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12 February 2018
Cedar Rapids Felon Found Guilty of Possessing Two FirearmsRead the Press Release
A felon who illegally possessed two firearms in October 2016 was convicted by a judge today, following a bench trial in federal court last month in Cedar Rapids.
Christopher Matthew Davies, age 47, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The verdict was returned today after about a 40-minute bench trial held on January 11, 2018.
The evidence at the trial showed that on September 8, 2016, the Iowa District Court for Linn County found Davies guilty of forgery and burglary, both felony offenses. On October 25, 2016, after Davies pled guilty to those charges, but before his sentencing hearing, he knowingly possessed two firearms. Specifically, Davies travelled to his mother’s home in Cedar Rapids, retrieved two firearms, and then pawned those firearms for $400. Davies later attempted to retrieve the firearms from the pawnshop, but the pawnshop refused to return the firearms after the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System instructed the pawnshop to delay, and ultimately deny, any firearms transfer to Davies.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Davies remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Davies faces up to ten years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-26-LRR.
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California Man Charged with Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ROT VAN NGUYEN, a/k/a “Minh Dung,” a/k/a “Minh Dung Duong,” age 56, of San Jose, California, was charged today with one count of failure to register as a sex offender under the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents, NGUYEN was arrested in December 2017 in New Orleans after having departed California in November 2015. After traveling to New Orleans, NGUYEN failed to register with local authorities as required by SORNA. If convicted, NGUYEN faces a maximum term of 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. He also would have to be sentenced to a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Marshal’s Service and the Louisiana State Police in this matter. He extended his thanks to California Division of Parole Operations, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Payne is in charge of prosecution.
Business Manager Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Embezzling $1.5 Million from Boilermakers Local 154Read the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former Boilermakers union official has been sentenced in federal court to 41 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of embezzlement and theft of Labor Union assets and income tax evasion, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Raymond Ventrone, 60, of Pittsburgh, Pa. In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Hornak ordered Ventrone to pay $2,391,183 in restitution to the Boilermakers Union, followed by restitution of $500,000 to Zurich Surety and Financial Claims of Schaumburg, Illinois, and ordered him to pay $223,881 to the Internal Revenue Service.
According to information presented to the court, Ventrone caused a loss to Local 154 of approximately $3,000,000 over a four-and-one-half-year period between January 2010 and June 2015. When his thefts were discovered he was forced to resign his position as Business Manager of Local 154. That position was the most powerful job within the union. Ventrone used his unchecked power to authorize payments of retail goods that were of no use to the union. Some of these items were stored in his home, others were stored in storage units paid for by the Local, and others were on the Local’s premises, but not accessible to members.
Judge Hornak said that, “By any measure, this is an extraordinarily serious offense…Officers have a significant fiduciary responsibility to the members they represent.” The court also noted that Ventrone had engaged in “plainly unlawful and inappropriate conduct” by sending one of his subordinates to cash three Local 154 checks totaling $105,000 from a gas station owner friendly with Ventrone. The cash was returned to Ventrone.
Listed below are totals of payments to various retail establishments made by Local 154 at Ventrone’s direction:
- Approximately: $970,000 at Best Buy;
- $105,000 at the Apple Store;
- $527,000 spent on Louis Vuitton purchases;
- $198,602; $38,000 spent on drums, percussion instruments and musical accessories, from Drum World that the defendant maintained under lock and key on the premises of Local 154, unavailable and off limits to Local 154 members;
- $10,623.95 spent on Coco Lunette eye glasses for the defendant; $26,000 spent on concrete work at the defendant’s home; and
- $9,000 spent on a kitchen remodel at the defendant’s home.
The court noted that Ventrone had unnecessarily involved his son, a former NFL player, by renting him a spacious and extravagantly furnished apartment on the Local’s property for a mere $500 per month. The furnishings for the rental were from Restoration Hardware, Levins, Macy’s, Williams Sonoma, Best Buy and Pool City. The rental included a full and complete private fitness center with several large televisions that was not for the use or benefit of union members, but only for his son’s use. Local 154 also paid the utilities. The rental wasn’t vacated until this investigation became public. The loss to the union for the rent and furnishings was approximately $39,000, and the loss for the private fitness center was approximately $44,000.
Assistant United States Attorney Nelson P. Cohen prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Brady commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, the Department of Labor-OIG and the Office of Labor Management Standards for conducting the investigation leading to the prosecution of this defendant.
Broward Doctor and Staff Arrested for Running a Pill MillRead the Press Release
Dr. Andres Mencia, 64, of Ft. Lauderdale, Oscar Luis Ventura-Rodriguez, 41, of Ft. Lauderdale, Nadira Sampath-Grant, 51, of Margate, and John Mensah, 50, of Miami, were arrested for their involvement in a scheme where they billed Medicare and Medicaid for medical consultations during which in actuality, they issued prescriptions for opioids and other drugs in exchange for cash payments, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 and 841(a)(1), 18 U.S.C. § 2, 18 U.S.C. § 1347 and 18 U.S.C. § 1349.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Adolphus P. Wright, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, Shimon R. Richmond, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
As alleged in the indictment, beginning in or around January 2015, Dr. Mencia, Venutra-Rodriguez, Sampath-Grant and Mensah conspired to perform sham consultations with Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and other patients, the true intent of which was to issue them prescriptions for opioids and other drugs in exchange for cash payments. In some instances, the defendants billed Medicare and Medicaid for these consultations and the prescriptions were filled at Medicare and Medicaid participating pharmacies.
Ventura-Rodriguez, Sampath-Grant and Mensah are charged with knowingly and intentionally dispensing a controlled substance, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 and 841(a)(1) and 18 U.S.C. § 2.
Dr. Mencia is also charged with knowingly and intentionally dispensed a controlled substance, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 and 841(a)(1) and 18 U.S.C. § 2. The indictment further alleges that Dr. Mencia purchased two residential properties with the illicit proceeds, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957.
If convicted on all charges, each defendant faces a possible maximum sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment on each count.
Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of DEA, HHS-OIG and ICE-HSI. Mr. Greenberg also thanked the Aventura Police Department, City of Miami Police Department, Miami-Dade Police Department, and Miami Gardens Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Gilfarb.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Brockton Man Pleads Guilty to KidnappingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to the armed kidnapping of a Quincy man and two children.
Diego Pires, 23, pleaded guilty to kidnapping before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris, who scheduled sentencing for May 16, 2018. In January 2018, co-defendant Malik Bangura, 20, was sentenced to 17 years in prison and two years of supervised release. Sedrick Oliveira, 26, of Stoughton, and Yesenia Diaz, 23, of Brockton, were also charged.
On Oct. 8, 2016, at approximately 10:25 p.m., a 30-year-old man was kidnapped from the driveway of his Quincy home after being struck in the head with a revolver as he got out of his truck, and dragged into a nearby sedan. The victim had two children strapped into car seats in his truck.
Once the victim was in the sedan, two masked perpetrators, later identified as Pires and Bangura, drove the victim’s truck, with the children, to a secluded location where they unloaded approximately 30 pounds of marijuana and $20,000 from the victim’s truck, into the sedan. The victim, who was face-down in the backseat of the sedan at gunpoint, begged for his life and the life of the two children who were still in their car seats in the back of his truck.
Pires, Bangura, Diaz, and Oliveira then drove the sedan with the drugs, cash and the victim, from Quincy to Brockton and called the victim’s wife demanding $100,000. Law enforcement officers spotted the sedan as it drove through Brockton, recognized the vehicle from a drive-by shooting that occurred in August 2016, and began to follow it. After the defendants recognized the police, they attempted to flee, but ultimately abandoned the sedan in a Brockton driveway. The victim escaped, flagged down law enforcement officers, and described to them the secluded location where the truck had been disserted. Law enforcement located the truck with the children, who were unharmed.
Diaz was subsequently found standing by the sedan and arrested. She previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Oliveira was arrested on Oct. 10, 2016, in Stoughton and charged in a federal criminal complaint. He pleaded not guilty to the kidnapping charge. Bangura was arrested and charged in April 2017. Pires remained a fugitive until he was apprehended in October 2017.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Brockton Police Chief John Crowley; and Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily O. Cannon of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted 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.
Arizona Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, Heroin and CocaineRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.— A federal jury in Lexington has found Hector Salas, Jr., of Phoenix, guilty of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, more than 400 grams of fentanyl and one kilogram of heroin. The jury convicted Salas on Friday, February 9, 2018, following a 3-day trial in U.S. District Court. The jury also found Salas guilty of possession with the intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.
According to the trial testimony, Salas engaged in an agreement to distribute the controlled substances. The evidence also established that, in May 2017, Salas was stopped by Lexington Police, on Versailles Road, in a vehicle with a Tennessee license plate. The investigation ultimately revealed that the vehicle had come from Phoenix and the trailer towed behind it contained 5.9 kilograms of cocaine, with a street value of over $410,000. Further investigation also resulted in the seizure of over 700 grams of fentanyl and over a kilogram of heroin from a residence in Lexington. The total street value of all the drugs exceeded $1,000,000. Law enforcement agencies also seized over $580,000 in proceeds from the distribution of the drugs.
The sentencing hearing is currently scheduled for May 11, 2018, at the federal courthouse in Lexington. Salas faces a minimum mandatory sentence of not less than 10 years nor more than life imprisonment.
United States Attorney Duncan; Amy Hess, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville; Richard W. Sanders, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police; and Ron Compton, Acting Chief of Police, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the jury’s verdict.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the Kentucky State Police, and the Lexington Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Roger W. West.
Anderson County Man Guilty of Making False Statements in a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) InvestigationRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina –------- United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today that Jeffery Michael Patterson entered a plea of guilty on charges of making a false statement to federal agents. Patterson faces a maximum sentence of up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Patterson will be sentenced by United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain after the completion of a presentence investigation.
The facts presented at the guilty plea hearing established that Patterson was employed at a local FAA approved airplane repair and service facility. During the course of a routine evaluation of employees, Patterson represented that he had FAA certifications to do certain work on airplanes. The repair facility tried to verify this information through the FAA and was advised that Patterson held none of the certifications that he claimed to have. The matter was then referred to the Inspector General (IG) of the Federal Department of Transportation for investigation. IG Special Agents interviewed Patterson, and he made false statements to them to include the false statement that he had the FAA certifications but that they were under other names because his name had been changed numerous times by the Treasury department to protect his family from drug dealers who had been investigated by his father while working as a drug enforcement officer. At the guilty plea hearing, Patterson admitted that this story was bogus.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David C. Stephens of the Greenville Office.
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9 February 2018
Wyoming County Dentist Indicted for Unlawful Distribution of Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that a Wyoming County dentist, Christopher Bereznak, age 48, was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 6, 2018, for unlawfully distributing controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the 9-count indictment alleges that beginning in June 2016 and continuing into July 2016, Bereznak unlawfully provided controlled substances to someone with whom he had no legitimate doctor/patient relationship, without legitimate medical necessity, and outside the scope of a professional practice.
Bereznak’s license to practice dentistry in Pennsylvania and his DEA registration have been suspended.
The charges stem from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Scranton, the Olyphant Police Department, and the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski is prosecuting the case.
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.
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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for each offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. 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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Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
On February 9, 2018, Acting United States Attorney Robert C. Stuart announced that Shawndell L. Burke, 42, with no permanent address, was sentenced to 14 years (168 months) in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Burke was ordered to serve five years on supervised release following the prison term.
Information provided to law enforcement indicated that Burke was responsible for the distribution of at least 5 kilograms (approximately 11 pounds) of methamphetamine mixture and at least 150 grams (5 ¼ ounces) of pure methamphetamine in the Lincoln area between January of 2013 and April of 2017. On April 21, 2017, Lincoln Police Officers executed a search warrant at a residence where Burke was staying and found 76 grams of pure methamphetamine in her bedroom.
Burke’s co-defendant, Rodney P. Mazzulla, is scheduled for trial in March of 2018.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force.
Woman Pleads Guilty to Using Stolen IDs to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland woman pleaded guilty today to her involvement in an identity theft and bank fraud scheme involving U.S. Treasury checks.
According to court documents, Vanetra Brown, 25, of Capitol Heights, impersonated identity theft victims at local commercial banks in order to cash stolen treasury checks. Brown used false driver’s licenses, false social security numbers, and other fraudulent means to dupe banks in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. into negotiating the stolen checks. The scheme resulted in a loss of $32,705.
Brown pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and faces a maximum of 30 years in prison when sentenced on June 8. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Eric M. Thorson, Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Treasury, Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia, and Robert B. Wemyss, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel Smith III and Grace L. Hill are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-14.
Wilkes Barre Man Charged with Cocaine PossessionRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jesse Carey, age 30, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was indicted on February 6, 2018, by a federal grand jury for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that in August 2017, Carey was detained by the Mount Airy Lodge Casino Security staff for showing fake identification at the casino. After being detained, Carey tried to flee but security officers apprehended him with cocaine in his possession.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Evan Gotlob is prosecuting the case.
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.
Indictments 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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this drug conspiracy is 20 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. 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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Wichita Man Found Guilty of Meth Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that Justin Thomas Morales, a/k/a “Speedy,” age 37, of Wichita, Kansas, was found guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine as a result of a federal jury trial in Sioux Falls, South Dakota which began on February 5, 2018. The verdict was returned February 7, 2018.
Because Morales has a prior felony drug conviction, the conspiracy charge, involving over 500 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine, carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years and a maximum of life in custody, and/or a $20 million fine, mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Morales was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 9, 2016, and a superseding indictment was filed January 19, 2017.
On September 22, 2016, Morales and Chase Guzman had traveled from Wichita, Kansas, to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with approximately two pounds of methamphetamine and three pounds of marijuana to distribute in Sioux Falls and the surrounding area.
While conducting surveillance, members of the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force observed Morales and Guzman go inside a residence off West 12th Street in Sioux Falls and come out a short time later. Morales and Guzman drove away and were stopped by South Dakota Highway Patrol Troopers. There was a pound of marijuana in the vehicle. Guzman was found to be in possession of a loaded Glock semi-automatic pistol and an ounce of methamphetamine.
The Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force searched the residence off West 12th Street and found approximately two pounds of methamphetamine and two pounds of marijuana. Present at the residence was Daniel Guzman, who had a half-ounce of methamphetamine in his possession.
Morales, Chase Guzman, and Daniel Guzman were all indicted. The Guzmans both pled guilty. Daniel Guzman was sentenced to 120 months in custody to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Chase Guzman is scheduled to be sentenced on February 26, 2018.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Deputy Criminal Chief John E. Haak prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for April 30, 2018. Morales was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
West Palm Beach, Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
Gregory Hubbard, aka Jibreel, 54, of West Palm Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty on Feb. 8, to conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Edward O’Callaghan, Special Agent in Charge Robert F. Lasky of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, and members of the South Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), made the announcement. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg.
“Individuals seeking to travel to take up arms with ISIS pose a threat to the security of all nations,” said U.S. Attorney Greenberg. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and the Joint Terrorism Task Force continue to work proactively in order to stifle and disrupt any potential danger posed by terrorist organizations and their supporters.”
“Gregory Hubbard and his cohorts conspired to provide material support to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization,” said Robert F. Lasky, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “Stopping terrorists before they can act is serious business that requires dedicated law enforcement professionals and eternal vigilance. This vigilance includes anyone and everyone who sees or hears something that seems out of place. If you see something, say something.”
According to the factual basis, Hubbard was arrested on July 21, 2016, at Miami International Airport where he and an FBI confidential human source (CHS) had been driven by co-defendant Jackson for a scheduled flight to Berlin, Germany. From Berlin, Hubbard intended to travel to Syria to join ISIS.
At various times during the conspiracy, which ran from approximately July 2015 until Hubbard’s arrest, Hubbard, and his co-defendants, Dayne Antani Christian and Darren Arness Jackson, talked with the CHS about their support for ISIS and jihad, including acts of terrorism committed by and attributed to ISIS and its supporters. During the conspiracy, Hubbard and his co-defendants including the CHS and others, practiced shooting weapons multiple times in preparation for Hubbard and the CHS traveling to Syria to join ISIS.
Hubbard faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A sentencing date of April 19, has been set. Christian pleaded guilty, on March 29, 2017 to conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS, and to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jackson pleaded guilty on April 4, 2017, to conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS. Christian and Jackson both face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on the conspiracy plea. Christian faces an additional statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for his plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Both co-defendants are scheduled to be sentenced following Hubbard’s sentencing in April.
The FBI and JTTF investigated the case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Transportation Security Administration; Miami International Airport Police Department; Boca Raton, Florida, Police Department; Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office; City of West Palm Beach Police Department; and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen E. Gilbert and Edward C. Nucci and Trial Attorneys Larry Schneider and Bridget Behling of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
West Mifflin Man Charged with Distributing Multiple Illegal SubstancesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – An Allegheny County man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh and charged with violations of federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count indictment, returned on February 6 and unsealed today, named Stanley Church, 47, of West Mifflin, Pa., as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment, on or about March 17, 2017, Stanley Church possessed with the intent to distribute quantities of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, MDMA, and Psilocyn mushrooms.
The law provides for a total maximum sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, and a fine of up to $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Lanni is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Allegheny County Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
West Mifflin Man Charged with Distributing Multiple Illegal SubstancesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – An Allegheny County man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh and charged with violations of federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count indictment, returned on February 6 and unsealed today, named Stanley Church, 47, of West Mifflin, Pa., as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment, on or about March 17, 2017, Stanley Church possessed with the intent to distribute quantities of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, crack cocaine, MDMA, and Psilocyn mushrooms.
The law provides for a total maximum sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, and a fine of up to $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Lanni is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Allegheny County Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Reach a Settlement of Clean Water Act Violations by Florida DeveloperRead the Press Release
Today, the U.S. Department of Justice, on behalf of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) for the Jacksonville District, submitted to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida a proposed consent decree that would resolve alleged violations of the Clean Water Act by condominium developers Lodge/Abbott Investments Associates LLC and Lodge/Abbott Associates LLC.
The Clean Water Act requires any person who plans to fill federally protected wetlands to receive a permit from the Corps. The defendants in this case did not obtain a permit from the Corps before they filled over an acre of high quality wetlands that abut and function in close proximity to the tidal waters of Wiggins Pass and the Cocohatchee River in Naples, Florida. The purpose of the fill was to create “Tower 200,” one of five towers comprising a high-end condominium development known as “Kalea Bay” in North Naples.
Under the proposed consent decree, the defendants are required to pay a $350,000 civil penalty. In addition, to offset the environmental impact of the alleged violations, the defendants have purchased approximately $54,000 in mitigation credits from a Corps-approved wetlands mitigation bank. The proposed decree also enjoins the defendants from filling any additional wetlands without first obtaining a permit or other clearance from the Corps.
“The coastal wetlands in this case are a stone’s throw from the Gulf of Mexico and Cocohatchee River,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resource Division. “Federal law requires Corps of Engineers approval before development projects like this can take place in these protected areas. We are pleased to reach this agreement that serves the public interest in enforcing the Clean Water Act.”
“When wetlands are filled in violation of the Clean Water Act, the loss is felt not only today, but by all generations to come,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez. “The substantial penalty obtained in this case sends a message to anyone who fails to abide by our nation’s environmental laws that they will be held accountable.”
“The district's enforcement staff, with DOJ assistance, is pleased to have reached an expedited resolution of this section 404 Clean Water Act violation,” said Jacksonville District Enforcement Chief Bobby Halbert for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “Our regulatory enforcement program intends to continue working to deter unauthorized activities such as this, while continually maintaining the integrity of our Nation's aquatic and wetland resources.”
Compliance and enforcement are important components of the Corps’ regulatory program, as it assures that the public interest and environmental resources are protected. The Corps’ Jacksonville District has a routine compliance inspection program throughout Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Corps’ Jacksonville District Enforcement Section is often aided by state and federal agencies as well as groups and individuals who report suspected violations. To address violations, the Corps is authorized to prescribe corrective action, impose fines, and/or prescribe removal of the offending fill, work, or structure.
The proposed consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court in Fort Myers, is subject to a 30-day comment period and final court approval. The consent decree will be available for viewing at https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
For more information on the Jacksonville District and the Corps’ Regulatory program, visit: http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory.
U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Reach A Settlement of Clean Water Act Violations by Florida DeveloperRead the Press Release
Naples, FL – Today, the U.S. Department of Justice, on behalf of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) for the Jacksonville District, submitted to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida a proposed consent decree that would resolve alleged violations of the Clean Water Act by condominium developers Lodge/Abbott Investments Associates LLC and Lodge/Abbott Associates LLC.
The Clean Water Act requires any person who plans to fill federally protected wetlands to receive a permit from the Corps. The defendants in this case did not obtain a permit from the Corps before they filled over an acre of high quality wetlands that abut and function in close proximity to the tidal waters of Wiggins Pass and the Cocohatchee River in Naples, Florida. The purpose of the fill was to create “Tower 200,” one of five towers comprising a high-end condominium development known as “Kalea Bay” in North Naples.
Under the proposed consent decree, the defendants are required to pay a $350,000 civil penalty. In addition, to offset the environmental impact of the alleged violations, the defendants have purchased approximately $54,000 in mitigation credits from a Corps-approved wetlands mitigation bank. The proposed decree also enjoins the defendants from filling any additional wetlands without first obtaining a permit or other clearance from the Corps.
“The coastal wetlands in this case are a stone’s throw from the Gulf of Mexico and Cocohatchee River,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resource Division. “Federal law requires Corps of Engineers approval before development projects like this can take place in these protected areas. We are pleased to reach this agreement that serves the public interest in enforcing the Clean Water Act.”
“When wetlands are filled in violation of the Clean Water Act, the loss is felt not only today, but by all generations to come,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez. “The substantial penalty obtained in this case sends a message to anyone who fails to abide by our nation’s environmental laws that they will be held accountable.”
“The district's enforcement staff, with DOJ assistance, is pleased to have reached an expedited resolution of this section 404 Clean Water Act violation,” said Jacksonville District Enforcement Chief Bobby Halbert for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “Our regulatory enforcement program intends to continue working to deter unauthorized activities such as this, while continually maintaining the integrity of our Nation's aquatic and wetland resources.”
Compliance and enforcement are important components of the Corps’ regulatory program, as it assures that the public interest and environmental resources are protected. The Corps’ Jacksonville District has a routine compliance inspection program throughout Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Corps’ Jacksonville District Enforcement Section is often aided by state and federal agencies as well as groups and individuals who report suspected violations. To address violations, the Corps is authorized to prescribe corrective action, impose fines, and/or prescribe removal of the offending fill, work, or structure.
The proposed consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court in Fort Myers, is subject to a 30-day comment period and final court approval. The consent decree will be available for viewing at https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
For more information on the Jacksonville District and the Corps’ Regulatory program, visit: http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/Regulatory.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Based in Los Angeles Collected nearly $220 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions for Taxpayers in Fiscal Year 2017Read the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – United States Attorney Nicola T. Hanna announced today that his office collected $219,179,887 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2017. Of this amount, nearly $56 million was collected in criminal cases, and more than $163 million was collected in civil actions.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect another $431,216,222 in cases that were pursued jointly with at least one other office. The vast majority of this money was collected in civil actions. Overall, the Justice Department collected just over $15 billion in civil and criminal actions in the 2017 fiscal year, which ended on September 30, 2017.
Additionally, the United States Attorney’s office, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $34,749,352 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2017. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
“Each and every year, this office is involved in the collection and recovery of tens of millions of dollars that are used to assist crime victims, as well as help fund important government programs,” said United States Attorney Hanna. “The United States Attorney’s Office is dedicated to recovering criminal restitution owed to the victims of federal crimes and recouping losses sustained by taxpayers as a result of fraud.”
The United States Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Justice Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States, as well as criminal debts owed to victims of federal crimes. Federal law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to victims, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Of the approximately $56 million collected in criminal cases this past year, approximately $44.6 million in restitution was collected and disbursed directly individuals and private entities, and $1.6 million was paid directly to the Crime Victims Fund. Most of the remaining $10 million was disbursed to federal agencies that suffered losses.
The largest civil collections last year were from affirmative civil enforcement cases in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct, or collected fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights and environmental laws. In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Internal Revenue Service, the Small Business Administration and the Department of Education.
During fiscal year 2017, prosecutors in the Central District of California recovered $42 million from a settlement with Pacific Alliance Medical Center to resolve allegations that the medical center had improper financial relationships with referring physicians. Additionally, the Office recovered $26.5 million from a settlement with the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power for environmental and property damage sustained as a result of the 2013 Powerhouse Fire, which scorched more than 30,000 acres in northern Los Angeles County and destroyed 58 structures.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California is based in Los Angeles and has branch offices in Santa Ana and Riverside. Currently, approximately 275 Assistant United States Attorneys serve nearly 20 million residents of the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo.
Assistant United States Attorney Indira Cameron-Banks is the Chief of the Financial Litigation Section in the Civil Division. The Financial Litigation Section coordinates efforts to collect criminal and civil debts owed to victims of federal crimes and the United States, including restitution, fines, civil settlements, penalties and defaulted federal loans. These efforts include locating debtors’ assets and initiating enforcement actions to secure collection on the outstanding debts.
Two Pittsburgh-area Men Charged in Fentanyl Distribution SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Two Allegheny County residents have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh and charged with violations of federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The four-count indictment, returned on February 6 and unsealed today, named the defendants as:
• Edjuan Jackson, 28, of Duquesne, PA; and
• Anthony Ptomey, 26, of Steuben Street, Pittsburgh, PA.
According to the indictment, from on or about March 1, 2017, to on or about March 30, 2017, the defendants are charged with conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute a quantity of fentanyl. Individually, Edjuan Jackson is charged with possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl on March 30, 2017. On the same date, Jackson is also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Anthony Ptomey is charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin fentanyl on April 17, 2017.
For Jackson, the law provides for a total maximum sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, and a fine of up to $1,000,000, or both for the drug charges. For the firearms charge, Jackson faces a total maximum sentence of not less than five years and up to life in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. For Ptomey, the law provides for a total maximum sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Lanni is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation – Western District of Pennsylvania Opioid Task Force conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. This Task Force is comprised of FBI Special Agents and state and local Task Force Officers, including officers from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Sherriff’s Department, Allegheny County Police, Port Authority Police, Munhall Police Department, West Mifflin Police Department, and Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Pittsburgh-area Men Charged in Fentanyl Distribution SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Two Allegheny County residents have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh and charged with violations of federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The four-count indictment, returned on February 6 and unsealed today, named the defendants as:
• Edjuan Jackson, 28, of Duquesne, PA; and
• Anthony Ptomey, 26, of Pittsburgh, PA.
According to the indictment, from on or about March 1, 2017, to on or about March 30, 2017, the defendants are charged with conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute a quantity of fentanyl. Individually, Edjuan Jackson is charged with possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl on March 30, 2017. On the same date, Jackson is also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Anthony Ptomey is charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin/fentanyl on April 17, 2017.
For Jackson, the law provides for a total maximum sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, and a fine of up to $1,000,000, or both for the drug charges. For the firearms charge, Jackson faces a total maximum sentence of not less than five years and up to life in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. For Ptomey, the law provides for a total maximum sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Lanni is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation – Western District of Pennsylvania Opioid Task Force conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. This Task Force is comprised of FBI Special Agents and state and local Task Force Officers, including officers from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Sherriff’s Department, Allegheny County Police, Port Authority Police, Munhall Police Department, West Mifflin Police Department, and Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Newark Men Charged with Participating in Multiple Armed CarjackingsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two Newark men have been arrested and charged for their respective roles in a string of armed carjackings in Jersey City, New Jersey, in June 2017, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Tarrance Atkins, 23, and Jarrett Nelson, 19, are each charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit carjacking, one count of conspiracy to use or possess a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, one count of theft of a motor vehicle by force, violence, and intimidation, and one count of using or possessing a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence. Atkins made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court. Nelson made his initial appearance Feb. 8, 2018, before Judge Hammer.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From June 12, 2017, to June 18, 2017, Nelson, Atkins, and others committed six carjackings and attempted carjackings in Jersey City. For each carjacking or attempted carjacking, the victims were inside their vehicles, parked on residential streets. On each occurrence, two conspirators exited a getaway car and forced the passengers out of their vehicles at gunpoint. Over the course of three different evenings, Nelson, Atkins, and others carjacked four newer-model, high-end vehicles and attempted to carjack two others. After carjacking the vehicles in Jersey City, Nelson, Atkins, and others fled to Newark, where the cars were discovered shortly thereafter.
The conspiracy to commit carjacking count carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison, and the count of conspiracy to use a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. The carjacking count with which Atkins and Nelson are charged is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison. The charge of use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other prison term. Each of the four counts also carries a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez, and the Jersey City Police Department for their contribution to the case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace Latzer of the General Crimes Unit and Senior Litigation Counsel Robert Frazer of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defense counsel: Nelson: John Yauch Esq., Federal Public Defenders Office, Newark
Atkins: David Schafer Esq., Lawrenceville, New JerseyTwo More Sentenced on Charges Arising Out of ATF-Led Operation Targeting Drug Trafficking and Firearms Crime in Bernalillo CountyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – In Aug. 2016, a multi-agency investigation led by the ATF concluded with the filing of 59 federal indictments and a federal criminal complaint charging 103 Bernalillo County residents with federal firearms and narcotics trafficking offenses. To date, 84 of these defendants have been convicted, including 83 who have entered guilty pleas, and 60 of them have been sentenced.
The investigation was undertaken in support of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies collaborate with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution primarily based on their prior criminal convictions with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.
This week two Albuquerque residents were sentenced in federal court for their convictions on drug trafficking charges. Jesus Parra, 30, was sentenced on Feb. 5, 2018, to 63 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his methamphetamine trafficking conviction. Timothy Dilley, 35, was sentenced today to 19 months in prison followed by six years of supervised release for his heroin and methamphetamine trafficking conviction.
Parra was charged in an indictment filed on June 30, 2016, with distribution of methamphetamine on May 12, 2016, in Bernalillo County, N.M. On June 12, 2017, Parra pled guilty to an information charging him with distribution of methamphetamine and admitted that on May 12, 2016, he distributed methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement agent.
Dilley and co-defendant Jonathan Aragon, 38, were arrested in July 2016, based on an indictment alleging that they participated in a drug trafficking conspiracy, and distributed methamphetamine and heroin in June 2016, in Bernalillo County, N.M. On Sept. 26, 2016, Dilley pled guilty to distributing heroin and methamphetamine on June 15, 2016. In entering the guilty plea, Dilley admitted selling heroin and methamphetamine to an undercover ATF agent. Aragon pled guilty on Jan. 20, 2017, and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 5, 2018.
Sixteen of the defendants charged as the result of the ATF investigation have entered not guilty pleas. Charges in indictments are merely accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law. Two defendants are fugitives and the charges against two defendants have been dismissed.
These cases were investigated by the Albuquerque office of ATF, and Parra and Dilley were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul H. Spiers.
Two Houston Men Sentenced for Their Role in Tilak Jewelers RobberyRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Michael Cornelious, 27, and Larry Solomon, 43, both of Houston, Texas, were sentenced this week by U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade to lengthy prison sentences for their role in the conspiracy to rob Tilak Jewelers in Irving, announced U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas.
Cornelious pleaded guilty in October 2017 to one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery. Judge Kinkeade sentenced Cornelious to 150 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay $370,718.72 in restitution. Solomon pleaded guilty in June 2017 to one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to, and possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence. Solomon was sentenced to 130 months in federal prison and also ordered to pay $370,718.72 in restitution.
Cornelious and Solomon were charged along with ten other individuals in an indictment in February 2016. Afraybeom Traverom Jackson, Dominique Pearson, Hilton Murdock Aitch, Irving Tyrone Flanagan, Terrence Lynn Thompson, Anthony Ray Turner, Jr, Treveon Dominique Anderson, Xavier Rashad Ross, Joshua Deunte Caldwell and Vanlisa Scott were each charged with one count of one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to, and possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence. On October 12, 2017, Jimmy Hatchett was charged for the same robbery. Out of the thirteen, eleven have pleaded guilty and two are set for trial on January 29, 2018.
According to plea documents filed in the case, in the early morning hours on November 17, 2013, Aitch, Jackson, Caldwell, Pearson, Flanagan, Solomon, Aitch, Thompson, Turner, Anderson, Cornelious, and Ross, traveled from Houston, Texas, to the Dallas, Texas, area with the specific intent to rob the Tilak Jewelers store located at 8300 North MacArthur Boulevard, Suite 100, Irving, Texas. They stole a cargo van and a minivan after they arrived in the Dallas, Texas, area in order to avoid detection and apprehension by law enforcement.
Jackson, Caldwell, Pearson, Turner, Anderson, and Ross drove together in the stolen cargo van to the Tilak Jewelers store, with the specific intent to commit the robbery. Aitch, Flanagan, and Thompson participated in planning the robbery and positioned themselves outside the Tilak Jewelers store, but maintained communications with Jackson for the purpose of monitoring the robbery and alerting the participants of the presence of law enforcement.
Prior to entering the Tilak Jewelers store, Jackson, Caldwell, Pearson, Turner, Anderson, and Ross disguised their identities by wearing longsleeved clothing, long pants, gloves, and items covering their faces. Jackson and the others entered the jewelry store by smashing the locked glass door with a hammer. After gaining entry into the store, they restrained the owners of the jewelry store with zip-ties, smashed jewelry display cases, and took jewelry from the owners and employees of Tilak Jewelers.
After securing the jewelry, Jackson, Caldwell, Pearson, Turner, Anderson, and Ross fled from the robbery using the stolen cargo van. They abandoned the cargo van at a predetermined location, where Solomon was waiting in the stolen minivan. Solomon then drove them to a second predetermined location, where Cornelious was waiting in a switch vehicle. Cornelious then used the switch vehicle to further facilitate their flight from the robbery and avoid detection and apprehension by law enforcement. Scott, who had traveled from Houston, met Pearson and the other coconspirators at a different location and took possession of the stolen jewelry for the purpose of safely transporting it to Houston, Texas.
The Irving Police Department, Houston Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Keith Robinson and John de la Garza were in charge of the prosecution.
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Two Ghanian Men Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Bank and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Baltimore, Maryland – United States District Judge George L. Russell has sentenced Mark Dennis, age 30, of Laurel, to 27 months in prison, and Charles Mensah, age 32, of the Bronx, New York, to 30 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, bank and wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The charges stem from a scheme to defraud in 2014, which attempted to steal nearly $1.4 million in funds from the personal, retirement, and business accounts of various victims. The Court also ordered each man to pay over $229,000 in restitution. Both men are lawful permanent residents of the United States and citizens of Ghana.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, Baltimore Office; and Police Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police.
According to evidence at presented at the 10-day trial, in 2014, co-defendant Mohammed Kwaning acquired account information from the individual victims, as well as forged checks containing bank account information of both individual and corporate victims from across the United States.
Mohammed then recruited individuals, including Dennis and Mensah, who registered corporate shell entities with the state of Maryland. The individuals Mohammed recruited then set up bank accounts at multiple banking institutions in the names of these shell entities. Kwaning then either directed that the funds from the compromised accounts be wired into those bank accounts or provided altered or fabricated checks from compromised accounts to Mohammed, who then provided the checks to Dennis and Mensah, to be deposited into those bank accounts. After doing so, those same individuals would attempt to withdraw as much of the stolen funds before the banks discovered that the source of the funds were compromised accounts.
Some of the accounts were compromised by individuals who called into investment firms pretending to be the actual account holders, and then eventually providing enough correct answers in order to reset the password for the account. Individuals also hacked the emails of victims and, posing as the account holders, requested funds be wired from their retirement accounts to the bank accounts of the shell corporations controlled by the conspirators. The loss attempted over the course of nine months was over $1.3 million; the conspirators were able to withdraw over $229,000 of stolen funds, which they then split amongst themselves.
Kwaning was also found guilty at trial and his sentencing hearing is pending. Badu, Mohammed, Davies, and Fosu had all previously pleaded guilty. Badu was sentenced to 6 months, and the remaining sentencing hearings are pending.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended HSI Baltimore and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Budlow and Judson T. Mihok, who prosecuted this case.
Tulsa Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy and Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Trent Shores announced that Edd Tawon Payne, 33, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty to bank robbery and conspiracy to commit bank robbery, at a hearing before District Judge Claire V. Eagan, on February 8, 2018.
On August 16, 2017, Payne, a co-defendant, and a juvenile conspired to rob the Bank of America located at 205 East Pine Street in Tulsa. Payne and his co-conspirators wore disguises and used a “hoax bomb” to rob the bank. Payne constructed his “hoax bomb” out of wires and a disassembled cell phone, shoved into a cosmetics bag. The bank robbers took approximately $11,012 in cash from the Bank of America, some of which Payne used to purchase a vehicle. Sentencing is set for May 7, 2018. Payne’s co-defendant, Manuel Britto, previously pleaded guilty on January 3, 2018, and is also awaiting sentencing.
United States Attorney Shores stated, “Bank robberies are inherently violent offenses that can jeopardize the lives of bank employees and customers. My office has focused our attention on reducing violent crime and gun crime. We will continue to work with all of our law enforcement partners to improve the safety of our community.”
This prosecution resulted from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tulsa Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Dennis A. Fries handled the prosecution of this case.
Transnational Drug Trafficking Organization DismantledRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Five men have pled guilty to their involvement in a transnational drug trafficking and money laundering ring that moved substantial quantities of drugs and money through Upstate New York and Canada.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; James J. Hunt, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); James D. Robnett, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of IRS-Criminal Investigation; and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Kelly of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo Field Office.
In connection with their guilty pleas, the defendants admitted that:
Between August 2014 and March 30, 2016, Iraklis Haviaropoulos led a money laundering and drug trafficking organization based in Montreal, Canada, which purchased and distributed more than 300 kilograms of cocaine and laundered more than $1 million.
In connection with the cocaine conspiracy, Haviaropoulos purchased cocaine from, among other sources, Carlos Alberto Ocampo Garcia in Piura, Peru, on the northern coast of Peru. Pilots working for Haviaropoulos picked up the cocaine at a clandestine airstrip outside of Piura, flew it to Guatemala, and then on to Mexico. In Mexico, truck drivers picked up the cocaine, smuggled it into the United States by crossing the Mexican border, and then smuggled it into Quebec, Canada. Some of the cocaine crossed through the Northern District of New York. During the investigation more than 337 kilograms of cocaine were seized, as well as fentanyl and marijuana.
The organization collected cash from selling marijuana in the United States and cocaine in Canada. The cash was delivered to couriers in, among other places, Albany County, Ulster County, and Montreal so that the cash could be delivered, either by a courier or by wire, to the cocaine suppliers, to pay for more cocaine. At least $1 million was sent to Chicago, Los Angeles, Peru, and Colombia; money was also wired to China. During the investigation, more than $1 million was seized.
“This sophisticated organization, which used transnational networks to move huge amounts of cocaine and illegal money through our communities, has now been dismantled thanks to the cutting-edge work of federal agents and their effective collaboration with our law enforcement partners in other states and countries, particularly our Canadian counterparts,” said United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith. “As this case demonstrates, we will use all of our resources to pursue foreign-based drug traffickers and bring them to justice.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt said: “This highly significant trafficking organization was established in strategic positions around the globe to profit off the sale of cocaine, marijuana and fentanyl. Law enforcement’s investigation identified the organization’s circuitous route sending money from Quebec to South America Countries and China; and in return, sending drugs back to major cities in North America like Los Angeles, Chicago and Montreal. Law enforcement is committed to identifying, arresting and prosecuting those whose criminal actions enable drug addiction and inevitable drug overdoses.”
IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge James D. Robnett said: “IRS-CI is united with the rest of the law enforcement community in our resolve to financially dismantle organizations that commit crimes against our society. We will target the profits of international narcotics traffickers and secure evidence that exposes their criminal activities.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Kevin Kelly said: “This case is an effective demonstration of the combined power that federal, state, and foreign law enforcement agencies possess when working together as one. No matter how sophisticated or how large, working collectively, we possess the resources and the will to ensure that operations such as these get taken down as fast as they emerge.”
All of the following people have pled guilty to conspiracy to commit international or promotional money laundering, and Haviaropoulos, Garcia, and Ortiz Bolanos have also pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino:
Name
Age
Residence
Charges
Sentencing Date
Iraklis Haviaropoulos
41
Montreal, Canada
Cocaine conspiracy > 5 kilograms
International money laundering conspiracy
5/23/18
Carlos Alberto Ocampo Garcia
56
Cali, Colombia
Cocaine conspiracy > 5 kilograms
International money laundering conspiracy
3/26/18
Jose Mauricio Ortiz Bolanos
30
Cali, Colombia
Cocaine conspiracy > 5 kilograms
International money laundering conspiracy
3/14/18
Eduardo Nunez-Serna
44
Chicago, Illinois
Promotional money laundering conspiracy
3/19/18
James DeSantis
56
Pompano Beach, Florida
International money laundering conspiracy
5/30/18
This case is the result of the close, cooperative efforts of the DEA, led by the Albany District Office and including DEA offices in Peru, Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Worcester, Massachusetts; IRS-Criminal Investigation, and HSI. These federal agencies worked closely with the Sûreté du Québec, the Canada Border Services Agency, the Peruvian National Police, and the Colombian National Police. U.S. Border Patrol, the Malone Police Department, the New York State Police, the Chicago Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, and the Watervliet Police Department also provided assistance.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth R. Rabe. Three of the five defendants were extradited to face charges in the Northern District of New York with the assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.
Toledo man charged with producing and selling false identification documentsRead the Press Release
A Toledo man was charged in federal court in relation to the production of false identification documents, law enforcement officials said.
Mark A. Simon, 34, was charged with production of false identification documents, transfer of false identification documents and possession of equipment used to produced false identification documents.
Investigators seized 18 gold coins, 215 silver coins, 21 gold and silver bars, $7,000 in cash, numerous computers, hard drives and USB storage devices, latex gloves, photo paper, six modems, a photo printer and approximately $4.7 million in bitcoin taken from approximately 30 wallets stored on a USB thumb drive, and other items.
According to a 31-page affidavit filed in U.S. District Court, investigators were originally contacted by an employee of a pub in Springfield, Ohio, about fake IDs collected at the bar. A Wittenburg University student said he and a friend obtained the fake ID off reddit.com.
Agents identified the purported seller by the reddit username of TedDanzigSr, who posted on a daily basis on subjects related to fake IDs. Agents eventually ordered fake IDs from TedDanzigSr and were asked to pay in bitcoin.
Further investigation revealed prior to posting and advertising his manufacture and sale of false identifications on reddit, username TedDanzigSr sold fake IDs on the dark web marketplace Silk Road. Investigators determined that TedDanzigSr’s true identity was Mark Simon, who lives on Stengel Road in Toledo, according to the affidavit.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated by the Ohio Department of Public Safety and United States Secret Service, Toledo Resident Agency, with assistance from the FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Toledo Police Department and the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office. It is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Noah P. Hood and Robert Kern.
An charge is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Texas Woman Charged in Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud as Part of Lottery ScamRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DEBRA KROM, age 36, a resident of Wylie, Texas was charged yesterday in a one-count Bill of Information for Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud.
According to the Information, on or before August 2013, and continuing through December 2015, KROM and others operated a scheme to contact elderly individuals and people with diminished capacity who would be susceptible to being scammed. The scheme involved contacting victims by telephone through Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and informing them they had won the Publisher’s Clearing House sweepstakes (PCH) or similar lottery and needed to pay KROM and others monies by cash, check, wire, and other methods in order to claim their lottery winnings.
Unknown members of the conspiracy, but believed to be residing in Jamaica, obtained names, addresses, and other biographical information from an unknown source. These individuals used the information to identify victims, telephone them, or directed others to telephone the victims and tell them that they had won the PCH sweepstakes. They needed to send KROM or other co-conspirators money to claim their winnings.
Co-conspirator, Andre Bowyer, charged in case 16-96 “J” in the Eastern District of Louisiana, directed KROM and others residing in the United States, including A.S., to open bank accounts in the United States for the purpose of receiving money from elderly victims and transferring the proceeds into Bowyer’s account in Jamaica. It was part of the scheme and artifice to defraud that on certain dates between August 2013 and December 2015, the defendant, KROM, A.S. and others, conspired with Bowyer to accomplish the unlawful scheme of fooling elderly victims into believing they had won a sweepstakes, causing the victims to send money via the United States Postal Service or by wire transfer to KROM, A.S. or others. Immediately after receiving the funds in the mail from the victims, KROM, A.S., and others transferred the ill-gotten proceeds from their accounts to Bowyer’s account in Jamaica.
If convicted, KROM faces a maximum of 5 years imprisonment, a fine of not more than $250,000 supervised release of up to 3 years, and a special assessment of $100.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the Bill of Information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, and the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Sharan E. Lieberman.
Texas Man Sentenced to over 18 Years in Federal Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Arnulfo Garza Gonzalez a/k/a "Peaty," age 41, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 223 months in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and DEA Special Agent in Charge Stephen G. Azzam. He was also ordered to pay a $3,000 fine.
A confidential informant provided information that beginning in 2016 and continuing through August 2017, Gonzalez was a source of supply of methamphetamine for the Mississippi Gulf Coast. During a search of a home in Gulfport, DEA agents were able to locate some of the methamphetamine that Gonzalez sent to Mississippi, and upon laboratory testing, it resulted in a 90% purity. During DEA’s investigation, agents also discovered Gonzalez conspired with a least three other individuals to traffic cocaine and marijuana from Texas to Mississippi.
On November 6, 2017, Gonzalez pled guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine hydrochloride, 50 grams of actual methamphetamine, and 100 kilograms or more of marijuana.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn R. Van Buskirk.
Taxicab Driver Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Sexually Assaulting PassengerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Yared Mekonnen, 24, a taxicab driver from Silver Spring, Md., was sentenced today to nine years in prison for sexually assaulting a passenger he picked up last spring in the U Street area of Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Mekonnen pled guilty in September 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of second-degree sexual abuse and attempted kidnapping. He was sentenced by the Honorable Hiram E. Puig-Lugo. Upon completion of his prison term, Mekonnen will be placed on 20 years of supervised release. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours of May 28, 2017, Mekonnen was driving his taxicab and picked up the victim and her boyfriend in the vicinity of U Street NW. Both the victim and her boyfriend were intoxicated. At some point, the boyfriend exited the taxicab. Once Mekonnen was alone in the taxicab with the victim, he sexually assaulted her. She tried to get out of the taxicab, but he prevented it. She screamed as he continued driving. There was a struggle, and while attempting to convince the victim not to call for help, Mekonnen grabbed her cellphone and it fell out of the window.
Finally, another driver pulled in front of the taxicab, forcing it to stop in the 4900 block of 16th Street NW. Shortly afterward, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrived on the scene and Mekonnen was arrested. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, including the Sexual Assault Unit, which investigated the case. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist T.J. McPhail and Victim/Witness Advocate Tracey Hawkins. Finally, she expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart D. Allen and Caroline Burrell, who investigated and prosecuted the case
Tan Co. Owner Sentenced on Federal Kidnapping ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Todd Beckman was sentenced to 240 months in prison for his role in kidnapping a Maplewood man.
According to court documents, on November 21, 2016, brothers Blake and Caleb Laubinger entered the victim’s residence and, when he arrived home, attacked and confined him with zip ties, threatening to kill him if he screamed. They transported the victim in a rental truck to Blake Laubinger’s residence, and held him in the basement in zip ties, handcuffs and duct tape. Todd Beckman and Kerry Roades arrived at the residence. Beckman and Roades beat the victim and pressed the barrel of a handgun to his head. They accused him of stealing from Blake Laubinger and demanded money. The next day, the Laubinger brothers told the victim if they did not get ransom money from his parents in Florida they would kill him. The victim was repeatedly beaten, tased, and assaulted by the kidnappers. The kidnappers made ransom calls to the victim’s parents demanding money in exchange for his life.
On November 22, Blake and Caleb Laubinger, and Todd Beckman, transported the victim in the rental truck to Todd Beckman’s property and confined him in a shipping container. Beckman put a handgun to the victim’s head and threatened to kill him.
On November 23, the victim’s parents paid approximately $27,000 in ransom to Todd Beckman. Shortly after, the kidnappers removed the victim from the shipping container and threatened to kill him if he said anything to anyone. The kidnappers took the victim in a “St. Louis Tan Co.” van to Gravois Bluffs shopping center, where they released him.
Todd Beckman, 53 of Fenton, pled guilty on November 2 to one felony count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. He appeared today for sentencing in front of U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig.
This case was investigated the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maplewood Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys John T Davis and Stephen Casey are handling the case for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Tampa Resident Convicted for Involvement with Tricare Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa resident convicted in federal court in the Southern District of Florida for his involvement in Tricare health care fraud scheme, kickbacks and money laundering.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, John F. Khin, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Services (DCIS), Southeast Field Office, Peter H. Kuehl, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), Miami Field Office, and Frank Robey, Director, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit, made the announcement.
On February 5, 2018, a federal jury in Miami unanimously convicted Monty Ray Grow, 46, on 18 criminal counts including conspiracy to commit health care fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1347; conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371; unlawful receipt of health care kickbacks, in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7(b)(1)(A); and money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957.
Evidence presented at trial established that during an 8-month span in 2014-15, Grow participated in a scheme to defraud the Tricare program out of tens of millions of dollars. Tricare is the health care program for the U.S. military that pays the health care costs of active and retired military personnel and their families. That insurance benefit includes paying for any medications that a Tricare beneficiary needs. Grow enticed Tricare beneficiaries to order very expensive drugs that they did not need. Tricare, not the patients, paid the bill for these expensive drugs and the pharmacy split 50% of the profits with Grow. Evidence at trial established that Grow targeted Tricare beneficiaries and induced them to order expensive drugs they did not need by paying them either directly for their own prescriptions or indirectly for those of their family and friends. As a result of that scheme, Grow received nearly $20 million in kickbacks from a Broward County pharmacy.
In furtherance of his fraud scheme, Grow fraudulently inflated the price the pharmacy would bill to Tricare by manipulating the formulations and selling ingredients to the pharmacy that were artificially engineered in order to maximize profits. Grow also paid telemedicine companies whose doctors ratified those prescriptions he pre-selected with the knowledge that no doctor ever examined a single patient. Finally, Grow laundered the criminal proceeds of his scheme through the purchase of luxury items.
To date, at least eight additional co-conspirators have pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges arising out of Grow’s fraud scheme, including Ginger Lay, 40, of Atlanta, Georgia; Paul Robinson, 40, of Ormond Beach, Florida; Deanna Dutting, 40, of Ormond Beach, Florida, Raymond Bear, 46, of Flemming Island, Florida; Robin Halliburton, 45 of Ponte Vedra, Florida; Michael Shane Matthews, 47, of Newberry, Florida, Michael Bowman, 43, of Jacksonville, Florida, and Sven Bjerke, 39, of Jacksonville, Florida. These individuals have collectively remitted property back to the United States valued in the approximate amount of $3.3 million. Grow is scheduled to be sentenced before U.S. District Judge Federico A. Moreno on April 16, 2018, at 9:30 a.m.
“Monty Grow has been held responsible for an egregious fraud scheme that unlawfully diverted approximately $20 million in federal health care monies that were set aside for the men and women in uniform who serve and protect our country and jeopardized the public’s health for personal gain,” stated United States Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to identify for prosecution individuals, including healthcare providers, who not only carry out fraudulent schemes against Tricare or other federal health care programs for their own personal financial benefit at a loss to the deserving beneficiaries, but also endanger our community.”
“The Defense Criminal Investigative Service is committed to protecting the integrity of the U.S. military health care program to provide top quality medical care to America’s Warfighters and their families, while ensuring that health care providers and facilities comply with Federal laws,” said John F. Khin, Special Agent in Charge, DCIS - Southeast Field Office. “Through joint investigations with our law enforcement partners, DCIS aggressively pursues criminal prosecutions and all available remedies to bring violators to justice. This guilty verdict demonstrate the effectiveness of our investigative efforts.”
“The FDA is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who place their personal gain over the health of American consumers,” said Peter Kuehl, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Office of Criminal Investigations, Miami Field Office. “We commend the efforts of the Department of Justice for vigorously pursuing the prosecution of this matter.”
“We are extremely pleased with the jury’s verdict in this case,” said Frank Robey, Director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit. “To in any way be culpable in swindling millions of dollars from a federal program that provides medical insurance for the U.S. military is completely unconscionable to me. Agents from our specialized fraud unit, along with investigators from other federal law enforcement agencies, are unwavering in our commitment to seek out and hold responsible all those who conduct criminal activity against the United States Army and the American taxpayer.”
Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of DCIS, FDA-OCI and U.S. Army CID. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Larsen and Jon Juenger.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
St. Martinville man sentenced to 60 months in prison for drug distribution, firearms possessionRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a St. Martinville man was sentenced to five years in prison for drug distribution and firearm charges.
Clay Anthony Robertson, 31, of St. Martinville, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to five years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon. He was also sentenced to four years of supervised release. According to the October 23, 2017 guilty plea, law enforcement agents searched Robertson’s former apartment in Lafayette on January 19, 2017. Law enforcement agents recovered more than 500 grams of cocaine, 31 grams of marijuana dipped in Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) wax and $64,280. Law enforcement also recovered a .40 caliber pistol, a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol, 30 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, and 41 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition. Agents also discovered that the .40 caliber pistol was stolen, and that Robertson had previously been convicted of a felony controlled substance offense.
The DEA, ATF, Lafayette Metro Narcotics Task Force and the St. Martin Parish Narcotics Division of the St. Martin Parish Sheriff's Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy prosecuted the case.
Six Individuals Charged in $7 Million International Investment ScamRead the Press Release
Charges were unsealed today in Houston, Texas, against six individuals for their alleged participation in an elaborate international advance fee and money laundering scheme. The scheme allegedly involved the impersonation of Branch Banking & Trust (BB&T) and JPMorgan Chase (Chase) executives, the fabrication of U.S. government documents, the creation of fraudulent investment agreements in the name of BB&T and Chase, and the purchase of luxury vehicles to launder the proceeds of the scheme.
Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan Patrick of the Southern District of Texas, Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of the FBI’s Houston Field Office and Inspector General Steve A. Linick for the U.S. Department of State made the announcement.
Uju Okigbo, 48, of Richmond, Texas; Chioma Okafor, 28, of Houston, Texas; Marita Ranalan Underwood, 61, of Manila, Philippines; John Christian Rutledge, 64, of Yaphank, New York; and Osa May Martin, 68, of Carthage, Missouri, were charged in an indictment unsealed today in the Southern District of Texas. All five defendants were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Okigbo and Okafor were also charged with one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, as well as two counts each of wire fraud and two counts each of concealment money laundering. Okigbo is also charged with three counts of engaging in transactions with proceeds of specified unlawful activity, and one count of aggravated identity theft for impersonating a U.S. banking executive. Underwood, Rutledge and Martin are also charged with one count of conspiracy to wrongfully use government seals.
Okigbo was already in custody as of today. Martin made her initial appearance this afternoon in front of a U.S. magistrate judge in Springfield, Missouri, and Rutledge is scheduled to make his initial appearance.
A sixth individual, Tiffany Sourjohn, 47, of Miami, Oklahoma, was charged by an information with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wrongful use of government seals, which was also unsealed today. Sourjohn made her initial appearance this morning and entered a guilty plea to the information in front of Senior U.S. District Court Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. of the Southern District of Texas.
According to the charging documents, the scheme involved fraudulent offers of investment funding by perpetrators primarily living in Nigeria who impersonated U.S. bank officials and financial consultants over the Internet and over the phone. Victims in various countries were deceived into believing they would receive millions of dollars of investment funding as part of joint ventures with U.S. banks, usually BB&T or Chase. The perpetrators utilized false domain names to make it appear that senders of emails were actually affiliated with BB&T or Chase. To convince victims that the opportunities were authentic, the perpetrators recruited U.S. citizens to pose as bank “representatives” at in-person meetings with victims around the world, and, if occurring abroad, utilized sham visits to the local U.S. embassy or consulate and fabricated U.S. government documents to make the victims believe the U.S. government was sponsoring the investment agreements. The victims were then allegedly induced to pay tens of thousands, and often hundreds of thousands, of dollars to U.S.-based bank accounts on the belief that such payments were necessary to effectuate their investment agreements.
According to the charging documents, to ensure the proceeds made it back to Nigeria, after victims wired in funds, money movers who controlled the U.S. bank accounts liquidated the proceeds through outgoing wire transfers to exporters, cash withdrawals and purchases of vehicles, including luxury brands such as Land Rover and Mercedes Benz, which were then shipped to Nigeria. According to the charging documents, Okigbo and Okafor were primarily money movers in the scheme, while Underwood, Rutledge, Martin and Sourjohn were representatives.
The scheme allegedly resulted in losses of more than $7 million from victims in more than 20 countries. To date, a house in Richmond, a 2014 Land Rover Range Rover, and approximately $200,000 in cash, all directly traceable to victims’ payments, have been seized.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case was investigated by the FBI and Department of State Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney William E. Johnston of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Elmilady of the Southern District of Texas. Forfeiture is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristine Rollinson of the Southern District of Texas.
Six Individuals Charged in $7 Million International Investment ScamRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Charges were unsealed today against six individuals for their alleged participation in an elaborate international advance fee and money laundering scheme. The scheme allegedly involved the impersonation of Branch Banking & Trust (BB&T) and JPMorgan Chase (Chase) executives, the fabrication of U.S. government documents, the creation of fraudulent investment agreements in the name of BB&T and Chase and the purchase of luxury vehicles to launder the proceeds of the scheme.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Patrick of the Southern District of Texas, Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of the FBI’s Houston Field Office and Inspector General Steve A. Linick for the U.S. Department of State made the announcement.
Uju Okigbo, 48, of Richmond; Chioma Okafor, 28, of Houston; Marita Ranalan Underwood, 61, of Manila, Philippines; John Christian Rutledge, 64, of Yaphank, New York; and Osa May Martin, 68, of Carthage, Missouri, were charged in an indictment unsealed today in the Southern District of Texas. All five defendants were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Okigbo and Okafor were also charged with one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments as well as two counts each of wire fraud and two counts each of concealment money laundering. Okigbo is also charged with three counts of engaging in transactions with proceeds of specified unlawful activity and one count of aggravated identity theft for impersonating a U.S. banking executive. Underwood, Rutledge and Martin are also charged with one count of conspiracy to wrongfully use government seals.
Okigbo was already in custody as of today. Martin made her initial appearance this afternoon in front of a U.S. magistrate judge in Springfield, Missouri, and Rutledge is scheduled to make his initial appearance.
A sixth individual, Tiffany Sourjohn, 47, of Miami, Oklahoma, was charged by an information with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wrongful use of government seals, which was also unsealed today. Sourjohn made her initial appearance this morning and entered a guilty plea to the information in front of Senior U.S. District Court Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. of the Southern District of Texas.
According to the charging documents, the scheme involved fraudulent offers of investment funding by perpetrators primarily living in Nigeria who impersonated U.S. bank officials and financial consultants over the Internet and phone. Victims in various countries were deceived into believing they would receive millions of dollars of investment funding as part of joint ventures with U.S. banks, usually BB&T or Chase. The perpetrators utilized false domain names to make it appear that senders of emails were actually affiliated with BB&T or Chase. To convince victims the opportunities were authentic, the perpetrators recruited U.S. citizens to pose as bank “representatives” at in-person meetings with victims around the world and, if occurring abroad, utilized sham visits to the local U.S. embassy or consulate and fabricated U.S. government documents to make the victims believe the U.S. government was sponsoring the investment agreements. The victims were then allegedly induced to pay tens of thousands, and often hundreds of thousands, of dollars to U.S.-based bank accounts on the belief that such payments were necessary to effectuate their investment agreements.
According to the charging documents, to ensure the proceeds made it back to Nigeria, after victims wired in funds, money movers who controlled the U.S. bank accounts liquidated the proceeds through outgoing wire transfers to exporters, cash withdrawals and purchases of vehicles, including luxury brands such as Land Rover and Mercedes Benz, which were then shipped to Nigeria. Okigbo and Okafor were primarily money movers in the scheme, while Underwood, Rutledge, Martin and Sourjohn were representatives, according to the charges.
The scheme allegedly resulted in losses of more than $7 million from victims in more than 20 countries. To date, a house in Richmond, a 2014 Land Rover Range Rover and approximately $200,000 in cash, all directly traceable to victims’ payments, have been seized.
The FBI and Department of State - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Suzanne Elmilady is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney William E. Johnston of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. AUSA Kristine Rollinson is handling forfeiture matters.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Transportation for Illegal Sexual Activity and Related CrimesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota man convicted of transportation for illegal sexual activity and related crimes was sentenced on February 8, 2018 by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Jerome Davis Kent, age 51, was sentenced to 30 months custody, 6 years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Kent was indicted for sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and transportation for illegal sexual activity and related crimes by a federal grand jury on September 6, 2017. He pled guilty on October 19, 2017.
In October, 2016, Kent knowingly transported an adult female victim from Sioux Falls, South Dakota to Marshall, Minnesota. Kent knew the woman and intended to transport her for the purpose of engaging in acts of prostitution. Kent supplied the woman with heroin and kept the money she received from her commercial sex acts.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Clapper.
Kent was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Shelton Resident Sentenced for False Swearing in an Immigration MatterRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Robert C. Stuart announced that Eloy Daniel Nevarez Andazola, 40, a resident of Shelton, Nebraska, was sentenced February 9, 2018, in Lincoln, Nebraska, to two years probation, and ordered to pay a $1,500 fine, by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard, for False Swearing in an Immigration Matter.
Andazola, born in Mexico, was married in 1997, in Gosper County, Nebraska, to a United States citizen. The two never resided together, and Andazola used the sham marriage to further his pursuit of obtaining permanent legal status in the United States.
Andazola admitted he knowingly made a false statement when applying for status as a lawful permanent resident of the United States: he answered “no” to the question of whether he had “committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit a crime or offense for which he was not arrested,” and answered “no” to the question whether he had “married someone in order to obtain an immigration benefit.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
San Francisco Woman Who Helped Sell Counterfeit Oxycodone Pills Sentenced to 151 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Candelaria Vazquez was sentenced in absentia today to over 12 years in prison for her role in a conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced Acting United States Attorney Alex Tse and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge John J. Martin. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Susan Illston, U.S. District Judge.
Vazquez, 42, of San Francisco, pleaded guilty on November 8, 2016, to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and conspiracy to launder drug proceeds. According to the plea agreement, Vazquez admitted that for two years, she and her husband operated a pill press that generated thousands of fake oxycodone pills. Although stamped to appear like genuine oxycodone, the pills were in fact laced with fentanyl. Vazquez helped with the pill pressing operation and packaged, mailed, and delivered fentanyl pills for two years before the pair was arrested on June 10, 2016. She also conspired to launder the drug proceeds, which were received in bitcoin and exchanged for cash using unlicensed bitcoin brokers.
“Fentanyl is a potent drug that can be deadly for users,” said acting U.S. Attorney Tse. “Today’s sentence is just and reflects the grave danger when, as in this case, Fentanyl was used as an ingredient in counterfeit prescription medicines. This office will vigorously prosecute cases to address this threat that has devastated lives in our community.”
On June 21, 2016, a federal grand jury indicted Vasquez charging her with conspiracy to manufacture, possess with intent to distribute, and distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 and distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). Pursuant to her plea agreement, Vasquez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846, and one count of conspiracy to launder drug proceeds in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h). After pleading guilty, Vazquez fled in April 2017 and became a fugitive. She was sentenced in absentia, and is still a fugitive.
Vazquez and her husband had distributed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl-laced pills via online marketplaces. Fentanyl is a dangerous and highly potent opiate about 100 times more powerful than morphine. Just two milligrams of fentanyl can constitute a lethal dose. Fentanyl is particularly dangerous when it is used to create counterfeit pills. Illegal pill press operations will sometimes use fentanyl, which is cheaper than other opiates, to create fake pills that stamped to look like genuine oxycodone pills. Because fentanyl is such a powerful opiate, a small difference in the amount of fentanyl in a homemade pill can make a huge difference in its potency. Counterfeit pills containing fentanyl have already been linked to numerous unintentional overdoses by users who believed they were ingesting a much less powerful opiate.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Illston sentenced Vasquez to a three-year period of supervised release. The defendant will begin serving the sentence upon her apprehension.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rita Lin is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amanda Martinez, Rawaty Yim, and Theresa Benitez. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspector, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Internal Revenue Service. This case is the product of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a focused multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force investigating and prosecuting the most significant drug trafficking organizations throughout the United States by leveraging the combined expertise of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
Rochester Psychiatrist Sentenced for Illegally Distributing Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Dr. Clifford Jacobson, M.D., 68, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of illegally distributing a controlled substance, was sentenced to one year probation to include four months of home confinement by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. Jacobson was also required to surrender his license to practice medicine and pay to $75,000 in financial penalties, including to Medicaid and the federal government.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who is handling the case, stated that Dr. Jacobson was a practicing psychiatrist. From 2014 to 2017, he sold prescriptions for Schedule IV controlled substances, including clonazepam, to undercover agents and patients who had no medical necessity for the drug but who sought to use it recreationally. The defendant charged his patients $120 for each illegal prescription.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division, and investigators of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, acting under the direction of New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
Ring Leader Pleads Guilty in Debt Collection SchemeRead 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 Joseph Ciffa, 49, of Grand Island, NY, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and filing a false tax return before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maura K. O’Donnell, who is handling the case, stated that Ciffa has been involved in the debt collection business since at least 2013. Since early 2015, the defendant ran, and conspired with others to run, an illegitimate debt collection business, operating out of multiple locations, which included: 1625 Buffalo Avenue in Niagara Falls, NY; 870 Ontario Street and 1567 Military Road, both in Kenmore, NY; and out of his home office on Grand Island.
The operation utilized fraudulent means to collect debts, to recollect on debts already collected, to over-collect on debts actually owed, and to process and transfer payments related to the collection of such debts. Debt collectors made threatening statements over the telephone to debtors in an effort to induce payment of debts. Those statements included reference to criminal statutes, and the filing of criminal complaints and/or warrants. In order to intimidate debtors and induce payment, debtors were routinely routed to employees who posed as attorneys during the calls.
Between January 2015, and December 2016, the defendant’s operation collected approximately $3,061,205 from victims.
Ciffa also filed a false tax return for the tax year 2015, underreporting his business income, thereby avoiding a total tax liability of approximately $15,651.
In addition, as part of the plea, the defendant admitted that in 2016, he committed fraud involving Medicaid benefits. Ciffa lied in an application to the Erie County Department of Social Services, by under-reporting his income, in order to obtain benefits for himself and his children.
Ciffa was charged along with five others defendants and is the first to be convicted. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
“The defendant sought to enrich himself by preying on those who were in debt and by fraudulently acquiring for his own use benefits that were intended for the less fortunate of our society,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “As this plea demonstrates, this Office remains committed to protecting the vulnerable and to bringing to justice those who seek to cheat the system.”
“Ciffa used threats to collect on debts, even on debts that were already paid,” said Kevin Kelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of HSI Buffalo. “This man preyed on the vulnerabilities of others, and HSI, along with its law enforcement partners, will continue joint investigations to stop others from using the same corrupt scheme.”
"Today's plea shows that people who file returns and do not report all of their income will be held accountable for their deceit," said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent- in-Charge James D. Robnett. "IRS Criminal Investigation, together with the Department of Justice will continue to investigate and prosecute those who violate our tax system."
"This defendant's myriad of embezzlement schemes knew no bounds,” said New York State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott. “He preyed on taxpayers through a brazen fraud enabling him to steal government health care benefits to which he was not entitled, and which were meant only for those truly in need. Today's plea is the result of an investigation and prosecution culminated through a successful partnership between State and federal law enforcement agencies. I will continue to aggressively investigate these cases and protect New Yorkers from such egregious fraud and abuse."The plea is the result of an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special-Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James D. Robnett; the United States Postal Service Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector-in-Charge Raymond Moss; and the New York State, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 24, 2018, at 12:30 p.m. before Judge Arcara.
Randolph County Resident Sentenced to 135 Months in Prison for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Brian A. Mudd, 60, of Ruma, IL, was recently sentenced to federal prison on methamphetamine related charges, Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today.
On February 8, 2018, Mudd was sentenced to 135 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release following his imprisonment. Mudd pleaded guilty to a one count indictment charging conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine on November 1, 2017.
As part of his guilty plea, Mudd admitted to being involved with others in the distribution of ice in southern Illinois. "Ice" is a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine of at least 80% purity. He obtained dealer amounts of ice and supplied it to others, primarily in Randolph County. On or about December 6, 2016, Mudd sold ice to a confidential source working for law enforcement. Searches of his home and vehicle located pre-recorded U.S. currency, a digital scale, paraphernalia, and other evidence of drug use and distribution. Defendant admitted that his relevant conduct included between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of ice.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, Chester Police Department, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Cape Girardeau, Missouri Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration. The Randolph County State’s Attorney’s Office also assisted in the investigation.
The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda A. Robertson and Adam E. Hanna for prosecution.
Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Operating Forged Prescription Drug RingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, has been sentenced in federal court to 74 months, followed by three years supervised release and ordered to pay $3,533.62 on his conviction of a health care fraud conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States and aggravated identity theft, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Barry Lee Dorsey, II, 26, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, Dorsey operated a forged prescription ring. Prescriptions were forged with the names, DEA numbers, medical license numbers, and signatures of real medical doctors. The prescriptions, most of which were forged for oxycodone and Percocet, were filled at a large number of Western Pennsylvania pharmacies and primarily paid for with Medicaid funds. The fraudulently obtained prescription pills were then sold on the street for substantial profit.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Brady commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Brentwood Police Department, Mt. Pleasant Police Department and Bellevue Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Dorsey.
Pittsburgh Felon Admits Stealing Rifles and Ammunition from West Mifflin Sports StoreRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - An Allegheny County resident pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and stealing firearms from a licensed firearms dealer, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Marquis Trammel, aka Marquis Botelho-Trammel, aka Marquis Motelho-Trammel, 20, formerly of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to two counts before Chief U.S. District Judge Joy Flowers Conti.
According to information presented to the court, on December 20, 2016, Trammel and a juvenile stole five rifles from a display case they broke open and an unknown number of boxes of handgun ammunition from the drawer below the rifle case located inside the Dunham’s Discount Sports store located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. Trammel was convicted on or about December 9, 2015, in the Court of Common Pleas, County of Allegheny, Criminal Division of the crimes of Robbery, Terroristic Threats, and Theft by Unlawful Taking, which are crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and preclude him under federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for May 31, 2018 at 3:30 p.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine not greater than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. Johnston is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosive and the West Mifflin Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. 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.
Pickens Man Who Stole Guns from Firearms Dealer Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Estelle Cook, Jr., 28, of Pickens, pled guilty today before United States District Judge Carlton Reeves, to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Around 2:30 a.m. on July 28, 2014, Estelle Cook and co-defendant Corey Hughes tore a hole in the side of Central Mississippi Firearms, a gun store in Kosciusko, Mississippi, and stole 41 guns. Cook, Hughes, and others sold at least a dozen of the stolen firearms in Durant and Lexington, Mississippi. Cook led the sale of at least ten of the stolen guns to seven different buyers at a home in Durant. He sold those guns for cash, pocketing $100 per gun.
On October 3, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted Cook, Hughes, Darnell Branch, and Frederick Russell for their unlawful conspiracy to possess and sell stolen firearms. Frederick Russell pled guilty on January 10, 2018, to the conspiracy charge and will be sentenced by Judge Reeves on March 29, 2018.
Corey Hughes is scheduled to plead guilty on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, before Judge Reeves to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Darnell Branch is scheduled for trial on March 5, 2018, before Judge Reeves.
Estelle Cook, Jr. will be sentenced by Judge Reeves on May 15, 2018, in Jackson. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Case.
The public is reminded that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Physician Employees and Owners of Tennessee Pain Clinic Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
The indictment alleges the illegal drug trafficking resulted in a death
LONDON, Ky. – In a federal indictment unsealed yesterday, two owners of a Hixson, Tenn., pain clinic and two physicians working at the clinic have been charged with conspiring to illegally distribute prescription narcotics – including oxycodone and oxymorphone – in Eastern Kentucky. The indictment further alleges that their drug trafficking conspiracy resulted in a death. The clinic, the Tennessee Pain Institute (TPI), closed shortly after a search warrant was executed in May 2016.
The owners of TPI, Anwar Mithavayani, 54, and Pete Tyndale, 46, both of South Florida, are charged in the superseding indictment, along with two physicians working at the clinic: Timothy Gowder, 70, of Oak Ridge, Tenn. and Gary Moore, 66, of Ooltewah, Tenn. Gowder and Moore were initially charged in the case in May 2017. The indictment also charges the four with multiple counts of money laundering. The superseding indictment, returned by a federal grand jury on January 25, 2018 alleges that the defendants received more than $8 million as a result of their drug trafficking. Two others, James Bradley Combs, 40, of Woodbine, Ky., and Larry Karr, 73, of Keavy, Ky., have also been charged for their alleged roles in the offenses.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Chris Evans, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration; Christopher Altemus, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS, Criminal Investigation Division; Andy Beshear, Kentucky Attorney General; and Richard W. Sanders, Commissioner of Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the charges.
The DEA, the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, and the Kentucky State Police conducted the investigation, with support from Appalachia HIDTA’s Diversion Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Rosenberg represents the United States in the case.
The trial is currently set for April 30. If convicted, Mithavayani, Tyndale, Gowder, and Moore face a minimum of 20 years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment. However, any sentence following a conviction would come after the Court considers the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant federal statutes.
Any indictment is an accusation only. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Patton, Pa. Woman Sentenced to Probation with Home Confinement for Stealing MailRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A Cambria County resident has been sentenced in federal court to three years’ probation, with the condition that the first six months of her probation be served by a term of home confinement, and was ordered to perform 300 hours of community service, as a result of her conviction of theft of mail, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Jennifer R. Miller, 29, of Patton, Pa.
According to information presented to the court, in Dec. 2011 Miller stole various pieces of mail from mail boxes.
Assistant United States Attorney John J. Valkovci, Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Brady commended the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Miller.
Opelousas man sentenced to 57 months in prison for illegal possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that an Opelousas man was sentenced Thursday to more than four years in prison for possessing a pistol even though he was previously convicted of a felony and prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Willie Jamal Reynolds, 28, of Opelousas, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the September 15, 2017 guilty plea, police arrested Reynolds on June 3, 2017 for possessing a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol. After further investigation, police found a 15-minute video online of Reynolds and a friend in the presence of numerous firearms. Reynolds was convicted of a felony in September of 2013 and is not allowed to possess a firearm.
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 safe 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 ATF and the Opelousas Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti prosecuted the case.
Oklahoma Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography PossessionRead the Press Release
An Oklahoma man pleaded guilty today to possession of child pornography, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney R. Trent Shores of the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Thaddus Caves, 40, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography before U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell. Sentencing is set for May 8.
“This prosecution is another example of law enforcement working together to protect the most vulnerable among us--our children,” said U.S. Attorney Shores. “Predators will be pursued, investigated, prosecuted, and most importantly, held accountable by my office.”
According to admissions made in connection with the plea agreement, in October 2016, Caves knowingly possessed visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The depictions included at least one prepubescent minor under the age of 12-years-old.
The charges are the result of an investigation by the FBI’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The matter is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney William M. Grady of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff A. Gallant of the Northern District of Oklahoma.
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.
Ohio County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Quashad Maurante Pugh, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has admitted to distributing cocaine, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Pugh, also known as “Q” and “Quavo,” age 23, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine Base within 1,000 Feet of a Protected Location.” Pugh distributed cocaine near Jensen Playground in October 2017 in Ohio County.
Pugh faces up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen L. Vogrin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Ohio Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, are investigating.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.Northern District of Texas U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $350,706,916.75 in Civil and Criminal Actions for U.S. Taxpayers and Crime Victims in Fiscal Year 2017Read the Press Release
DALLAS - U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox announced today that the Northern District of Texas collected $350,706,916.75 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2017. Of this amount, $322,529,436.78 was collected in criminal actions and $28,177,479.97 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the Northern District of Texas worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect another $2,668,204.90 in cases pursued jointly with these offices. Of this amount, $101,752.75 was collected in criminal actions and $2,566,452.15 was collected in civil actions.
Overall, the Justice Department collected just over $15 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2017.
“The message in these numbers should be clear,” said U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox. “This office will vigorously pursue all available enforcement remedies to recover assets for victims of crime and the federal treasury. It continues to be a critical aspect of our mission to pursue Justice on behalf of the citizens of the United States.”
Substantial collections in FY 2017 in the Northern District of Texas included:
- $287 million fine paid in the US v. ZTE Corporation terrorism financing case
- $16.3 million in forfeited assets restored to restitution to dozens of victims of wire fraud and money laundering in US v. Jeffrey David Gunselman
- $12.2 million settlement with International Tutoring Services, LLC et al., resolving allegations of improper kickbacks in association with healthcare claims
- $8.45 million settlement with MB2 Dental resolving allegations of submission of false claims associated with dental services
- $7.4 million in restitution in US v. Richard Ferdinand Toussaint, Jr. for health care fraud
- $1.8 million to dozens of oil and gas investor victims in US v. Brian Polito
- $900,000 in civil damages for disabled workers in the US v. Kenneth Henry and Hill Country Farms forced labor case
- $700,500 in restitution to victims of insurance fraud in US v. Vincent Bazemore
- $645,000 in restitution to a victim of bank fraud in US v. Nick Daryanani
- $415,000 in restitution to a victim of embezzlement in US v. Pamela and Richard Abeyta
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
The largest civil collections were from affirmative civil enforcement cases, in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights or environmental laws. In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Internal Revenue Service, Small Business Administration and Department of Education.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Northern District of Texas, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $6,578,012 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2017. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
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