Man Sentenced to 180 Months ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Jeremy Handshoe, 39, of Rome City, Indiana, was sentenced before Chief Judge Theresa L. Springmann on his plea of guilty to 2 counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.
Handshoe was sentenced to 180 months imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, on February 26, 2015 and April 1, 2015, Handshoe possessed a firearm after prior felony offenses. Handshoe had been convicted of serious drug offenses or violent felonies in Noble County Superior Court on or about October 10, 1997, December 14, 1998 and May 17, 2007. These three felony convictions qualified him for Armed Career Criminal status with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, the Indiana State Police and the Rome City Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tina L. Nommay and David E. Hollar.
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Protecting Houses of Worship Summit to Be HeldRead the Press Release
Charles E. Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announces that his office will hold a free summit on “Protecting Houses of Worship” on Wednesday, March 14, 2018 from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm. The summit will be held at the Macon campus of Central Georgia Technical College (CGTC), Building H, Room 111. CGTC is located at 3300 Macon Tech Drive in Macon.
All faith leaders and others involved with security at houses of worship are invited to attend and hear presentations on active shooters, security planning, hate crimes and the growth and management of threats to houses of worship.
To R.S.V.P. for this event or for questions, contact Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.
Pompano Beach Tax Preparer Sentenced on Charges of Filing False ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Pompano Beach tax preparer was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola to 30 months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release for filing false tax returns.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement.
Patrick Bernavil, 38, of Pompano Beach, previously pled guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the preparation and presentation of fraudulent income tax returns, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(2), and one count of presentation of fraudulent returns, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206(1). The defendant was also ordered to pay $2,612,202.00 in restitution.
According to the stipulated facts filed with the court, Bernavil owned a tax preparation business known as BMS Tax and Accounting Services, Inc. (“BMS"), from 2004 through 2014. Bernavil employed tax preparers that he trained to complete tax returns at BMS. A credit was claimed for the American Opportunity Tax Credit (“AOTC") in the amount of $2500 on approximately three thousand returns prepared by BMS for tax years 2011 through 2013, among other false claims. The AOTC is a tax credit enacted by Congress to encourage people to continue their education at colleges and universities and can be claimed up to four years while an eligible student is enrolled. These fraudulent claims filed by the defendant and his employees caused approximately $2.9 million in tax loss. The defendant also made false claims on his personal income taxes for tax years 2012 and 2013 and failed to file a return for 2014, causing a tax loss of $183,471.
Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ellen L. Cohen.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Phenix City Resident and Ringleader of Multi-Million Dollar Stolen Identity Tax Refund Fraud Schemes Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – A Phenix City, Alabama, resident was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for his role in masterminding multiple stolen identity refund fraud (SIRF) schemes, announced U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. of the Middle District of Alabama, and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
William Anthony Gosha III, a/k/a Boo Boo, was convicted, following a jury trial in November 2017, of one count of conspiracy, 22 counts of mail fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and 25 counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to the evidence presented at trial and sentencing, between November 2010 and December 2013, Gosha ran a large-scale identity theft ring with his co-conspirators, Tracy Mitchell, Keshia Lanier, and Tamika Floyd, who were all previously convicted and sentenced to prison. Together they filed over 8,800 tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that sought more than $22 million in fraudulent refunds of which the IRS paid out approximately $9 million.
In November 2010, Gosha stole IDs of inmates from the Alabama Department of Corrections and provided the IDs to Lanier who used the information to seek fraudulent tax refunds. Gosha and Lanier agreed to split the proceeds. Gosha also stole employee records from a company previously located in Columbus, Georgia. In 2012, Lanier needed an additional source of stolen IDs and approached Floyd, who worked at two Alabama state agencies in Opelika, Alabama: the Department of Public Health and the Department of Human Resources. In both positions, Floyd had access to the personal identifying information of individuals, including teenagers. Lanier requested that Floyd primarily provide her with identities that belonged to sixteen and seventeen year-olds. Floyd agreed and provided thousands of names to Lanier and others at Lanier’s direction.
After receiving the additional stolen IDs, Gosha recruited Mitchell and her family to help file the fraudulent tax returns. Mitchell worked at a hospital located at Fort Benning, Georgia, where she had access to the personal identification information of military personnel, including soldiers who were deployed to Afghanistan. She stole soldiers’ IDs and used their information to file fraudulent returns.
In order to electronically file the fraudulent returns, Gosha, Lanier, and their co-conspirators applied for several Electronic Filing Identification Numbers (EFIN) with the IRS in the names of sham tax preparation businesses. Gosha, Lanier, and their co-conspirators then used these EFINs to file the returns and obtain tax refund related bank products from various financial institutions, which provided them with blank check stock. Gosha and his co-conspirators initially printed out the fraudulently obtained refund checks using the blank check stock.
However, the financial institutions halted Gosha’s and his co-conspirators’ ability to print checks. As a result, they recruited U.S. Postal employees who provided Gosha and others with addresses on their routes to which the fraudulent refund checks could be directly mailed. In exchange for cash, these postal employees intercepted the refund checks and provided them to Gosha, Lanier, Mitchell and others. Gosha also directed tax refunds to prepaid debit cards and had those cards sent to addresses he controlled.
In addition, between January 2010 and December 2013, Gosha participated in a separate SIRF scheme with Pamela Smith and others, in which Gosha sold the IDs that he had stolen from the Alabama Department of Corrections to Smith and others. Smith and others used the IDs to file returns that sought approximately $4.8 million in fraudulent refunds of which the IRS paid out approximately $1.85 million. Smith also has been convicted and sentenced to prison for this conduct.
At Gosha’s sentencing, the government offered victim impact statements from several individuals whose identities were stolen, and from companies and governmental agencies where the identity theft breaches occurred. An Alabama Department of Public Health representative noted, the identity theft was not only devastating financially, but it also had a chilling effect on the department’s ability to serve the residents of the State of Alabama. A mother of a young U.S. Army soldier who was an identity theft victim described the consequences of the fraud on her and her family, stating:
While [my son] was fighting for our country and all back home, I received a very disturbing phone call from [an] Agent from the IRS that my son, while at Ft. Benning training to defend our country, the land of the free, had his identity stolen and fraudulent tax returns were filed with his social security number. This news was devastating to think that my 19-year-old son, who was defending the very freedom this country stands [for], was wronged by one of those people [he] was willing to die for. My whole family could not believe what was happening. We now had to worry about this terrible act by one of our own. As I tried my best to keep composed and handle all of the gruesome mounds of paperwork to get this straightened out with the IRS, [my son] was then denied his tax refund [as result of this scheme]. This created a financial hardship on [him]. We were too afraid to tell [him] while he was deployed because we did not want to worry him and we wanted him to focus only on getting home alive and not have to worry about such an atrocious act by someone who did not even know [him].
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. Chief District Court Judge Keith Watkins ordered Gosha to serve three years of supervised release and to pay restitution in the amount of $9,052,049.
Prior to Gosha’s sentencing, thirty of his co-conspirators have been sentenced, including Keisha Lanier who received 15 years and Tracy Mitchell who received over 13 years.
U.S. Attorney Franklin and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman commended special agents of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General who investigated this case and Trial Attorneys Michael C. Boteler and Gregory P. Bailey of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Ross of the Middle District of Alabama, who prosecuted the case.
Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child PornographyRead 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 Thomas A. Gillespie, 44, of East Brady, PA, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott S. Allen, Jr. and Russell T. Ippolito, Jr., who are handling the case, stated that between July 2014 and August 7, 2014, the defendant began communicating with a minor under the age of 12 in Cheektowaga, NY, via instant messaging on Vine.com. The communications were sexually graphic in nature, and involved the defendant coercing the minor victim into sharing sexually explicit images of herself. A search warrant was executed at the defendant’s apartment in East Brady where federal agents recovered Gillespie’s computer. A forensic examination recovered images of the minor victim, including one nude image of the victim.
The plea is the result of an investigation by detectives from the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Zack, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Kevin P. Lyons, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 12, 2018, at 2:30 p.m. before Judge Wolford.
Pedro Silva Segura Se Declara Culpable De Conspiración De Transportar Contrabando Humano Resultando En MuerteRead the Press Release
El Abogado de los Estados Unidos John F. Bash junto con Shane Folden, Agente Especial en Cargo del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE, por sus siglas en inglés) y la Oficina de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional (HSI, por sus siglas en inglés) anunciaron ésta tarde en San Antonio que Pedro Silva Segura, 47 años, puede recibir la pena de cadena perpetua despues de declararse culpable de ser participante en transportar contrabando humano donde 10 personas fallesieron el año pasado.
Presentandose antes del Juez Majistrado Henry Bemporad, Silva se declaró culpable de un cargo de conspiración de transportar contrabando de humanos resultando en muerte. En declararse culpable, Silva admitió que mantieniba una casa in Laredo, Tejas para guardar los inmigrantes indocumentados mientras esperaban su tranportación a su último destino en los E.E.U.U. Más, Silva declaró que aproximadamente cinco inmigrantes indocumentados se despedieron de la casa el 22 de junio, 2017, y fueron entregados al camión de carga conducido por James Matthew Bradley, Jr., 61 años, destinado a San Antonio.
Conforme con los archivos de la corte, quales Silva y Bradley admitieron que son factualmente corectos, el Departamento de Policía de San Antonio (SAPD, por sus siglas en inglés) respondieron a la llamada del Wal-mart localizado en 8538 Carretera 35 después de medianoche el domingo, 23 de junio, 2017. El Oficial de Policía encontró el camion de carga detrás de la tienda, y encontó varias personas parados y acostados encima del camión de carga, y el conductor Bradley en el cabina. Los oficiales descubrieron 39 inmigrantes indocumentados. De los 39 inmigrantes indocumentados, 10 fallecieron, ocho fallecieron en el remolque y dos fallecieron en hospitales localizados en San Antonio. En en grupo transportados por Bradley, cuatro eran jóvenes de menor de edad desde 14 – 17 años sin compañeros adultos. Los archivos de la corte establecen que el remolque conteniba dentro de 70 inmigrantes indocumentatos, y desde 180 – 200 personas durante el transporte. Los archivos proveen las recompensas variables para ser transportado.
En el 16 de octubre, 2017, Bradley se declaró culpable a los cargos federales en conexión con ésta investigación. Bradley permanece en custodia federal mientras espera su audencia frente el Mayor Juez David A. Ezra para recibir su condena el 26 de marzo, 2018. Bradley enfrenta la pena de cadena perpetua, y esta de acuerdo de pérdida del camión de carga, el remolque, aproximadamente $5,600 en efectivo y una pistola de .38 que fue recuperada de la cabina. Silva también está bajo custodia federal con su audencia para recibir su condena citado el 29 de junio, 2018.
Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) y la Oficina de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional (HSI) junto con la Oficina de Detención y Deportación (ICE ERO por sus siglas en inglés), el Departamento de Policía de San Antonio (SAPD por sus siglas en ingles), el Departamento de Bomberos de San Antonio (SAFD por sus siglas en inglés) investigaron éste caso. El Alguacil de Policía del Condado de Bexar (BCSO por sus siglas en inglés) y la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza de los Estados Unidos (CBP, por sus siglas en inglés) ayudaron con la investigación. Christina Playton y Matthew Lathrope son los abogados fiscales de parte del gobierno.
Pedro Silva Segura Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Undocumented Aliens Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
In San Antonio, 47–year-old Pedro Silva Segura faces up to life in federal prison after pleading guilty this afternoon to his role in an undocumented alien smuggling operation that resulted in ten deaths last year, announced United States Attorney John F. Bash and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden.
Appearing before United States Magistrate Judge Henry Bemporad, Silva pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport undocumented aliens resulting in death. By pleading guilty, Silva admitted to operating a stash house in Laredo, TX, used as a holding area for undocumented aliens awaiting transportation to final destinations in the U.S. Silva further admitted that approximately five undocumented aliens left the stash house on the night of July 22, 2017, and were delivered to a truck driven by 61-year-old James Matthew Bradley, Jr., that was bound for San Antonio.
According to court records, which Silva and Bradley admitted in court were factually correct, San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) officers responded to a call at the Wal-Mart store located at 8538 Interstate 35 in San Antonio shortly after midnight on Sunday, July 23, 2017. An officer encountered a tractor-trailer behind the store, finding a number of people standing and lying in the rear of the trailer, and the driver, Bradley, in the cab. At the scene, law enforcement officers discovered 39 undocumented aliens. Of the 39 aliens found at the scene ten (10) died, eight (8) died in the trailer and two (2) died later in area hospitals. There were four juveniles, aged 14-17 years old, within the group of aliens in Bradley’s trailer who were unaccompanied by an adult. Court records further state that the undocumented aliens estimated the trailer contained between 70 and 180 to 200 people during transport. They also described differing fees for being transported.
On October 16, 2017, Bradley pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with this investigation. He remains in federal custody awaiting sentencing scheduled for March 26, 2018, before Senior United States District Judge David A. Ezra. Bradley, who faces up to life in federal prison, also agreed to forfeit to the Government his tractor-trailer rig, plus approximately $5,600 in U.S. currency and a .38 caliber pistol recovered from inside the cab. Silva also remains in federal custody pending sentencing scheduled for June 29, 2018.
The U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this case together with ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the San Antonio Police Department and the San Antonio Fire Department. The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Border Patrol assisted in this investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Christina Playton and Matthew Lathrop are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
Oxycodone Trafficker Convicted by Federal JuryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New York-based oxycodone trafficker was convicted yesterday following a three-day trial in Boston.
Ilir Bregu, 46, of Staten Island, N.Y., was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute oxycodone. U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. scheduled sentencing for June 7, 2018.
In 2014 and 2015, agents observed foot and vehicle traffic consistent with street-level drug sales coming and going from the home of Mario Scata, 71, and his son, Manuele Scata, 45, of Revere, and from Manuele Scata’s business, D & M Auto Doctor, on Bennington Street in East Boston. While investigating the Scatas’ oxycodone trafficking, Scatas’ pill supplier, Bregu, was identified through surveillance and phone analysis. After obtaining a search warrant to track the precise location of Bregu’s phone, it was determined that every two-to-three weeks, Bregu drove his vehicle from Staten Island to Revere or East Boston, met with one or both of the Scatas, and then returned to Staten Island.
On July 16, 2015, a series of search warrants were executed after tracking Bregu’s phone from Staten Island to East Boston and then watching as Bregu met with Mario and Manuele Scata at D & M Auto Doctor. During the searches, a sophisticated hidden compartment was discovered in Bregu’s vehicle, which contained $37,800 in U.S. currency. Approximately 1,900 oxycodone pills were also recovered, a loaded firearm, and a machete from Manuele Scata’s vehicle as well as additional oxycodone pills, a hand-written drug ledger, and nearly $12,000 in U.S. currency from the Scatas’ home.
In December 2017, Mario Scata pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and possession with intent to distribute oxycodone. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 22, 2018. On Feb. 26, 2018, Manuele Scata pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, possession with intent to distribute oxycodone, and use of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense. His sentencing is scheduled for May 29, 2018.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Revere Police Chief James Guido; Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan; and Boston Police Commissioner William Evans made the announcement today. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl, of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit, and Miranda Hooker, of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit.
Oregon Pastor Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison for Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
An Oregon man was sentenced today to serve 135 months in prison for transportation of child pornography, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer of the District of Colorado.
James Parkhurst, 57, of Portland, Oregon, formerly a pastor, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Marcia S. Krieger, who also ordered him to serve 15 years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Parkhurst pleaded guilty on Nov. 16, 2017 to one count of transportation of child pornography.
According to court filings, Parkhurst traveled to Colorado and produced images of child pornography in August 2010 and then transported those images to his home in Michigan. According to admissions made in conjunction with the guilty plea, Parkhurst took three trips, including the one to Colorado in August 2010, where he took photographs of nude minors who were in his care. A forensic examination of the electronic devices seized from the defendant’s Oregon residence in 2016 revealed hundreds of thousands of images and over 3,500 videos of minors in various stages of undress, including minors posed in sexually suggestive and erotic poses saved on the defendant’s computer and external hard drives.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated this case with assistance from an investigative analyst in the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Oregon also provided assistance in the investigation. This case was prosecuted by CEOS Trial Attorney Lauren S. Kupersmith and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alecia L. Riewerts of the District of Colorado.”
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Oregon Pastor Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison for Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - An Oregon man was sentenced today to serve 135 months in prison for transportation of child pornography, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer of the District of Colorado.
James Parkhurst, 57, of Portland, Oregon, formerly a pastor, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Marcia S. Krieger, who also ordered him to serve 15 years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Parkhurst pleaded guilty on Nov. 16, 2017 to one count of transportation of child pornography.
According to court filings, Parkhurst traveled to Colorado and produced images of child pornography in August 2010 and then transported those images to his home in Michigan. According to admissions made in conjunction with the guilty plea, Parkhurst took three trips, including the one to Colorado in August 2010, where he took photographs of nude minors who were in his care. A forensic examination of the electronic devices seized from the defendant’s Oregon residence in 2016 revealed hundreds of thousands of images and over 3,500 videos of minors in various stages of undress, including minors posed in sexually suggestive and erotic poses saved on the defendant’s computer and external hard drives.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated this case with assistance from an investigative analyst in the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Oregon also provided assistance in the investigation. This case was prosecuted by CEOS Trial Attorney Lauren S. Kupersmith and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alecia L. Riewerts of the District of Colorado.
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Onslow County Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Selling Drugs Within 1000 Feet off a School and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that yesterday in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III sentenced MICHAEL WAYNE RADETSKI, 42, of Holly Ridge, North Carolina to 120 months of imprisonment followed by 4 years of supervised release.
RADETSKI was named in a four-count Indictment on July 19, 2017. On December 4, 2017, RADETSKI pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Marijuana Within 1,000 Feet of a School and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
In April 2016, the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office received Crime Stoppers reports indicating there was drug activity at a mobile home park in Holly Ridge. The reports stated the suspect’s name was “Mike” and that there were many vehicles going to and from his residence. Officers identified the individual as RADETSKI.
On December 21, 2016, officers searched RADETSKI’s residence and found a loaded AR-15 .223 rifle, a 60-round drum magazine, three rifle magazines, three handgun magazines, a 9mm pistol, multiple rounds of ammunition, 156.2 grams of marijuana, a marijuana smoking pipe, a water bong, digital scales, grinders, a pistol holster, and a ballistic vest. Additionally, officers found tools and parts typically used to make and/or modify firearms.
Further investigation determined that RADETSKI purchased 20 to 30 pounds of marijuana for $3,500 per pound over the past year from his supplier. Additionally, RADETSKI paid a 19-year-old straw purchaser to buy the AR-15 rifle for him. In order to conceal the purchase, RADETSKI’s wife signed a notarized letter falsely claiming that the firearm was actually hers because RADETSKI was not allowed to possess a firearm as a convicted felon.
During the investigation, officers determined that Dixon High School students would purchase marijuana from RADETSKI’s residence, and either smoke it there or at school. Additionally, RADETSKI threatened to place explosives in the vehicle of any Dixon High School student who “snitched” on RADETSKI for selling marijuana. On at least one occasion, a Dixon High School student, who purchased marijuana from RADETSKI on a regular basis, was threatened by RADETSKI with a handgun at RADETSKI’s residence.
In summary, RADETSKI was selling marijuana from his residence to individuals, including under age students, within 1,000 feet of the high school. Additionally, RADETSKI, a convicted felon, was in possession of two firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking enterprise.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office conducted the criminal investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorneys James J. Kurosad handled the prosecution of this case for the government.
Okeechobee Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing over Half-Kilogram of Cocaine and Six Ounces of Fentanyl Found in CarRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Kenneth McQueen (58, Okeechobee) has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. He faces a minimum of 5, up to 40 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, a City of Arcadia police officer pulled McQueen over for a minor traffic violation. McQueen volunteered that he was in possession of marijuana, but claimed he had just cleaned the car, so no other contraband would be found. A search of the vehicle revealed over a half-kilogram of cocaine and six ounces of fentanyl in multiple locations throughout the passenger compartment.
This case was investigated by the Arcadia Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison After Pleading Guilty to Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TIM NALL, age 62, of New Orleans, was sentenced today to sixty (60) months in prison by United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier after previously pleading guilty to receiving images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children. In addition to his term of imprisonment, NALL will also have to pay restitution in the amount of $5,000 to victims, and register as sex offender.
According to court documents, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at NALL’S residence on July 25, 2017, during which time they seized numerous electronic items including one desktop computer and numerous loose storage media, such as CDs and DVDs that contained images and videos depicting the sexual victimization of children. A forensic examination of the device revealed that NALL used the devices to search for, download, and save images and videos of children younger than two (2) years old engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The forensic examination located approximately 2,080 images and 2 videos of prepubescent children engaging in sexually explicit on NALL’S digital devices.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys= Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Murder of a Federal Witness, Conspiracy to Violate the Hobbs Act, Hobbs Act Robberies, and Obstruction of Official ProceedingsRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that GREGORY DENSON, age 54, of New Orleans, was sentenced today after pleading guilty to an eight-count Superseding Bill of Information charging him with murder of a federal witness, Hobbs Act conspiracy, multiple Hobbs Act robberies, and obstruction of official proceedings.
According to court records, DENSON, along with eight (8) co-conspirators, was charged with numerous violations relating to their participation in a robbery and home invasion ring. As the leader of this robbery gang, DENSON had other members of his gang break into the residences of numerous known drug dealers and, through force and intimidation, including the use of firearms, rob them of drugs and drug trafficking proceeds, including cash and other property acquired with the drug cash. Additionally, DENSON murdered Ellery Boyd, who as a former member of DENSON’s robbery gang, became a potential government witness against DENSON. DENSON and his co-conspirators then obstructed the investigation of this murder by disposing of Boyd’s body in the Industrial Canal.
U.S. District Carl J. Barbier sentenced DENSON to term of 30 years and five (5) years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson, Gregory M. Kennedy, and James S. C. Baehr prosecuted this case.
New Jersey Man Indicted for Transporting A Minor for Sex and Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that David Taylor, age 29, of Blackwood, New Jersey, was indicted for production of child pornography, transporting a minor to engage in sexual activity, and committing a felony while required to register as a sex offender.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that between July 15, 2017, and July 18, 2017, Taylor produced child pornography and transported a minor from Pennsylvania to New Jersey with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. The indictment also alleges that Taylor committed both felony offenses while required by law to register as a sex offender.
The case was investigated by the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, the Gloucester Township Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan VanFleet is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Taylor faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a potential 30-year maximum sentence for the production of child pornography charge and a mandatory 10 years in prison with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment for the transportation charge. Taylor faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years for committing a felony offense while required to register as a sex offender. The maximum possible fine for the offenses is $750,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Navajo Man from Churchrock Sentenced to Prison for Federal Voluntary Manslaughter ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Randy Payton, 35, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Churchrock, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 137 months in prison for his voluntary manslaughter conviction. Payton will be on supervised release for three years after completing his prison sentence.
Payton was arrested on Oct. 19, 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with killing a Navajo man on the Navajo Indian Reservation in McKinley County, N.M., on Oct. 14, 2016. According to the criminal complaint, Payton killed the victim by hitting and kicking him repeatedly during a fight. Payton subsequently was indicted on the same charge on Nov. 15, 2016.
On July 18, 2017, Payton pled guilty to the indictment and admitted killing the victim during a fight on Oct. 14, 2016.
This case was investigated by the Gallup office of the FBI and the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Novaline Wilson.
Nationwide Takedown Targets Brazen International Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
Presentation Images - Click HEREFor Further Information, Contact: Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. Sutton (619) 546-8941, David J. Rawls (619) 546-7966, and
Blanca Quintero (619) 546-7118SAN DIEGO – Indictments were unsealed today in San Diego federal court charging 40 members of an international money-laundering scheme with conspiring to launder tens of millions of dollars in drug money.
In addition to the indictments unsealed today in San Diego, a total of 75 defendants nationwide have been charged across the United States with crimes ranging from drug distribution to money laundering, all stemming from this investigation, including defendants in the Southern District of Ohio, the Eastern District of Kentucky, the District of Kansas, and the Eastern District of Washington.
credit Ray Christensen, USAO-SDCAAccording to the indictments and other publicly filed court documents, Jose Roberto Lopez-Albarran, a significant money broker for a Mexican-based international money laundering organization, along with other members of the organization, allegedly laundered tens of millions of dollars in narcotics proceeds from the United States to Mexico between 2015 and 2018. As a result of the investigation, law enforcement seized more than $6 million dollars in United States currency as well as 95 kilograms of methamphetamine, 63 kilograms of heroin, 10 kilograms of fentanyl, 92 kilograms of cocaine, 252 kilograms of marijuana, worth millions of dollars on the streets, and 20 firearms, including semiautomatic assault rifles and handguns.
Lopez-Albarran oversaw a network of co-conspirators to assist in transferring millions of dollars in narcotics proceeds from drug dealers in the United States to drug suppliers in Mexico, including to individuals working for the Sinaloa Cartel. As part of the investigation, the FBI deployed undercover agents and task force officers from the San Diego District Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Investigation, Chula Vista Police Department, and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office to infiltrate Lopez-Albarran’s organization and after gaining the trust of the organization, agreed to pick up bulk currency across the United States for transfer to Mexico. Over the course of the last two years, undercover agents identified multiple individuals known as “money movers,” i.e., people responsible for collecting narcotics proceeds and disposing of those proceeds as directed by either the drug trafficking organization or the money brokers.
Law enforcement then received phone numbers and code words from Lopez-Albarran to contact these money movers to arrange for the delivery of narcotics proceeds. The money movers concealed and transported amounts ranging from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars in narcotics proceeds at a time, hidden within compartments in vehicles, luggage, duffel bags and shoeboxes. These cash deliveries took place in locations such as parking lots of retail stores, hotels, and restaurants across the United States, including ones in San Diego, California; Los Angeles, California; Kansas City, Missouri; New York, New York; Cincinnati, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; Lexington, Kentucky; Boston, Massachusetts; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Chicago, Illinois. By targeting these money movers, law enforcement was able to discover multiple drug trafficking cells across the United States responsible for importing and distributing substantial quantities of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine.
In addition, another lead defendant, Manuel Reynoso Garcia, along with his co-conspirators were charged last month in San Diego federal court for their sophisticated money laundering activities. He and his co-conspirators directed money movers to travel throughout the East Coast to collect bulk cash and deposit the bulk cash into domestic bank accounts set up through a web of “funnel” bank accounts. Once the bulk cash was deposited into the funnel bank accounts, co-conspirators, under the direction of Reynoso and others, conducted international wire transfers of the funds to Mexican bank accounts associated with false companies in Mexico controlled by the money laundering organization.
Lopez-Albarran was arrested on February 9, 2018 in San Diego and remains in federal custody. Reynoso and four of his co-defendants were also arrested between January 11, 2018, and January 17, 2018, in San Diego. Sixteen of the remaining defendants charged in San Diego have been arrested in Boston, Massachusetts; Los Angeles, California; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and elsewhere. Five additional defendants were already in custody for previously charged crimes and will be transferred to the Southern District of California to be arraigned in the coming days.
In addition, approximately 35 other defendants have been charged in connection with this investigation in other jurisdictions including the Southern District of Ohio, the Eastern District of Kentucky, the District of Kansas, and the Eastern District of Washington.
“We have siphoned the cash and the life out of a San Diego-based international money laundering organization with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Braverman. “By following the money, we have discovered large quantities of fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine that are no longer destined for the streets of America. That’s a one-two punch that takes these organizations completely out of the ring and makes our communities safer.”
“These types of complex investigations, spanning across the nation and our international boundaries, requires a fundamental change in how we share information, coordinate and collaborate. These joint investigations, where shared awareness and decentralized execution was the norm, can and must be how we disrupt these drug trafficking and money laundering networks in the future,” said Special Agent in Charge John A. Brown of the San Diego Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “This case model is built upon the incredible collaboration of the federal, state, and local partners across the United States and in Mexico. Today, this case exemplifies how dedicated collaboration equals success.”
“Taking on and stopping transnational criminal organizations requires dedication and sacrifice,” said District Attorney Summer Stephan. “We worked collaboratively with our law enforcement partners and dedicated key resources over a two-year period. As a result, this undercover operation has brought down high-level cartel associates and stopped the distribution of dangerous drugs like heroin and fentanyl in San Diego and cities across the U.S.”
“When drug traffickers amass large quantities of cash from narcotics sales, they often attempt to transfer and/or legitimize these ill-gotten profits through the use of banks and financial institutions,” said Special Agent in Charge R. Damon Rowe, IRS-Criminal Investigation. “This joint investigation continues to demonstrate our efforts to ensure that the financial services industry will not be abused by large-scale narcotics traffickers, but will be operated in a fair and honest manner to promote the public interest.”
U.S. Attorney Braverman also praised federal, state, and local law enforcement for the coordinated team effort in the culmination of this investigation. This case was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cross Border Violence Task Force (CBVTF). The CBVTF is a FBI-led task force comprised of federal and local law enforcement from the FBI, San Diego District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Customs and Border Protection, San Diego County Sheriff’s Office and the Chula Vista Police Department. Agents and officers from the IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Marshals Service and the California Highway Patrol also provided vital assistance. Attorneys from the Department of Justice, Office of Enforcement Operations, Electronic Surveillance Unit, likewise provided critical work as part of the investigative team. He also thanked our vital foreign partners - Mexican Federal Police, Mexico’s Procuraduria General de la Republic (PGR) and Mexican Financial Intelligence Agency (Unidad de Inteligencia Financial - UIF).
This case is the result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.
The United States is represented in court by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. Sutton, David J. Rawls, and Blanca Quintero.
Defendant Information
Defendants Criminal Case No: 18-cr-1129-GPC
Defendant Number
Name
Age
Hometown
1
Jose Roberto Lopez-Albarran
32
Culiacan, Mexico
2
Alfredo Cardenas-Uriarte
55
Culiacan, Mexico
3
Juan Duarte-Tello
53
Kansas City, Missouri
4
Diana Aurora Holguin-Gallegos
30
Kansas City, Missouri
5
REDACTED
X
REDACTED
6
Shontail Marie Hocker
42
Lexington, Kentucky
7
Nereida Valdez
30
Los Angeles, California
8
REDACTED
X
REDACTED
9
REDACTED
X
REDACTED
10
REDACTED
X
REDACTED
11
Jose Luis Fuentes
37
Los Angeles, California
12
REDACTED
X
REDACTED
13
Miguel Angel Flores
36
Los Angeles, California
14
REDACTED
X
REDACTED
15
Endy Santiago
29
Boston, Massachusetts
16
Luis Sanchez Baez
30
Boston, Massachusetts
17
REDACTED
X
REDACTED
18
Hendry Mateo
39
Boston, Massachusetts
19
REDACTED
X
REDACTED
20
REDACTED
X
REDACTED
21
REDACTED
X
REDACTED
22
REDACTED
X
REDACTED
23
Christian Brown
41
Boston, Massachusetts
24
Jose Figueroa
38
Boston, Massachusetts
25
Alfredin Mejia Soto
29
Boston, Massachusetts
Summary Of Charges
Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments (18 U.S.C. 1956(h)).
Maximum Penalties: Term of custody up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved, and 5 years of supervised release.
Defendants Criminal Case No: 18-cr-1127-GPC
Defendant Number
Name
Age
Hometown
1
Jesus Adolfo Rene Duarte Languren
35
Los Angeles, California
2
Manuel Vasquez Medina
44
Los Angeles, California
3
REDACTED
X
REDACTED
4
Manuel Dejesus Estrada
28
Los Angeles, California
5
REDACTED
X
REDACTED
Summary Of Charges
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846.
Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments (18 U.S.C. 1956(h)).
Maximum Penalties: Term of custody including a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine and 5 years supervised release. For money laundering charges, term of custody up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved, and 5 years of supervised release.
Defendants Criminal Case No: 18-cr-1128-GPC
Defendant Number
Name
Age
Hometown
1
Jose Roberto Lopez-Albarran
32
Culiacan, Mexico
2
REDACTED
X
REDACTED
3
REDACTED
X
REDACTED
4
REDACTED
X
REDACTED
Summary Of Charges
Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments (18 U.S.C. 1956(h)).
Maximum Penalties: Term of custody up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved, and 5 years of supervised release.
Defendants Criminal Case No: 17-cr-02203-WQH
Defendant Number
Name
Age
Hometown
1
Manuel Reynoso Garcia
62
Tijuana, Mexico
2
Perla Alejandra Perez Guirado
25
Tijuana, Mexico
3
Estefania Plascencia Ponce
35
Tijuana, Mexico
4
Joaquin Enrique Ramirez Calva
28
Tijuana, Mexico
5
Gilberto Beltran Salazar
29
Tijuana, Mexico
Summary of Charges
Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments (18 U.S.C. 1956(h))
Conspiracy to Operate an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business (18 U.S.C. 1960(a))
Maximum Penalties: Term of custody up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved, and 5 years of supervised release. For conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, term of custody up to 5 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment, information, or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Federal Bureau of Investigation – Cross Border Violence Task Force
San Diego District Attorney’s Office - Bureau of Investigation
San Diego County Sheriff’s Office
Chula Vista Police Department
Drug Enforcement Administration
Customs and Border Protection
Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation
United States Marshals Service
U.S. Bureau of Prisons
California Highway Patrol
Department of Justice, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces
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U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio
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U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York
Mexican Federal Police
Mexico’s Procuraduria General de la Republic (PGR)
Mexican Financial Intelligence Agency (Unidad de Inteligencia Financial - UIF)
18CR1127-GPC - Redacted Indictment 18CR1128-GPC - Redacted Indictment 18CR1129-GPC - Redacted IndictmentMuskogee Man Sentenced to 97 Months for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Matthew Dylan Ernst, age 25, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 97 months imprisonment and 4 years supervised release for Distribution Of Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B). The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Indictment alleged that on or about November 4, 2016, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, Matthew Dylan Ernst, did knowingly and intentionally distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), a Schedule II controlled substance.
United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said, “Selling methamphetamine is a crime that has impacted every community in the United States. Drug dealers profit while the rest of society is left to pick up the pieces left by the destructive force of this insidious drug. Thanks to the DEA and its state, local, and tribal task force partners, a supply line has been broken in Eastern Oklahoma.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Harrington represented the United States. The defendant will remain in custody pending transportation to the designated federal facility at which the non-paroleable sentence will be served.
Muskogee Man Sentenced to 75 Months for Possession of Firearm and Ammunition in Furtherance of Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Rien Keith Irving, age 21, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment for Felon In Possession Of Firearm & Ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2); and to 60 months imprisonment for Possession Of A Firearm In Furtherance Of A Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A), to be served consecutively. The charges arose from an investigation by the Tahlequah Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Indictment alleged that from on or about December 9, 2016, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Rien Keith Irving, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, knowingly possessed in and affecting commerce, a firearm and ammunition which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
Additionally, the Indictment alleged that on or about December 9, 2016, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant knowingly possessed a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime for which he may be prosecuted in a court of the United States.
United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said, “Fighting against violent crime is a priority of the Department of Justice and the U. S. Attorney’s Office. The business of drug dealing is inherently a violent endeavor. When a gun is possessed to further a drug trafficking crime the likelihood of violence is even greater. Because of the professional and thorough work of the Tahlequah Police Department and the ATF, this office was able to successfully prosecute Irving and stop potential violence before it occurred.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Dean Burris represented the United States. The defendant will remain in custody pending transportation to the designated federal facility at which the non-paroleable sentence will be served.
Multi-State Drug Trafficking Organization Leads to Federal Indictment and Seizure of AssetsRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Uy Nguyen, 34, of Vallejo, California, and Aaron M. Booker, 26, of Pensacola, were arraigned February 8 and today in the U.S. District Court in Pensacola after a federal grand jury returned an indictment, unsealed today, charging them with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
The indictment alleges that, between February 2015 and December 2017, Nguyen and Booker conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. The indictment also alleges that during the same time period, they conspired to launder money by transferring cash proceeds and purchasing precious metals and stones from funds of the drug trafficking conspiracy.
The indictment also seeks forfeiture of approximately $338,641 in U.S. currency; a firearm and ammunition; a cellular telephone; more than a dozen pieces of jewelry; and approximately 35 pieces of designer clothing and accessories.
Nguyen’s trial is scheduled for April 2, and Booker’s trial is scheduled for April 16, 2018.
If convicted, the defendants face 10 years to life in prison for the drug trafficking conspiracy and a maximum of 20 years in prison for the money laundering conspiracy.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case resulted from an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Pensacola Police Department, the State Attorney’s Office – First Judicial Circuit, the U.S. Marshals, and the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Mount Vernon Man Pleads Guilty to String of Livery Cab Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ALLANMON MAVUMKAL pled guilty today to four counts of Hobbs Act robbery in connection with a spree in which he threatened livery cab drivers and robbed the drivers of cash, personal items, and their cabs. MAVUMKAL pled guilty today in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As he admitted today, Allanmon Mavumkal terrorized four livery cab drivers with a knife, robbing them of their money and cars. Now Mavumkal is facing significant prison time for his violent acts.”
According to the Complaint, Superseding Indictment, and other statements made in open court:
On September 21, 2017, MAVUMKAL hailed a livery cab in the Bronx, and directed the driver to a particular destination. After arriving at the drop-off location, MAVUMKAL threatened the driver with a large knife, which was captured on video footage from the cab, ordered the driver out of the cab, and then drove away in the cab. The day before, on September 20, 2017, MAVUMKAL robbed three other livery cab drivers in the Bronx and Mt. Vernon in a similar fashion.
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MAVUMKAL, 30, of Mount Vernon, New York, pled guilty to four counts of Hobbs Act robbery, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New York City Police Department in this case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Justin V. Rodriguez is in charge of the prosecution.
Morgantown woman indicted on heroin distribution chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Morgantown woman was indicted this week by a federal grand jury on heroin trafficking charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Lori Murphy, age 28, was indicted on two counts of “Distribution of Heroin within 1000 feet of Protected Location” and two counts of “Distribution of Heroin.” Murphy is accused of distributing heroin, twice near North Elementary School, in April, July, and August of 2017 in Monongalia County.
Murphy faces up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000 for each of the counts involving distribution near a school and faces up to 20 years a fine of up to $1,000,000 for the other two distribution counts. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Monongalia County man admits to illegal possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Wilbur Higginbotham, of Morgantown, West Virginia, has admitted to illegally possessing a firearm, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Higginbotham, age 51, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Higginbotham, having previously been convicted of heroin and illegal firearms charges in U.S. District Court and drug charges in Prince George’s County Maryland Circuit Court, admitted to having a .22 caliber firearm in Harrison County in December 2017.
Higginbotham 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 Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.Mission Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that Roger Watts, age 34, of Mission, South Dakota, convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer was sentenced on March 7, 2018, by United States District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Roger Watts was sentenced to 126 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Watts was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 15, 2017. He was convicted following a two-day jury trial in Pierre, South Dakota.
The charge stems from an incident that occurred on January 20, 2017, in the North Antelope Community near Mission. On that date, Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services officers were investigating an allegation that Watts had stolen property and questioned him at a home in North Antelope. After being questioned, Watts was informed he was being arrested. Watts became combative and charged at one of the officers, physically engaging him. A struggle ensued and the officer sustained a knee injury during the struggle.
“Tribal law enforcement officers, like all law enforcement officers, have a tough and often dangerous job,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “An attack on one of them is an attack on all of us and can never be tolerated. Unfortunately, this is not the first time this Defendant has been convicted of assaulting a Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services officer. The sentence in this case reflects the severe penalties that a defendant faces when he chooses to assault an officer, particularly when he has a history of such criminal behavior.”
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Watts was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Milwaukee Man Receives 10 Year Sentence for Green Bay Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
Matthew D. Krueger, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on March 5, 2018, Levester R. Brown (age: 33) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, appeared in federal court in Green Bay and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine distribution ring in Northeast Wisconsin.
In the Spring of 2017, Brown repeatedly travelled from his residence in Milwaukee to Phoenix, Arizona, for the purpose of obtaining pounds of pure methamphetamine. Brown then utilized the U.S. Postal Service to ship the methamphetamine to acquaintances in Milwaukee and Brown Deer, Wisconsin. He would then transport the drugs to his main distributor in Green Bay.
On June 6, 2017, Special Agents with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service arrested Brown as he attempted to ship approximately 9 pounds of methamphetamine to his associates in Wisconsin.
In pronouncing sentence, Chief U.S. District Court Judge William C. Griesbach noted the serious nature of Brown’s crime and the negative effect that methamphetamine has had on the community. The judge told Brown that his crime called for a harsh sentence. Following his release from prison, Brown will serve 10 years on federal supervised release.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Brown County Drug Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
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For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer Dean Puschnig 414-297-1700
Michigan City, Indiana Man SentencedRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND - Curtis Glancy, age 24, of Michigan City, Indiana was sentenced before South Bend District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio for conspiracy to distribute over 100 grams of heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Glancy was sentenced to 130 months imprisonment followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, from 2015 to February of 2016, Glancy and several other individuals conspired to sell heroin. During that time on a weekly basis they sold heroin to individuals in Northern Indiana and in total sold between one and two kilograms of heroin. In 2016 Glancy’s two co-defendants were sentenced to 70 months and three years of supervised release. Glancy had previously been convicted of two felonies and seven misdemeanors, and was on bond for other cases during the time of the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of the Michigan City Police Department. The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Schaffer.
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Mexican National Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking MurderRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Timothy A. Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Mexican national was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy that resulted in the murder of a co-conspirator.
Yovanny Aroldo Mendivil-Balderama, 23, a Mexican national, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 50 years in federal prison without parole.
On Oct. 16, 2017, Mendivil-Balderama pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene County, Dallas County, Webster County and Christian County, Mo., from April 28, 2015, to April 26, 2016. He also pleaded guilty to using a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, resulting in the murder of Oscar Adan Martinez-Gaxiola on April 25, 2016, in Webster County.
According to court documents, Mendivil-Balderama and Martinez-Gaxiola obtained large amounts of methamphetamine from either Arizona or Mexico and transported it to Missouri. They supplied methamphetamine to co-defendant Brooke Danielle Beckley, 21, of Nixa, for distribution in the Springfield area. Beckley, who pleaded guilty to the same charges, was sentenced on Feb. 26, 2018, to 40 years in federal prison without parole.
Beckley met Mendivil-Balderama and Martinez-Gaxiola in January 2016, and Beckley and Mendivil-Balderama started a sexual relationship shortly afterwards.
On April 6, 2016, law enforcement officers seized from Beckley’s hotel room approximately 1.9 kilograms of methamphetamine, a loaded 20-gauge shotgun with a sawed off barrel and stock, four rounds of additional shotgun ammunition, a .22-caliber pistol, a drug ledger and $3,662.
The loss of the 1.9 kilograms of methamphetamine created a $44,000 debt that Beckley owed to both Mendivil-Balderama and Martinez-Gaxiola. According to court documents, text messages between Mendivil-Balderama and Beckley revealed they both wanted to kill Martinez-Gaxiola as a way to reduce, or extend, the debt and to prevent Martinez-Gaxiola from possibly killing Beckley. Mendivil-Balderama suggested in a text to Beckley that he had “an idea of how we can do so you do not have to pay me everything.” Beckley, in a text on April 21, 2016, asked what he needed her to do. Mendivil-Balderama responded, “I just need someone to help me get rid of someone I need gone like now.” Subsequent text messages suggested that the person that needed to be “gone” was Martinez-Gaxiola.
Beckley then recruited co-defendant Anthony Edward Donovan, 21, of Springfield, Mo., to assist in killing Martinez-Gaxiola, and offered to pay him $6,000. Donovan recruited co-defendant Nathaniel Austin Lee, 20, of Seymour, Mo., to assist in the murder and allow for the use of Lee’s property in rural Webster County, Mo., in exchange for part of the $6,000. Lee then recruited Joshua Applegate (who was a minor under federal law at the time of the offense, and therefore charged as an adult in state court rather than in the federal indictment).
On April 24, 2016, Beckley, Donovan and Lee practiced for the murder of Martinez-Gaxiola by discharging various firearms at the Lee residence. On April 25, 2016, Mendivil-Balderama traveled with Martinez-Gaxiola to the Lee residence on the pretext that Beckley would pay the drug debt. Beckley, Donovan, Lee and Applegate were waiting at the residence; Donovan and Lee were armed with handguns. Upon arrival, Mendivil-Balderama got out of the vehicle first. When Martinez-Gaxiola exited the vehicle, Donovan and Applegate opened fire and Martinez-Gaxiola fell to the ground. Eventually, Donovan went up to where Martinez-Gaxiola lay and shot him once in the head. Martinez-Gaxiola was armed with a handgun but did not discharge it during his murder.
Lee’s neighbors reported the shots fired at the residence (it is estimated that the co-conspirators expended 30 to 60 rounds of ammunition during the murder). Webster County deputies responded to the location. Hearing the emergency sirens, the co-conspirators attempted to conceal Martinez-Gaxiola under a piece of tin siding, and then fled area. When the deputies arrived, they found Martinez-Gaxiola, who was still alive but critically hurt and who died before transportation to the hospital. Law enforcement officers captured all the co-conspirators by the end of the day on April 25, 2016.
Donovan and Lee have pleaded guilty to the same charges and await sentencing. Co-defendant Jourdan Ashley McGinnis, 29, of Nixa, pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy. McGinnis was sentenced on Dec. 18, 2017, to seven years and 10 months in federal prison without parole.
This case is being prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Garrison and Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Lawrence County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Webster County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Seymour, Mo., Police Department, the Rogersville, Mo., Police Department, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the Combined Ozarks Multijurisdictional Enforcement Team (COMET).