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Friday 17 November 2017
Former Employee of New Mexico State Taxation and Revenue Department Pleads Guilty to Federal Extortion ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney and Special Agent in Charge Terry Wade of the FBI’s Albuquerque Division announced today that Larry Mendoza, a former Revenue Agent of the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department, has pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act extortion charges in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M.
Mendoza, 44, of Santa Fe, N.M., pled guilty today to a three-count felony information charging him with Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right. The felony information alleges that, between Feb. 2017 and May 2017, Mendoza abused his position as a state Revenue Agent to extort an aggregate of $2,500 from a business owner in return for reducing the business owner’s tax liability. Mendoza entered the guilty plea under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
According to the plea agreement, Mendoza was employed by the New Mexico State Taxation and Revenue Department from 2007 through 2017. Beginning in Oct. 2013, Mendoza began working as a Revenue Agent with responsibilities that included collecting outstanding taxes owed by New Mexico business owners. In Feb. 2017, Mendoza approached a business owner with a proposal that the business owner pay him $500 a month in exchange for Mendoza lowering the business owner’s tax obligation to the State of New Mexico.
After the business owner gave Mendoza $500 in Feb. 2017 and another additional $500 in March 2017, Mendoza logged onto his work computer on May 11, 2017 and reduced the business owner’s tax liability to the State of New Mexico by $8,000. On that same day (May 11, 2017), Mendoza solicited another $1,500 from the business owner in exchange for reducing his tax obligation. On May 24, 2017, the business owner gave $1,500 to Mendoza in exchange for Mendoza’s reduction of the business owner’s tax obligation to the State of New Mexico.
In entering his guilty plea, Mendoza admitted that the money he solicited and received from the business owner was for his personal use and benefit, and that he was not entitled to that money. Mendoza also admitted that he engaged in a similar pattern of criminal conduct with other business owners and that his criminal conduct was responsible for losses in excess of $40,000.
The New Mexico State Taxation and Revenue Department placed Mendoza on administrative leave on May 24, 2017, and his employment was terminated shortly thereafter.
At sentencing, Mendoza faces a statutory penalty of imprisonment for not more than 20 years and a fine not to exceed $250,000. Mendoza was released under pretrial supervision and other conditions of release pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
The FBI offices in Albuquerque and Santa Fe investigated the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin.
Mendoza Information Mendoza Plea AgreementFormer Bank VP Sentenced for ID Theft and FraudRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former bank executive was sentenced to 78 months in prison today for a fraud and identity theft scheme that caused over $3.2 million in losses. He was also ordered to pay over $3.2 million in restitution and to forfeit $8.6 million.
According to court documents, Kirk Russel Marsh, 39, of Oakton, was a former vice president at Virginia Commerce Bank (VCB) and later at Fulton Bank. Virginia Commerce Bank and Fulton Bank’s parent company, Fulton Financial Corporation, received $71 million and $376.5 million, respectively, in Troubled Asset Relief Program funds from the U.S. Treasury. At VCB, Marsh forged the signatures of senior bank officers to cause the fraudulent issuance of over $1.25 million in loans to small businesses. At Fulton Bank, Marsh used the name and personal identifying information of a former client to fraudulently apply for and obtain a $1 million line of credit, which he used to purchase another client’s software company, Wave Software. Marsh also made unauthorized draws on a $485,000 line of credit of another client, which he used to pay Wave Software operating expenses and make the down payment on a home valued at over $800,000.
After being fired by Fulton Bank, and while purportedly cooperating with the United States, Marsh pretended to buy a company that sold beauty products, Revive You Media. He requested real financial information as part of purported due diligence. Marsh used that financial information to hold himself out as the owner of Revive You Media and seek financing. As part of those attempts to secure financing, Marsh also used the identities of other former clients and family members. The attempted loss was over $10 million.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Christy Goldsmith Romero, Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP), and Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Wong prosecuted 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. 1:17-cr-122.
Final Jewelry Heist Defendant SentencedRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Rasim Ukoja, 51, of Morton Grove, Ill., was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 43 months in prison for robbery.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Trevor Velinor, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.
Ukoja was involved in a robbery at Gold Craft Company jewelry store on Sinclair Road in Columbus in July 2014.
According to the Statement of Facts, co-defendant Anthony Persinger was approached by a friend to become involved in the robbery of a diamond seller in Columbus and traveled to Columbus from Chicago with Victor Aloush and Ukoja.
On the afternoon of July 29, 2014, Aloush scheduled a meeting with the store owner to negotiate the purchase of two bags of small diamonds. During the meeting, he opened the locked office door.
Persinger opened the office door and announced, “FBI! Don’t move! Get on the ground.”
Persinger pushed the store owner to the ground and attempted to put him in flex cuffs, but the owner bit Persinger’s finger, ripping off the fingernail. As Ukoja and the other defendants fled the store with approximately $242,000 in diamonds, the owner retrieved his firearm and tried to fire but the safety was engaged. The owner was unable to disengage the safety because Persinger had dislocated his thumb.
The diamonds were transported back to Chicago and Ukoja and others were paid for their roles in the offense.
Ukoja pleaded guilty in May to one count of Hobbs Act robbery. Persinger and Aloush each previously pleaded guilty and have been sentenced.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by ATF and Columbus Police, as well as Assistant United States Attorney David J. Bosley, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Federal grand jury indicts four McDowell County defendants for insurance fraud schemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A federal grand jury sitting in Charleston indicted four defendants from McDowell County on Wednesday for federal insurance fraud crimes, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Windel Lester, 66, James Edward Lester, 47, Gregory A. Lester, 40, and Georgetta Lester, 41, all of Iaeger, were charged with federal crimes including conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering, and mail fraud. A copy of the indictment is attached.
The indictment alleges that between April of 2012 and April of 2014, the Lesters and others devised a scheme to defraud an insurance company by buying vacant properties, insuring the properties, setting fires to the properties in order to makes insurance claims, submitting false insurance claims, and receiving over $550,000 in insurance payments made on the false insurance claims. The properties involved in the alleged fraud were a residence at 101 Smokeless Road in Matoaka, Mercer County, and 3542 Norwood Road in Huntington, Cabell County. The indictment also alleges that after the Lesters received the insurance money, they laundered the money through at least two banks in southern West Virginia. Windel Lester was a member of the Board of Directors of one of the banks.
If convicted, the Lesters face up to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering, and up to 10 years for money laundering. The fraud charges are punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. Conspiracy to commit arson carries a penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The use of fire to commit a felony carries a sentence of up to 10 years, or, in Windel Lester and James Lester’s cases, a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for a second offense.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Inmate Sentenced to 200 Months in House Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Kenneth Hampton, 56, an inmate of a federal prison, was sentenced today to 200 Months, for masterminding a scheme under which he and his coconspirators defrauded the City of Philadelphia, the State of Pennsylvania, and innocent owners and purchasers of Philadelphia real estate. Hampton had been found guilty of one count of conspiracy, eleven counts of wire fraud, and two counts of aggravated identity theft by a federal jury in June.
During the time he was a federal inmate, Hampton led a scheme to file false and fraudulent deeds for residential properties in Philadelphia. Using the prison telephones Hampton would direct other members of the scheme to locate houses, prepare and file false deeds, reside in the properties, and then eventually sell the properties for a profit.
“The defendant in this case is a recidivist criminal who had the audacity, while he was in prison, to steal homes from innocent victims. Real estate frauds such as this have a devastating impact on each victim whose most valuable asset generally is his home,” said United States Attorney Louis L. Lappen. “Today’s sentence of more than 16 years in prison sends the message that our justice system will not tolerate this type of financial fraud, and those who commit these crimes will be punished severely.”
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security - Office of the Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Inspector General, City of Philadelphia. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul G. Shapiro and Lesley S. Bonney.
Federal Grand Jury IndictmentsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that a Federal Grand Jury in Greenville, South Carolina, returned Indictments against the following:
Husband and Wife Indicted on Conspiracy and VISA Fraud. Michael A. Rawson, age 48, of Anderson, South Carolina, and Brenda Rawson, age 47, of Bluffton, South Carolina, were charged in a two-count indictment. Both were charged with Conspiracy, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, and VISA Fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1546(a). The maximum penalty that both could receive is 10 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by agents of ICE-Homeland Security Investigations and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr. of the Greenville office for prosecution.
Spartanburg Man and Jonesville Woman Indicted on Federal Drug Charges. Tromone L. Hall, age 37, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and Jennifer N. Allen, age 34, of Jonesville, South Carolina, were charged in a two-count indictment with possession with the intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine, a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 846. The maximum penalty they could face is a fine of $10,000,000.00 and/or Life imprisonment. The case was investigated by agents of ICE-Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joe Brewer of the Greenville office.
Spartanburg Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charge. Phillip James Childers, age 26, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, was charged in a one-count indictment with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). The maximum penalty Childers could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 10 years. This case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Wells of the Greenville office.
Four Aliens Arrested and Charged with Illegal Re-Entry into the United States. Gilberto Netro Castillo, age 37, Bernardino Mendoza-Ruiz, age 23, Salomon Arreola-Martinez, age 34, and Vicente Salazar-Rodriguez, age 27, are each charged in a one count indictment with illegal re-entry into the United States, a violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326. The maximum penalty each could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 2 years. The cases were investigated by agents of the ICE - Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville Office.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges in these indictments are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Erin Nealy Cox Sworn in as United States AttorneyRead the Press Release
DALLAS – Erin Nealy Cox has taken the oath of office to become the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas. Ms. Nealy Cox was nominated by President Donald Trump on September 22, 2017 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on November 9, 2017. She took the oath of office from U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle. She succeeds John Parker who has been serving as the United States Attorney since December 2014.
“I am honored to return to the United States Attorney’s Office and I am looking forward to working with the great people here, our many law enforcement partners, and all those in the community who have a commitment to the pursuit of justice,” said U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox.
As U.S. Attorney, Ms. Nealy Cox is the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the Northern District of Texas, which includes Dallas, Fort Worth, Lubbock and Amarillo. She oversees a staff of 215 employees, including 100 attorneys and a similar number of non-attorney support personnel. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, firearms, and narcotics. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.
Ms. Nealy Cox, a Mississippi native, most recently worked as a Senior Advisor at McKinsey & Co. in the cybersecurity and risk practice. She also served on the Board of Directors of Sally Beauty Holdings, a large retailer on the NYSE. From 1999 to 2008, Ms. Nealy Cox served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Texas, where she prosecuted cyber crimes, white collar crimes, and general crimes. In 2004 and 2005, she served at Main Justice as chief of staff and senior counsel to the Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legal Policy. From 2008 to 2016, Ms. Nealy Cox was a member of the executive leadership team at Stroz Friedberg, a cybersecurity and investigations consulting firm. Ms. Nealy Cox ultimately lead the firm’s global incident response business, the unit responsible for assisting and supporting private sector corporations investigate complex computer intrusions. Ms. Nealy Cox clerked for the Honorable Henry A. Politz, when he served as Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the Honorable Barefoot Sanders, United States District Judge in the Northern District of Texas.
Ms. Nealy Cox received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law and her B.B.A. in finance from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. She is a member of the Texas and New York Bar Associations.
As she took on her new responsibilities, U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox thanked Mr. Parker for his many years of public service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and his commitment to justice over the last three years as he served as the United States Attorney.
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Eleven Individuals, Including A Mother and Her Two Sons, Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida - U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger has sentenced 11 individuals in connection with their involvement in a year-long methamphetamine distribution conspiracy.
According to court documents, between mid-2015 and mid-2016, Audrey Jenkins, along with her sons, Marcelle and George Jenkins, supplied multi-ounce quantities of highly pure crystal methamphetamine, directly or through others, to Kathy Meyer, Lena Leigh Davis, Dane Lloyd, Tina Rayos, Melinda Reeves, Layton Franklin Thomas, Shanique Morgan, and Michelle Ryder. Those individuals, in turn, distributed the methamphetamine to others in south Georgia and north Florida. Audrey Jenkins’s residence in Alma, Georgia was a central meeting and distribution point.
On January 9, 2016, Marcelle Jenkins was arrested on state charges in Bacon County, Georgia. While in custody, he continued to run the drug organization via cellphones that were smuggled into the jail.
During this investigation, law enforcement officers seized methamphetamine from a number of the defendants. Tests by the Drug Enforcement Administration laboratory determined the methamphetamine to be as much as 99% pure.
Name
Age, Residence
Term of Imprisonment
Marcelle Jenkins
25, Alma, GA
22 years
Audrey Jenkins
44, Alma, GA
21 years and 8 months
George Jenkins
27, Alma, GA
12 years
Tina Rayos
44, Fernandina Beach, FL
10 years
Kathy Meyer
63, Folkston, GA
6 years
Layton Franklin Thomas
22, Folkston, GA
6 years
Michelle Ryder
43, Fernandina Beach, FL
6 years
Melinda Reeves
38, Jacksonville, FL
5 years
Lena Davis
40, Waycross, GA
4 years
Norman Dane Lloyd
45, Folkston, Georgia
3 years
Shanique Morgan
23, Alma, GA
2 years
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, and the Charlton County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie Hackenberry Duva.
Edmonds Man Convicted of Wire Fraud and Embezzlement for Stealing from Non-Profit Sea Cadet ProgramRead the Press Release
A 49-year-old Edmonds, Washington man who defrauded the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps (NSCC) of more than $50,000 was convicted today in U.S. District Court in Seattle following a four-day jury trial, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. MICHAEL NOEL LEIGHTON was convicted of four counts of wire fraud and one count of embezzlement. The jury deliberated about two hours before returning the verdicts. U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Zilly scheduled sentencing for February 22, 2018.
According to records filed in the case, in 2011 LEIGHTON volunteered to become a training officer for a local NSCC unit based in Skagit and Snohomish Counties. In this role LEIGHTON was to organize and implement training opportunities for teen-aged students, called Sea Cadets. The program was funded by federal grants from the U.S. Navy to the NSCC. In addition, the Sea Cadets and their parents paid fees to participate in the programs. LEIGHTON and a family member had control of the bank account for the program. Between October 2011 and December 2012, LEIGHTON withdrew thousands of dollars for his personal expenses including meals, gas and the purchase of firearms and firearms accessories. Such purchases were not allowed under the program.
The Naval Sea Cadet Corps asked LEIGHTON for audit reports and receipts for his spending. In response, LEIGHTON provided fraudulent reports, attempting to cover up his illegitimate spending. When the new volunteer leaders of the group took over they discovered items purchased with the funds were missing. In the storage locker they found a few inexpensive furniture pieces, several uniforms, and camping gear. The expensive cameras, copiers and computers, as well as a number of firearms that LEIGHTON had purchased with NSCC funds were missing.
The case was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Seungjae Lee and Stephen Hobbs.
District Man Sentenced to More Than 60 Years in Prison for 2011 Slaying of 18-Year-Old in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dwayne Hilton, 26, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a prison term of 61 ½ years for the 2011 slaying of a teenager in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Hilton was found guilty by a jury in September 2016 of first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, and related firearms offenses. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable José M. López.
According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 26, 2011, at approximately 12:35 a.m., Hilton and an unknown accomplice followed the victim, 18-year-old Mico Briscoe, and his friends for approximately two blocks, as they walked to the Circle 7 convenience store in the 1200 block of Mount Olivet Road NE. Hilton and the accomplice ran up behind Mr. Briscoe and his friends. As Mr. Briscoe and three friends approached the front door of the Circle 7, they were shot approximately 19 times from behind. Mr. Briscoe was shot once directly in the back, and once from a ricochet in the clavicle. He died several hours later. One of his friends was shot in the elbow, and survived. The remaining two friends suffered graze wounds.
This shooting is believed to have arisen from an old rivalry between two neighborhood groups in the Trinidad and E Street/Rosedale areas. Hilton was arrested on Feb. 11, 2013, and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by Deputy U.S. Marshals John Hale and Gregory Conner of the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI, and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. They acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Chrisellen Kolb; Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; David Foster, LaJune Thames, and Meshall Thomas all of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit; Forensic Operation/Program Specialist Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie, and Paralegal Specialists Sandra Lane and Zekiah Wright.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shana Fulton, who investigated the case and secured the defendant’s indictment, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharon Donovan and Alicia Long, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Bank Robbery in Downtown WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kevin Aguilar, 24, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 57 months in prison on a federal bank robbery charge stemming from a hold-up he committed earlier this year at a bank in downtown Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Aguilar pled guilty in July 2017 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Reggie B. Walton. Following the prison term, Aguilar will be placed on three years of supervised release. He also must pay $852 in restitution and an identical amount in a forfeiture money judgment.
According to the government’s evidence, on Jan. 26, 2017, at approximately 11:15 a.m., Aguilar entered a Capital One Bank in the 1200 block of F Street NW. He gave the teller a note in which he threatened to shoot the teller unless he immediately was given $10,000. The teller handed over $852, and Aguilar fled. He later was identified through bank surveillance footage and other evidence. Aguilar was arrested on April 18, 2017, and has been in custody ever since.
As part of the plea, Aguilar also admitted attempting to rob a BB & T bank in the 600 block of 13th Street NW on June 24, 2016. In that incident, he demanded money and stated, “I’m going to count to three and I’ll shoot … one.” The teller pressed an alarm and he fled without any cash. Aguilar was identified as the robber through surveillance videos and other evidence.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director in Charge Vale, and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and MPD. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Arvind K. Lal, Chief of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, and Paralegal Specialist Teesha Tobias. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Akhi Johnson and Lisa Walters, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Christmas Day Slaying of Tricia McCauleyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Duane Johnson, also known as Adrian Duane Johnson, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for the Christmas day slaying last year of Tricia McCauley, a stranger who he also sexually assaulted, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Johnson, 30, formerly of Washington, D.C., pled guilty in September 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of first-degree felony murder. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon sentence of 30 years in prison. The Honorable Hiram E. Puig-Lugo accepted the plea and sentenced Johnson accordingly. Following his prison term, Johnson will be placed on 30 years of supervised release and he will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
According to a proffer of facts submitted at the plea hearing, on Dec. 25, 2016, at about 5:30 p.m., Ms. McCauley, 46, left her home in the 2000 block of North Capitol Street NW and got into her two-door Toyota Scion to drive to a holiday party at a friend’s home in Washington, D.C. On the drive to her friend’s home, Ms. McCauley encountered Johnson. He entered her vehicle and, shortly thereafter, sexually assaulted her. He attempted to restrain her and she attempted to fight him off by kicking and punching him. During this struggle, Ms. McCauley’s clothing was ripped and she suffered a fractured nose. Johnson, meanwhile, took the scarf that Ms. McCauley was wearing and used it as a ligature, tightening it around her neck muscles and causing her death. After Ms. McCauley died, Johnson took her body and put it in the back seat.
Ms. McCauley was reported missing and a widespread search was launched to find her. The following night, Dec. 26, 2016, at about 11:20 p.m., Ms. McCauley’s car was discovered, found parked in front of a pharmacy in the 2200 block of M Street NW. Officers with the Metropolitan Police Department went inside the store and found Johnson. He had the key to Ms. McCauley’s car in his pocket. A check of the car led to the discovery of Ms. McCauley’s body. Johnson was arrested and has remained in custody ever since. In a search, police recovered several of Ms. McCauley’s credit cards in Johnson’s pocket.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of the officers, detectives and others from the Metropolitan Police Department who investigated the case. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Park Police and the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team, and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. They acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharon Donovan; Paralegal Specialists Sharon Newman and Lornce Applewhite; Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark, and Litigation Technology Specialist William Henderson. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney David Misler, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Des Moines Man Sentenced for Assault upon a Federal Law Enforcement Officer and Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – On November 17, 2017, United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose sentenced Raymond Lee Rhodeman, 39, of Des Moines, Iowa, to 70 months imprisonment for assault upon a federal officer and felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Upon his release from imprisonment, Rhodeman will serve three years of supervised release. Rhodeman was also ordered to pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund and $380 of restitution.
As part of his guilty plea, Rhodeman admitted to fighting, resisting and forcibly assaulting two federal officers during an investigation in November of 2015. Rhodeman, a previously convicted felon, also admitted to unlawfully possessing a Model M-11, 9 mm handgun at the Centerville, Iowa, residence where he was staying in February of 2016.
On August 31, 2017, Judge Rose previously sentenced Rhodeman’s co-defendant, Melissa Renee Zanders, 45, of Centerville to 67 months imprisonment for unlawful possession of a firearm. As part of her guilty plea, Zanders, a previously convicted felon, admitted to unlawfully possessing a 9 mm handgun at the same Centerville residence in February of 2016.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the South Central Iowa Drug Task Force. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
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Learn more about this release by calling Kevin E. VanderSchel at 515-473-9300, or by emailing him at [email protected] (link sends e-mail).
Corpus Christi Man Arrested for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 24-year-old Corpus Christi man has been charged with distribution of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez.
Authorities arrested Randy Michael Ramirez today. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate B. Janice Ellington Monday at 2:00 p.m.
According to the criminal complaint filed Nov. 15, Ramirez was communicating with an undercover officer and eventually sent the detective a link which contained 76 videos of child pornography. According to the charges, law enforcement seized a cellular telephone from Ramirez’s residence which resulted in the discovery of more than 80 images and 12 videos of child pornography.
If convicted, Ramirez faces a minimum of five and up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department - Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugo R. Martinez is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced the sentencing of DAVID SUMERA, age 31, of Roseland, Louisiana. SUMERA previously pled guilty to possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony.
U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced SUMERA to 51 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on July 5, 2016, an undercover joint Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Hammond Police Department operation arrested SUMERA for selling a Smith & Wesson Model SD9VE, 9mm semi-automatic pistol to an undercover officer. SUMERA was prohibited from possessing firearms because of previous convictions for simple robbery and possession of hydrocodone in the Twenty-Fourth Judicial District in Jefferson Parish and a possession of heroin conviction in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hammond Police Department for investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed was in charge of the prosecution.
Coffeyville Man Sentenced for Trying to Buy Bomb OnlineRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Coffeyville man who tried to buy an explosive on the internet was sentenced Friday to two years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
Carlos Francisco Martin, 19, Coffeyville, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to obtain an explosive with intent to destroy property. In his plea, he admitted he ordered an explosive from an internet site where users seek to remain anonymous and purchases are paid for in bitcoins.
Investigators tracked Martin’s purchases on the internet site, which included more than $4,000 worth of illegal drugs such as MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy. In his plea, Martin admitted he tried to buy the explosive for the purpose of intimidating a rival drug dealer.
Beal commended the FBI, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Mattivi and Trial Attorney Rebecca Magnone of the Justice Department’s Counterterrorism Section for their work on the case.
Clovis Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Firearms Laws by Possessing Unregistered Sawed-Off ShotgunRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Alan William Weber, 37, of Clovis, N.M., entered a guilty plea today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to violating the federal firearms laws by possessing an unregistered sawed-off shotgun.
Weber was arrested on Feb. 23, 2017, on a criminal complaint charging him with firearms offenses. According to the complaint, Weber pointed a firearm at an EMS crewmember following a call for service at Weber’s residence. Law enforcement agents subsequently located a large gun safe in Weber’s residence that contained multiple firearms and ammunition during the execution of a search warrant incident to Weber’s arrest. Further inquiry revealed that on Feb. 23, 2017, Weber did not have any firearms registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR).
Weber was charged in a two-count indictment on July 27, 2017, with being a person previously convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence offense in possession of a firearm and possession of an unregistered firearm on Jan. 30, 2017, in Curry County, N.M.
During this morning’s change of plea hearing, Weber pled guilty to Count 2 of the indictment charging him with possession of an unregistered firearm. In entering the guilty plea, Weber admitted that on Jan. 30, 2017, he was in possession of a sawed-off shotgun that was not registered to him in the NFRTR.
At sentencing, Weber faces a maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Clovis Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Brawley.
Citizen of Honduras Pleads Guilty to Reentering U.S. after Being DeportedRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CARLOS ANARIBA, also known as Marvin Guillen, 27, a citizen of Honduras last residing in Stamford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer in New Haven to one count of reentry of a removed alien.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in November 2008, ANARIBA, using the name Marvin Guillen, was charged in Connecticut Superior Court in Stamford with assault, weapons, breach of peace and forgery offenses. After ANARIBA posted bond, he was released to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and, in March 2009, was deported from the U.S. to Honduras.
ANARIBA subsequently returned to the U.S.
In October 2014, ANARIBA, using his true name, was arrested by Stamford Police for a burglary offense. In February 2016, he was arrested by Stamford Police on larceny charges.
A biometric match connected the three criminal cases and confirmed that ANARIBA and Guillen are the same individual. ANARIBA resolved all three cases and, in October 2016, was sentenced in state court to 25 months of incarceration.
Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for February 13, 2018, at which time ANARIBA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years. He is detained pending sentencing.
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah R. Slater.
Catawissa Man Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Daniel Avetta, also known as Jessica Gables, 28, of Catawissa, MO, appeared in the Federal District Court today to answer to child pornography charges contained in a federal grand jury indictment that was filed Wednesday but remained sealed until Avetta’s court appearance this afternoon.
Avetta has been indicted on four counts of production of child pornography; six counts of receipt of child pornography; and two counts of online enticement of a minor. The indictment involved multiple victims from January 1, 2017 and April 3, 2017.
If convicted, production charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000; receipt charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years; and online enticement of a minor charge is not less than 10 years to life. In determining the actual sentences, a Judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
This case was investigated by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Colleen Lang is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
As is always the case, charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Brockton Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine and Crack Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to drug trafficking charges.
Luis Rivera, a/k/a “Fat Louie,” 35, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, also known as crack cocaine. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for March 21, 2018.
During an investigation into a network of street gangs trafficking illegal firearms and drugs, investigators identified Rivera as a Brockton-based source of supply for cocaine and cocaine base for members and associates of the Boylston Street Gang, as well as numerous other drug dealers in Brockton and other communities.
From January to April 2016, a cooperating witness purchased significant amounts of both cocaine and crack cocaine from Rivera. Rivera operated his robust drug trafficking business from various residential locations in Brockton, and conspired with numerous other individuals, including Kenneth Burke and Kevin Davis, to distribute drugs.
Burke pleaded guilty on Nov. 15, 2017, and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 21, 2018. Davis pleaded guilty in September 2017, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 19, 2017.
Rivera is one of 53 defendants indicted in June 2016 on federal firearms and drug charges following an investigation into a network of street gangs that created alliances to traffic weapons and drugs throughout Massachusetts and to generate violence against rival gang members. According to court documents, the defendants, who are leaders, members, and associates of the 18th Street Gang, East Side Money Gang and the Boylston Street Gang, were responsible for fueling a gun and drug pipeline across a number of cities and towns in eastern Massachusetts. During the course of the investigation, over 70 firearms were seized.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base provides for a sentence of no less than 10 years to life in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; John Gibbons, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; Maura Healey, Attorney General of Massachusetts; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Commissioner William Evans; Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes; and Brockton Police Chief John Crowley made the announcement today. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also acknowledges the assistance of the Suffolk and Middlesex County Sheriff Departments and the Malden, Revere and Everett Police Departments. Weinreb’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
Bob Troyer Appointed by Attorney General Jeff Sessions to Serve as Colorado U.S. AttorneyRead the Press Release
DENVER – Bob Troyer, who has served as Acting U.S. Attorney since August 11, 2016, was appointed this week by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado. Troyer’s appointment will be in effect until the U.S. Senate confirms a Presidential nominee.
As the top federal law enforcement officer in Colorado, Troyer will continue to focus on reducing violent crime in Colorado. The Colorado U.S. Attorney’s Office is a national leader in this area, both through its work with Crime Gun Intelligence Centers and its creative approach to reducing violent crime in the most needy geographic regions within Colorado.
Because of the Office’s leadership on this front, Troyer also has been appointed to the National Crime Gun Intelligence Governing Board. He is the first federal prosecutor in the country to serve on this prestigious board. In addition, Troyer will continue the Office’s work to rebuild trust between communities and law enforcement, including by prosecuting hate crimes and improving reporting of those crimes. Finally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue its aggressive attack on the state-wide opioid crisis -- with both criminal and civil enforcement as well as crime prevention and inmate re-entry work.
Troyer was born in Colorado and grew up in Maryland. He graduated from Pomona College. For several years after college he taught high school English in Washington, D.C. and worked during the summers as a commercial fisherman in Alaska. He then attended Boston College Law School. After law school he practiced at Ropes & Gray in Boston and then moved to Denver to practice at Brownstein Hyatt Farber & Strickland. In 1999 he left to join the criminal division of the Colorado U.S. Attorney’s Office. He then headed the Hogan & Hartson Denver Office’s litigation department before returning to the U.S. Attorney’s Office as First Assistant U.S. Attorney seven years ago.
Bank Teller Sentenced for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dorchester woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for embezzling $172,551 from a customer of the Mattapan bank at which she was a teller.
J’Cynda Sales, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to time served, five years of supervised release, restitution of $172,551 and forfeiture of $172,551. In June 2017, she pleaded guilty to embezzlement by a bank employee. Between November 2015 and May 2016, Sales made 48 unauthorized withdrawals from the bank account of a customer totaling $172,551.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen P. Heymann of Weinreb’s Economic Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Bank Robbers IndictedRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Louisiana has indicted SAMUEL TAYLOR, age 23, of Harvey; JONATHAN BAHAM, age 24, of New Orleans; and ARLANDER CELIUS, age 23, of Terrytown, for crimes associated with a string of armed robberies in Orleans and Jefferson parishes.
Specifically, TAYLOR was indicted for the offenses associated with the robbery of a Dollar General in Avondale, on July 9, 2017; the robbery of the Fidelity Bank in Algiers, on September, 7, 2017; conspiracy to rob the Whitney Bank on South Carrollton Avenue on September 27, 2017; conspiracy to use firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence, and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of crimes of violence. If convicted, TAYLOR faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
BAHAM was indicted for conspiracy to rob the Whitney Bank on South Carrollton Avenue on September 27, 2017, and conspiracy to use firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence. BAHAM faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison for these alleged crimes.
CELIUS was indicted for conspiracy to rob the Whitney Bank on South Carrollton Avenue on September 27, 2017; being a felon in possession of a firearm on that same date, and conspiracy to use firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence. CELIUS and faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison for these alleged crimes.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans stated that an Indictment is only an allegation, and that the defendants are presumed innocent.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans also praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crime Task Force, the New Orleans Police Department’s Second District, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Myles Ranier is handling the prosecution.
Authorities Arrest Eight on San Antonio’s East Side on Federal Drug Distribution ChargesRead the Press Release
This morning, federal, state and local authorities arrested without incident eight members of the Crips East Terrace Gangstas who call themselves the “Skinny Bloc Crew,” including 40–year-old ringleader Alvin Clark (aka “Ray Ray”), on federal drug charges stemming from a “crack” cocaine distribution investigation announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs and San Antonio Police Chief William McManus.
On Wednesday, a federal grand jury in San Antonio returned an indictment charging Clark and the following with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute “crack” cocaine and one substantive count of possession with intent to distribute “crack” cocaine:
Earl Whitley, Jr. (aka “Earl Jr”, “E”), age 36;
Dai’Vonte E’Shaun Titus Ross (aka “Tay”), age 21;
Jovon Deante Stewart (aka “Lil JoJo”), age 24;
Paul Low (aka “P-Low”), age 49;
**Joseph Hammond (aka “JoJo”), age 37;
James Bilal Ali (aka “Showtime”), age 34;
Spurgeon Williams (aka “Bubba”), age 47; and,
Joseph Lake (aka “J.L.”), age 29.
** Already in state custody prior to today.
The indictment also charges Ross with one count of use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to distribute more than 28 grams of “crack” cocaine since January 2016. The indictment further alleges that on September 19, 2017, Ross was in possession of a black pistol while distributing “crack” cocaine.
Upon conviction, Clark, Whitley, Ali, Hammond, Lake, Stewart, Low, and Williams face an enhanced penalty of between 10 years and Life in federal prison due to their criminal histories. Ross faces between five and 40 years in federal prison for each drug charge and a mandatory consecutive five years in federal prison on the firearm charge, upon conviction.
This investigation, conducted by local, state and federal authorities, focuses on drug trafficking and violent crime occurring on the city’s East side. Most all of the narcotics trafficking occurred in the 200 and 300 blocks of Ferris Avenue on the city’s East side.
The defendants remain in federal custody pending detention hearings next week. Detention hearings for Clark, Whitley, Low and Ali are scheduled for 10:00am on November 22, 2017, before United States Magistrate Judge Elizabeth S. Chestney. Detention hearings for Ross, Stewart, Williams and Lake are scheduled for 10:00am on November 30, 2017, before Judge Chestney. An initial appearance has yet to be scheduled for Hammond.
“Drug trafficking, and the related violence, has a debilitating effect on individuals, families, and communities. It is a scourge on neighborhoods throughout the nation and causes citizens to live in fear. The FBI is committed to working with the San Antonio Police Department, along with our federal, state and local partners on the Violent Crime Task Force to ensure children and families can enjoy their community,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs.
“Today's arrests are the result of the ongoing collaboration with SAPD and our local, state and federal partners. We will continue to work strategically using intelligence led policing and teamwork to ensure that violent offenders are arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” stated San Antonio Police Chief William McManus.
The FBI and San Antonio Police Department, together with Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, New Braunfels Police Department, Comal County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, are investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Wannarka is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions Ends the Department’s Practice of Regulation by GuidanceRead the Press Release
Today, in an action to further uphold the rule of law in the executive branch, Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a memo prohibiting the Department of Justice from issuing guidance documents that have the effect of adopting new regulatory requirements or amending the law. The memo prevents the Department of Justice from evading required rulemaking processes by using guidance memos to create de facto regulations.
In the past, the Department of Justice and other agencies have blurred the distinction between regulations and guidance documents. Under the Attorney General’s memo, the Department may no longer issue guidance documents that purport to create rights or obligations binding on persons or entities outside the Executive Branch.
The Attorney General’s Regulatory Reform Task Force, led by Associate Attorney General Brand, will conduct a review of existing Department documents and will recommend candidates for repeal or modification in the light of this memo’s principles.
“Guidance documents can be used to explain existing law,” Associate Attorney General Brand said. “But they should not be used to change the law or to impose new standards to determine compliance with the law. The notice-and-comment process that is ordinarily required for rulemaking can be cumbersome and slow, but it has the benefit of availing agencies of more complete information about a proposed rule’s effects than the agency could ascertain on its own. This Department of Justice will not use guidance documents to circumvent the rulemaking process, and we will proactively work to rescind existing guidance documents that go too far.”
View the memo here.
Armed Robber Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Saul Robinson, 38, of Rochester, who was convicted of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, was sentenced to 188 months in prison and 5 years supervised release, by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. Robinson was also ordered to pay $179 in restitution and forfeit a firearm and ammunition.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Marangola, who handled the case, stated that on December 27, 2013, at about 10:30 pm, Robinson committed an armed robbery of the Adams Mobil Station located at 575 N. Winton Road in Rochester. Robinson brandished a loaded .25 caliber semi-automatic pistol and stole $179 in U.S. currency from an employee. The gas station routinely purchases and sells goods from suppliers within and outside the State of New York. As such, Robinson’s armed robbery gave rise to the federal investigation and prosecution. Robinson was arrested later that night by the Rochester Police Department.
The conviction was the culmination of an investigation conducted by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in- Charge Ashan Benedict, New York Field Division.Alaska Man Found Guilty of Possessing Firearms as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that an Alaska man was found guilty on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017, of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The man possessed two rifles and many rounds of ammunition after having been convicted in Alaska State Court of three felonies, including assault in the third degree.
On Dec. 29, 2016, Joseph Kuzmin, 40, of Voznesenka, Alaska, was arrested by the Alaska State Troopers (AST) after he reportedly assaulted his teenage son. Voznesenka is about 20 miles east of Homer. AST referred the case to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). ATF searched Kuzmin’s home in January 2017 and found two rifles and the ammunition. Federal law prohibits felons from possessing rifles, in addition to other types of firearms.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonas Walker, the jury heard evidence that Kuzmin physically assaulted his son, then threatened to shoot him, and another relative, and any police officers who responded.
Sentencing has been scheduled for Feb. 5, 2018. Kuzmin faces up to 10 years in federal prison. The State of Alaska originally charged Kuzmin with assaulting his son, but dismissed the assault case before trial.
Acting U.S. Attorney Schroder commended ATF and AST, who conducted the investigation of this case.
Aiken Women, Georgia Prisoner Indicted for Phone ScamRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Jay Byron Wright, age 41, of the Calhoun State Prison in Morgan, Georgia, Christine Wright, age 24, of Windsor, South Carolina, and Barbara Lynn Clayton, age 43, also of Windsor, were charged in a one-count Indictment by a Grand Jury in Columbia for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, § 1349.
Ms. Drake stated the penalty faced by the Defendants for a violation of Title 18, United States Code, § 1349 is imprisonment for ten years, with a potential fine up to $250,000.
The Deschutes County (Oregon) Sheriff’s Office and SLED (South Carolina) investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Winston David Holliday, Jr., of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Thursday 16 November 2017
York Gang Member Sentenced to 25 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Roscoe Villega, a/k/a “P Shawn,” age 43, a member of a gang that has operated for a decade or more in the City of York, was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Yvette Kane for racketeering and drug distribution conspiracies.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Villega, who was identified as a member of the “Southside” street gang as well as a member of the “Bloods”. When imposing sentence, Judge Kane noted Villega’s role as a drug trafficker in the gang that ravaged the community in York for over a decade, causing numerous deaths and many other victims. Judge Kane indicated that Villega’s previous periods of incarceration failed to deter Villega’s activities.
The government asked for a substantial sentence but noted his role in the offense was less that the two leaders of the group Rolando Cruz, Jr., and Mark Hernandez, both of whom were recently sentenced to life in prison.
In November 2015, a jury convicted Villega of racketeering and drug trafficking conspiracies after a seven-week trial. It included over 100 witnesses called by the government, including York City Police officers and detectives, federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI and gang members who had previously pleaded guilty and featured the presentation of over 500 exhibits. Among the exhibits were videos of violent incidents involving the Southside Gang, drugs, cash and property seized by police and ATF agents as part of the investigation.
The jury convicted the other 11 men who went to trial with Villega.
According to United States Attorney Bruce Brandler, the gang, labeled by the government as a criminal enterprise, is known as Southside. It operated in southern York, centered in the area of Maple and Duke Streets. There was no formal structure but the participants included senior leaders, drug traffickers engaged in distribution and sales of narcotics, particularly crack cocaine, and “shooters,” individuals who committed acts of violence, including use of firearms on behalf of the gang and to protect its members from other gangs in York. Order was maintained through intimidation and threats and, in some cases, murder. The Southside Gang includes a group of violent drug traffickers, originally affiliated with the “Bloods,” primarily a New York-based national violent street gang.
Violence against a rival York gang, called “Parkway,” allegedly resulted in death or shootings of members of both gangs and innocent bystanders.
ATF, together with the York City Police Department and the York County District Attorney’s Office, began an intensive two-year investigation of Southside in 2012. It culminated in a September 2014 grand jury indictment of 21 individuals.
Eight of the indicted persons, including James Abney, a senior Southside leader, pleaded guilty to the racketeering conspiracy charge prior to the trial, as did seven other individuals included in the September 2014 indictment.
Many individual Southside gang members were investigated and previously prosecuted by York County law enforcement agencies on state charges. The federal prosecution aimed at dismantling the organization by exposing and attacking its continuity and leadership. The federal investigation of gang violence and drug dealing in York is continuing in full cooperation with local police and the York County District Attorney’s Office.
Overall, the jury found seven of the 12 men on trial guilty of racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute drugs, mainly cocaine base (crack) and cocaine, but including heroin in some instances. Two others were found not guilty of the racketeering charge but were found guilty of the drug distribution conspiracy count of the indictment. Three of the defendants were found not guilty of either of the conspiracy counts. The jury found all 12 defendants guilty of possession of illegal drugs with the intent to distribute. Two defendants were also charged and found guilty of, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to U.S. Attorney Brandler, the principal defendants, specifically the most violent and those in leading roles, were found guilty of the racketeering conspiracy charges.
The individual defendants and the charges on which they were awaiting sentencing or were sentenced:
Rolando Cruz, Jr., “Mico,” age 32; racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, drug possession with intent to deliver and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking (2 counts) was sentenced on October 3, 2017, to life in prison.
Marc Hernandez, a/k/a “Marky D,” age 32; racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, drug possession with intent to deliver and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking (2 counts) was sentenced on October 25, 2017, to life in prison.
Douglas Kelly, a/k/a “Killer,” age 39; racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, and drug possession with intent to deliver is awaiting sentencing,
Tyree Eatmon, a/k/a “Ree,” age 29; racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, and drug possession with intent to deliver is awaiting sentencing,
Maurice Atkinson, a/k/a “Mo,” age 30; racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, and drug possession with intent to deliver is awaiting sentencing,
Anthony Sistrunk, a/k/a “Kanye,” age 29; racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, and drug possession with intent to deliver is awaiting sentencing,
Eugene Rice, a/k/a “B Mor,” age 29; drug trafficking conspiracy, and drug possession with intent to deliver is awaiting sentencing,
Angel Schueg, a/k/a “Pocko,” age 28; drug trafficking conspiracy, and drug possession with intent to deliver is awaiting sentencing,
Jalik Frederick, a/k/a “Murder Cat,” age 22; drug possession with intent to deliver was sentenced to 33 months in prison on June 5, 2017,
Brandon Orr, a/k/a “B Or,” age 23; drug possession with intent to deliver was sentenced to 34 months in prison on November 10, 2016,
Jabree Williams, a/k/a “Minute,” age 24; drug possession with intent to deliver was sentenced to 60 months in prison on May 15, 2017.
Southside gang members who pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy prior to the trial are and who are awaiting sentencing are:
James Abney, a/k/a “Doocs,” age 31.
Malik Sturdivant, a/k/a “Base,” age 25.
Jahkeem Abney, a/k/a “Foo,” age 27.
Ronald Payton, a/k/a “Ron Ron,” age 25.
Cordaress Rogers, a/k/a “Tank,” age 31.
Marquis Williams, a/k/a “Quis,” age 29.
Jerrod Brown, a/k/a “Boogie,” age 28.
Quintez Hall, a/k/a “Q,” age 25.
Richard Nolden, a/k/a “Rich,” age 27.
The case included the participation and assistance of the Pennsylvania State Police, West York Borough Police Department, Spring Garden Township Police Department, the York County Drug Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael A. Consiglio, William Houser, and Joseph Terz prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (“VCRP”), a district wide initiative to combat the spread of violent crime in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the VCRP consists of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose mission is to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes with firearms.
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Welling Man Sentenced to 16 Months, $7,750 for Multiple Controlled Substances CountsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ian Alexander Bowline, age 32, of Welling, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment, 1 year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $7,750.00 money judgment for 7 counts of OBTAINING A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE BY FRAUD, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 843(a)(3) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2; 7 counts of USE OF A REGISTRATION NUMBER OF ANOTHER PERSON TO OBTAIN A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE BY FRAUD, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 843(a)(2) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2; 1 count of ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE BY FRAUD, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 843(a)(3) and 846 and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2; and 1 count of ATTEMPTING TO USE A REGISTRATION NUMBER OF ANOTHER PERSON TO OBTAIN A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE BY FRAUD, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 843(a)(2) and 846 and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2. The jury trial began on Tuesday, April 4, 2017 and concluded on Wednesday, April 12, 2017 with the guilty verdicts.
Beginning in or about 2010, and continuing until the date of the service of a search warrant at Bowline’s residence on May 7, 2013, Bowline led an organization aimed at obtaining Oxycodone by utilizing false prescriptions manufactured by Bowline and distributed to others who, in turn, presented the false prescriptions to pharmacies and obtained 90 to 120 count Oxycodone pills at 30 mg. dosages per pill. The false prescriptions were generated by Bowline, contained valid DEA physician license numbers, and were printed on special watermark paper used by physicians when writing prescriptions. Bowline obtained the DEA physician numbers and paper from the internet.
The false prescriptions were presented to pharmacies in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri. The evidence presented at trial included items seized from a search of Bowline’s residence. Agents seized a computer, laptop, and thumb-drives which contained approximately 80 blank prescriptions in a format used to produce and print the prescriptions. Fifty-one of the prescriptions, resulting in a total of 6,030 Oxycodone pills, had been illegally passed at pharmacies within and outside Oklahoma. Prosecutors also presented other false prescriptions that had been filled by various pharmacies and identified as being manufactured and signed by Bowline. During the course of the trial, evidence was presented that Bowline was involved in the diversion of approximately 14,000 Oxycodone pills. In all, 6 other defendants were sentenced as a result of the investigation into the Bowline organization. Their sentences ranged from probation to 60 months imprisonment.
The verdicts obtained were the result of an investigation by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and was coordinated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) of the Eastern District of Oklahoma. OCDETF is an initiative led, and coordinated by, the Office of the United States Attorney.
United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said, “The OBN investigators and assistant United States Attorneys worked diligently on this investigation and prosecution for years. I commend them for their efforts to put an end to the scheme by this Defendant and others to fraudulently obtain large quantities of opioids. This office, as well as our federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners are committed to enforcing the laws that we have to combat the abuse of opioids.”
The Honorable James H. Payne, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the sentencing hearing and jury trial.
Assistant United States Attorneys Shannon Henson and John David Luton represented the United States.
VDOT Officials Plead Guilty to $10.3 Million Bribe SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Virginia Department of Transportation officials and three private contractors have pleaded guilty to their involvement in a bribery scheme involving the awarding of over $10.3 million in snow removal contracts over the course of five years.
According to court documents, Anthony Willie and Kenneth Duane Adams were VDOT supervisors at the Burke Area Headquarters (AHQ) and secretly used their official positions to enrich themselves by soliciting and accepting cash bribes in exchange for various favorable official acts, such as awarding lucrative snow removal work to local trucking companies during winter snow storms in the northern Virginia area.
According to court documents, Willie and Adams negotiated bribe agreements with several owners and operators of trucking and snow removal companies seeking snow removal work from the VDOT Burke AHQ, including Rolando Pineda Moran, Shaheen Sariri, and John Williamson. At their core, each agreement stated that the company owners would provide a percentage or a flat rate of their hourly contracts as bribes in the form of cash payments to Willie and Adams, in exchange for being awarded snow removal work and having Willie and Adams sign off on their VDOT invoices. Beginning in the 2012‑2013 snow season and continuing through the 2016‑2017 snow season, Willie and Adams would often meet the snow plow contractors at local restaurants, grocery stores, and parking lots in Burke and Fairfax and received approximately $440,000 in cash bribes.
According to court documents, from 2011 through 2016, Adams also conspired with Elmer Antonio Mejia by negotiating an unlawful bribery agreement whereby Mejia would sub-contract snow removal work out to Adams’ nominee-owned company, Supreme Landscaping. During this period, Mejia paid Adams approximately $160,000, frequently disguising the payments as pay for snow removal work allegedly performed by Adams’ nominee-owned company.
Additionally, Adams also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to court records, while executing a search warrant in November 2015, law enforcement recovered approximately 129 grams of cocaine and related drug paraphernalia at Adams’ residence. Adams also admitted to previously distributing cocaine to others, including several of his colleagues at VDOT, and to obtaining cocaine from a relative of one of his VDOT co-workers.
Name
Age, Hometown
Pleaded Guilty to
Sentencing Date and Max Penalty
Anthony Willie
55, Culpeper
Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Mail and Wire Fraud
Feb. 16, 2018; 60 years
Kenneth Duane Adams
42, Fairfax
Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Mail and Wire Fraud; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine
Feb. 9, 2018; 100 years
Rolando Pineda Moran
46, Alexandria
Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Mail Fraud
Feb. 9, 2018; 20 years
Elmer Mejia
50, Aldie
Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Mail Fraud
Feb. 9, 2018; 20 years
John Williamson
51, Springfield
Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Wire Fraud
Feb. 2, 2018; 20 years
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. Willie pleaded guilty today, Pineda Moran and Mejia on Monday, Adams on Tuesday, and Williamson on Wednesday.
A sixth indicted defendant in this case, Shaheen “Shane” Sariri, 31, of Fairfax, is scheduled for trial on Jan. 29, 2018.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly R. Pedersen and Samantha P. Bateman are prosecuting the case.
This case involved a joint investigation by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Virginia State Police, and Fairfax County Police Department. Additional assistance was provided by the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Office of Assurance and Compliance.
Any person who believes they may have information regarding public corruption or fraud in the northern Virginia area is encouraged to call the FBI’s Northern Virginia Public Corruption Hotline at 703-686-6225 or e-mail tips to [email protected].
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:17-cr-188.
Utica Man Sentenced to 51 Months for Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Luis Estela, age 53, of Utica, New York, was sentenced today to serve 51 months in prison for his participation in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, announced Acting United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt of the New York Division.
After a two-day jury trial in June 2017, Estela was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin in connection with his involvement in a heroin trafficking organization operating in Utica and Rome, New York. At trial, the evidence showed that Estela helped the organization package heroin on multiple occasions and assisted in distributing drugs along the Erie Canal in Rome.
Chief District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also sentenced Estela to serve a 3-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.
This case was investigated by the DEA, New York State Police-Community Narcotics Enforcement Team-Central (NYSP-CNET), City of Rome Police Department, City of Utica Police Department, Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, and Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Levine and Carla Freedman.
U.S. Attorney Mountcastle Delivers Remarks to Ethics Committee of Virginia State BarRead the Press Release
Roanoke, VIRGINIA – United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia Rick A. Mountcastle, Assistant United States Attorney and Professional Responsibility Officer Michael Moore from the Eastern District of Virginia, and a delegation from the Virginia Association of Commonwealth’s Attorneys, consisting of Greensville County/City of Emporia Commonwealth’s Attorney Patricia T. Watson, Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney Colin Stolle, Arlington County/City of Falls Church Commonwealth’s Attorney Theophani K. Stamos, and Suffolk City Commonwealth’s Attorney C. Phillips Ferguson appeared before the ethics committee of the Virginia State Bar this morning to deliver remarks in opposition of the proposed VSB Legal Ethics Opinion 1888 [VSB LEO 1888].
U.S. Attorney Mountcastle’s remarks as prepared for delivery:
Good morning ladies and gentlemen. My name is Rick Mountcastle and I’m the United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia. I’m here with my colleague from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia Assistant United States Attorney and Professional Responsibility Officer Mike Moore. It’s my privilege to address you this morning on behalf of the United States Department of Justice and the two United States Attorney’s Office’s in Virginia about proposed Legal Ethics Opinion 1888.
After a careful review of the hypothetical facts, the analysis, and the proposed Opinion, as well as the applicable legal authorities, we respectfully request that you withdraw the proposed Opinion for the reasons set forth in our November 2, 2017 letter, as well as the many other reasons articulated by the Virginia Association of Commonwealth’s Attorneys and others. I don’t want to repeat our written comments and I’m certain the Bar will give those comments careful consideration.
I do want to emphasize a couple of points this morning. First, the Department of Justice and the United States Attorney’s Offices take very seriously the requirement that our prosecutors comply with their discovery and disclosure obligations. We expend considerable resources to ensure compliance with the Department’s mandate that we make broad disclosures of potentially exculpatory and impeaching material as required by the statutes, rules, and case law. Further, we agree that prosecutors must not willfully and intentionally attempt to conceal exculpatory and impeaching evidence by hiding it within voluminous materials.
The proposed Opinion, however, does not provide clear guidance about this requirement but, instead, creates confusion. As discussed in our written comments, the underlying hypothetical facts are so oversimplified that the proposed Opinion will apply to virtually none of the cases actually handled by federal and state prosecutors on a daily basis. Every case will be different because every one of them will have more factual context than the facts set forth in the proposed Opinion. We’ve listed some of the important factual context at page two of our letter and I’d like to add another very important factor to that list: the tone of voice and inflexion of the defendant and the victim during the phone call. As described in our letter, the factual context of each case is critical to a determination of whether a piece of evidence like the nine-word phone call “tends to negate guilt” as opposed to being inculpatory or merely ambiguous; it’s critical to a determination of whether the prosecutor “knows” that it “tends to negate guilt” when an equally fair reading based on all of the facts is that it’s inculpatory or ambiguous, and only defense counsel knows what material falls within the defense theory of the case; and it’s critical to a determination of whether producing it as a part of 200 hours of calls constitutes knowing and intentional concealment when the law only requires disclosure and the defendant knows about it or it’s readily identifiable from an index.
The substantial disparity between the hypothetical facts underlying the proposed Opinion, and the facts of the cases we actually prosecute will inevitably create the type of confusion described in our comments and in the comments of the Commonwealth’s Attorneys. In our view, the proposed Opinion provides no meaningful guidance to the prosecutor because every case he or she prosecutes will be significantly different from the bare bones facts of the hypothetical. At the same time, it’s likely that defense counsel, in zealously representing their clients, will argue that the proposed Opinion should apply to cases that have no factual similarity. As a result, the proposed Opinion, while providing no meaningful guidance, will simply cause collateral litigation distracting the courts and litigants from administering justice in criminal cases.
For these reasons and the other reasons stated in our letter, we respectfully request that the proposed Opinion be withdrawn. Thank you for this morning’s opportunity to provide additional comment.
End of Prepared Remarks
In addition to the remarks delivered this morning, the United States Attorneys and the Virginia Association of Commonwealth’s Attorneys previously sent the ethics committee letters objecting to VSB LEO 1888.
lettertovsb.pdf vacaletter.pdfU.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen Announces Reginald Harris as the Executive Assistant U.S. AttorneyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen has announced the promotion of Reginald “Reggie” Harris to be the Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri. Mr. Harris has been a federal prosecutor in St. Louis since 2002. This role will oversee focus on Project Safe Neighborhoods, an opioid initiative, and civil rights investigations.
Mr. Harris is a native of St. Louis, Missouri. He grew up in the north St. Louis neighborhoods of Walnut Park and North Pointe. Mr. Harris attended high school in the Lindbergh School District in South St. Louis County, through the Voluntary Interdistrict Desegregation Program. He received his undergraduate degree in Business Administration at the University of Iowa. Mr. Harris is a 1997 graduate of the University of Iowa College of Law. Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2002, Mr. Harris was in private practice as an Associate at the St. Louis law firm of Thompson Coburn LLP, where he practiced in the litigation department. “Harris is uniquely qualified to oversee these most important challenges facing our region and I am honored to work by his side,” said Jeff Jensen, United States Attorney.
Two men sentenced for thefts targeting Southwire Copper Company in Carrollton, GeorgiaRead the Press Release
ROME, Ga. - Yosvani Castillo and Rodolfo Arteaga Oliva have been sentenced after pleading guilty to hijacking truckloads of valuable copper wire and other copper products. The Southwire Copper Company, based in Carrollton, Georgia, was one of the pair's primary targets.
“Interstate cargo theft is an extremely serious offense that strains the local economy,” said U. S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “These thieves went out of their way to avoid detection and brazenly stole whole trucks filled with copper products. The financial impact not only affected customers all over the country who buy these products, but they impacted the employees and communities where these companies operate.”
“This conviction demonstrates the great work of law enforcement at all levels to investigate and prosecute major cargo theft affecting Georgia and our surrounding states. The GBI remains committed to working with our local and federal partners to address these types of crimes,” said Vernon Keenan, Director, Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges, and other information presented in court: On several occasions, defendants Castillo and Oliva drove up from Miami to Carrollton, and conducted surveillance on tractor-trailers as they left the Southwire facility to deliver copper products to customers across the country. In addition to Southwire, the defendants also targeted truckloads leaving the Hussey Copper company in Pennsylvania.
The defendants followed the unsuspecting truck until the driver pulled over for a stop, often after hundreds of miles of driving. They would then steal the entire truck and trailer, sometimes transferring the copper into a different trailer they brought with them to avoid detection, and drove the load back to Miami where Castillo arranged to sell the copper for below-market value to a metal recycler.
After stealing the trucks, they removed Global Positioning System (“GPS”) trackers from the trucks and installed “jammers,” which are illegal signal-blocking devices that prevent any tracking of GPS devices or cellular phones. The victims, which include not only Southwire and Hussey, but also the transportation companies whose trucks were stolen, sustained over $1.3 million in losses.
Rodolfo Arteaga Oliva, 40, of Miami, Florida, was sentenced by Judge Harold Murphy to four years, nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Yosvani Castillo, 38, also of Miami, Florida, was sentenced on May 10, 2017 to five years, three months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Oliva and Castillo were ordered to pay restitution, jointly and severally, in the amount of $1,107,575.58. Castillo is separately responsible for paying an additional $276,142.68 in restitution.
This case was investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, with substantial assistance provided by Miami-Dade Police Cargo Theft Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynsey M. Barron prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga
Two men admit to illegal re-entry chargesRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two men have admitted to illegal re-entry charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Edi Alvarez-Sanchez, age 30, of Mexico, pled guilty to one count of “Reentry of Removed Alien.” Alvarez-Sanchez, having been removed from the United States once before, admitted to being in Berkeley County, West Virginia, without consent, in September 2017.
Oscar Ordaz-Rodriguez, age 38, of Mexico, pled guilty to one count of “Reentry of Removed Alien.” Ordaz-Rodriguez, having been removed from the United States three prior times, admitted to being in Berkeley County, West Virginia, without consent, in September 2017.
Each defendant faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Two New Jersey Men Arrested for $30 Million Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey attorney and another man were charged with running a large-scale mortgage fraud scheme that involved dozens of properties in Jersey City, Clifton, Union, and elsewhere in New Jersey and caused losses of more than $30 million, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Christopher Goodson, 44, of Newark, and Anthony Garvin, 47, of Jersey City, New Jersey, are charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Both defendants were arrested this morning and are expected to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court.
According to the Complaint:
From January 2011 through August 2017, Goodson, Garvin, and others engaged in a short sale mortgage fraud conspiracy targeting various New Jersey properties with mortgages that were in default.
As part of the scheme, the conspirators arranged simultaneous fraudulent transactions on the same target property. In the first transaction, which involved the sale by the current owner, the conspirators convinced the financial institution holding the mortgage to accept the sale of the target property at a loss, usually to a buyer who was secretly a conspirator or an entity controlled by the conspiracy.
In the second transaction, the conspirators flipped the same target property from the first buyer to a second buyer, who typically obtained a mortgage from another financial institution using false loan applications, pay stubs, bank account statements and title reports provided by members of the conspiracy. As a result, the second transaction frequently closed for significantly more or even double the price of the first transaction.
Goodson, Garvin, and others allegedly rigged the short sale process at each step in order to maximize the difference in price between the two transactions and keep the victim financial institutions from detecting the fraud.
For instance, Goodson, an attorney, concealed the fact that he played multiple-roles in the short sale transactions, including allegedly generating false preapproval letters from a New Jersey corporation he owned that purported to be a short-term lending company operating out of California. These letters were used to deceive banks into believing that the purchaser – typically a conspirator or entity controlled by Goodson – had the credit necessary for the transaction. Goodson also negotiated the fraudulent short sales with the banks, generated phony deeds that backdated the closing date of the first transactions, and even served as the closing attorney during some of the short sales.
Garvin was a real estate agent and investor who allegedly coordinated fraudulent transactions as part of the scheme.
The conspirators disbursed the funds into various accounts they controlled to conceal their illegal activities and split the profits. In total, the conspiracy defrauded financial institutions out of more than approximately $30 million.
The conspiracy to commit bank fraud count is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark, postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Joseph W. Cronin, and special agents of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) – Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Steven Perez in Newark, with the investigation
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Feder and Zach Intrater of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Men Charged with Theft of More than 70 Firearms from Gun StoresRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged Ronquieze Head, 35, and Seronte Newby, 29, both of Cincinnati, with crimes related to theft from gun stores in Ohio and Kentucky in an indictment returned in Cincinnati.
Specifically, the defendants are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit theft and two counts of theft from a federal firearms licensee. Head is also charged with one count of possession of a stolen firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Trevor Velinor, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced the charges.
The indictment alleges that Head and Newby stole approximately 20 firearms from a gun store in Sharonville, Ohio on July 2. On July 8, it is further alleged that the defendants stole approximately 22 firearms from a gun store in Florence, Ky. Finally, according to the indictment, the pair stole approximately 32 weapons from a third gun store in Springboro, Ohio on July 16.
Conspiracy to commit theft, theft from a federal firearms licensee, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a stolen firearm are each crimes punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by ATF and Sharonville, Florence, Springboro and Cincinnati police departments, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Megan Gaffney, who is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Anyone having information about these burglaries or the stolen firearms should contact ATF at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (800-283-4867). Individuals may also email [email protected], or contact ATF through its website at www.atf.gov/contact/atf-tips. Tips may also be submitted to ATF using the ReportIt® app, available on both Google Play and the Apple App Store, or by visiting www.reportit.com. Tipsters may remain anonymous.
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Two Men Charged with Distributing Heroin and Fentanyl in North ShoreRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men – one of whom remains a fugitive – were charged in federal court in Boston with distributing heroin and fentanyl.
Yeffry Reynoso, a/k/a Chris, 26, of Lynn, was charged with one count of conspiring to distribute at least 100 grams of heroin and at least 40 grams of fentanyl, and six counts of distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Reynoso was arrested on Nov. 15, 2017, and appeared in federal court in Boston for an initial appearance.
Francisco Tavarez, a/k/a Jose, 21, was charged with one count of conspiring to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and remains a fugitive.
According to court documents, the federal investigation into Reynoso’s drug activity was prompted by a fatal opioid overdose in Melrose in January 2017. The court documents allege that, until his arrest, Reynoso was a heroin and fentanyl supplier in the North Shore, and ran an active drug business that employed at least three runners, including Tavarez, to deliver drugs. It is alleged that Reynoso supplied the opioids that led to the fatal drug overdose in January and that he had supplied the victim with heroin/fentanyl on a regular basis for some period in 2016.
It is further alleged that law enforcement, working with a cooperating witness, made four controlled purchases of heroin and/or fentanyl from Reynoso during the spring of 2017, and Tavarez is purported to have delivered fentanyl to an undercover agent on one occasion in March.
Reynoso faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, a minimum of four years of supervised release and a $5 million fine. Tavarez faces no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Michael Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; and Melrose Police Chief Michael Lyle made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda M. Ricci, Deputy Chief of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit, is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Twenty Men Face Federal Indictment for Attempted Online Enticement of A Minor Following A Joint Local, State and Federal Law Enforcement Operation in Columbus, GeorgiaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney G. F. Peterman, III, announced that a Federal Grand Jury returned indictments in the Columbus Division of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia today charging twenty defendants with Attempted Online Enticement of a Minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b). This charge carries a ten-year mandatory minimum sentence, and a maximum term of life in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, up to a lifetime term of supervised release, and mandatory sex offender registration.
The federal indictments stem from arrests made over this past weekend during “Operation Hidden Guardian,” a proactive, online undercover investigation centered in Columbus, Georgia, which was coordinated by the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit, the Columbus Police Department, the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office for the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia.
Along with those agencies who participated in the planning and coordination of the operation, twelve additional law enforcement agencies participated in “Operation Hidden Guardian” as members of the Georgia ICAC Task Force. These agencies were: Federal Bureau of Investigation – Columbus Resident Agency; the United States Secret Service; Athens-Clarke County Police Department; Floyd County Police Department; Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office; Hall County Sheriff’s Office; Georgia Information Sharing and Analysis Center (GISAC); Glynn County Police Department; LaGrange Police Department; Marietta Police Department; Polk County Police Department; and the Tallapoosa Police Department.
The following individuals were indicted today:
Reginald Kiiani Crowell, 36, Pittsview, Alabama;
Jonathan David Jenkins, 23, Columbus, Georgia;
Brian A Corcoran, 42, Columbus, Georgia;
Ji Won Kim, 26, Atlanta, Georgia;
Derrick Lamart Smalls, 38, Phenix City, Alabama;
Robert Alan Moore, 31, Ledonia, Alabama;
Collis Dwight Eaton, 48, Midway, Alabama;
Kenneth Jordan, 29, Columbus, Georgia;
Edwin Nieves, 55, Columbus, Georgia;
Ke Song, 24, Auburn, Alabama;
Christopher McGowan, 32, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania;
Jarrod R. Long, 27, Columbus, Georgia;
Jimmy Cobb, 35, Columbus, Georgia;
Uthemes Taylor, 30, Columbus, Georgia;
Michael Andrew Everett, 22, Columbus, Georgia;
Harold Bates, 35, Selma, Alabama;
Dereck C. Weldon, 30, Columbus, Georgia;
Gary D. Whitfield, 28, Columbus, Georgia;
William Pruitt, 48, Franklin, North Carolina; and
Eric K. Menefee, 50, Opelika, Alabama.
An indictment is only an allegation of criminal conduct. Each person is presumed innocent until and unless he is proven guilty in a court of law. Assistant United States Attorneys Danial Bennett, Crawford Seals, and Mel Hyde are prosecuting the cases for the Government.
Tickfaw Man Indicted for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that VERNON SWEENEY, JR., age 52, of Tickfaw, Louisiana, was indicted today for possession of child pornography.
On October 12, 2017, law enforcement officers with the Louisiana State Police and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, arrested SWEENEY during the execution of a state search warrant at his Tickfaw home after finding that SWEENEY was in possession of several items, including a laptop computer, thumb drives, and cellular phones that contained images depicting the sexual victimization of prepubescent children.
Court records also revealed that SWEENEY was previously convicted in Tangipahoa Parish Criminal District Court for pornography involving juveniles on August 1, 2012.
Acting U. S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Due to his prior conviction, if convicted, SWEENEY faces a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years imprisonment up to twenty years, followed by up to a life term of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Fraud Section Chief, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.
Three Individuals Indicted on Carjacking and Murder ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Floyd Barber, 22, Jherrica Dixon, 23, and Kurt Wallace, 25, each of Saint Louis, were indicted in a ten-count federal indictment this afternoon.
The indictment alleges that, between August and October 2017, Barber, Dixon and Wallace participated in at least five armed carjackings. On September 16 and October 15, 2017, the carjacking victims were shot. On October 16, 2017, victim Jaz Granderson, a former Desmet Jesuit High School assistant football coach, was shot and killed.
“This is a series of vicious and senseless crimes. We just doubled the number of violent crime prosecutors in this office so people who commit carjackings and armed robberies in the City of St. Louis can expect very aggressive prosecution by this office and the Circuit Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen.
If the defendants are convicted, these charges carry a maximum penalty of death or life in prison. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
This case is being investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in cooperation with the Saint Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office.
As is always the case, charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Three Alaska Residents Charged with Conspiracy to Smuggle Heroin into Goose Creek Correctional CenterRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging three individuals with conspiring to smuggle heroin into the State of Alaska Department of Corrections (DOC) Goose Creek Correctional Center (GCCC) for distribution to inmates in April 2016.
Spencer Daniel Johnson, 24, and Kalani Lemauga Maalona, 31, who were both inmates at GCCC at the time of the drug conspiracy, and Heaven Leigh Erick, 28, have been named in the indictment, which charges each of them with drug conspiracy. Johnson has also been charged with possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea W. Hattan, who presented the case to the grand jury, the charges arise from the seizure of nearly 20 grams of heroin from Johnson on April 11, 2016, three days after the heroin was passed to Johnson at GCCC on April 8, 2016. Johnson, Maalona, and Erick are presently incarcerated on unrelated state charges.
The law provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1 million or both for the charges alleged in the indictment. Under federal sentencing statutes, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation, with assistance from DOC and the Alaska State Troopers Western Alaska Alcohol and Narcotics Team (WAANT), leading to the charges in this case.
Charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Stockton Special Education Teacher Charged with Transporting 16-Year-Old Girl from Oregon to California to Engage in Criminal Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Rodney Flucas, 49, of Stockton, charging him with transportation of a minor in interstate commerce with intent to engage in criminal sexual conduct, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to the indictment and a criminal complaint, Flucas is licensed in the states of Georgia, Oregon, and California to teach deaf and hard-of-hearing students. On March 22, 2017, his California license was suspended.
In 2014, Flucas moved himself and numerous family members from Georgia to Klamath Falls, Oregon. According to the criminal complaint, once in Oregon, Flucas allegedly began sexually abusing a 15-year-old minor. Eventually, in 2015, Flucas moved to Stockton, California, and took the then 16-year-old victim there too, and allegedly continued to sexually abuse her in California.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI, the Stockton Police Department and the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nirav Desai and Jeremy Kelley are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Flucas faces a statutory minimum sentence of 10 years to a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.
Statement of U.S. AttorneyRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – U.S. Attorney Jay Town, in response to local and national media reports and inquiries regarding assertions that the U.S. attorney “has verified defamation cases” or confirmed any type of federal investigation against Alabama citizens accusing a candidate for U.S. Senate of certain behaviors, responds as follows:
“These assertions are patently absurd. My office has not received, nor would we have the legal basis to pursue, any such defamation cases.
Statement of Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim on the Hung Jury in United States V. Norman Seabrook and Murray HuberfeldRead the Press Release
“Unfortunately, the jury in the trial against Norman Seabrook and Murray Huberfeld was unable to reach a unanimous verdict. We look forward to a retrial where we will present again the powerful proof of how Seabrook allegedly sold his duty to safeguard correction officers’ retirement money to Murray Huberfeld in exchange for cash bribes. Although justice has been delayed, we expect it will ultimately prevail.”
Spring Man Hammered with 40-Year Sentence for Child Pornography ConvictionsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 37-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for 480 months following his convictions of production and possession of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez. James Kelly Hilton, of Spring, pleaded guilty Aug. 14, 2017.
Today, U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett imposed a 360-month sentence for the production charge as well as another 120 months for possessing child pornography. The sentences were ordered to run consecutively. Following completion of his 40-year prison term, he will be on supervised release for the rest of his life. The court further ordered Hilton to pay $62,500 in restitution to multiple victims.
In April 2017, the mother of a victim discovered an SD card with images of Hilton sexually violating her daughter. She traveled from Spring to Oklahoma where her family resided and reported the discovery to the local authorities. Hilton followed her there, where he was taken into custody.
A forensic examination of the SD card revealed 981 images and five videos of child pornography, including eight images and a video of the identified minor victim. Authorities also seized a cell phone upon his arrest and eventually discovered 444 images of child pornography, seven of which were of the same victim.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri Zack is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Southern Oregon Men Sentenced for Immigration Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore. – Today, U.S. District Court Judge Michael McShane sentenced Patrick Snyder, 41, of Grants Pass, Oregon, and Juvenal Vega Rodriguez, 54, of Medford, Oregon, for perpetrating a large-scale immigration fraud and money laundering violations—more than 90 immigrants were defrauded out of more than $600,000 between 2009 and 2012. Judge McShane sentenced Snyder to 75 months of imprisonment and ordered him to pay $637,190 in restitution. Likewise, he sentenced Vega to 41 months of imprisonment and ordered him to pay $150,000 in restitution. Previously, Snyder pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and money laundering, and Vega pleaded guilty to money laundering.
According to court documents, Snyder and Vega used Snyder’s business, Immigration Solutions, to solicit immigrants seeking legal status in the United States, falsely promising that they could obtain legal status for these individuals for a fee that ranged between $5,000 and $10,000. While Snyder and Vega lived in the Medford, Oregon, area, Vega, who immigrated from Mexico and became a U.S. Citizen the United States in 1990s, recruited individuals to use their alleged immigration services at various church and social gatherings throughout Oregon, specifically targeting Spanish-speaking immigrants. Snyder, found to be a leader and organizer of the scheme, admitted that he targeted his victims based on their race, national origin, and ethnicity.
As part of their scheme, as noted in court records, Snyder and Vega falsely told their victims that they were accredited representatives with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, that Snyder was a lawyer, that Snyder had connections with immigration officials, that Snyder was an immigration agent, and that Snyder was a detective with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. When clients of their alleged immigration services questioned their work, Snyder and Vega threatened those clients with deportation and other consequences.
Billy J. Williams, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, commented, “These defendants targeted an extremely vulnerable group of individuals based on their race, national origin, and ethnicity. They were the perfect victims—they were desperate and fearful, and these defendants exploited that desperation and fear for their own greedy desires. My office cannot and will not tolerate such conduct. In addition to the FBI, I would like to thank the Medford Police Department and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance with this important case.”
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Medford Police Department, and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford.
Southbury Man Admits to Possessing and Detonating Pipe BombRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that BRIAN FLUMAN, 34, of Southbury, pleaded guilty yesterday in Hartford federal court to one count of possession of a destructive device by a convicted felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 15, 2017, FLUMAN detonated a pipe bomb, which he had built, in the vicinity of Upper Grassy Hill Road in Woodbury.
On June 8, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of FLUMAN’s Southbury residence and seized three pipes with end caps, Pyrodex, a fuse, an electric blasting cap, and a semi-automatic rifle.
FLUMAN’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for larceny, burglary and narcotics possession.
FLUMAN has been detained since his arrest on July 26. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello on February 7, 2018, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police and the Woodbury Resident Trooper’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacabed Rodriguez-Coss.
Southampton Man Charged with Illegal Re-entry After DeportationRead the Press Release
Rogelio Bernal-Pastrana, of Southampton, PA, was charged today by Indictment with illegal reentry after deportation, announced United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen. The indictment alleges that on or about March 10, 2017, Bernal-Pastrana, an alien, and native and citizen of Mexico, was found in the United States after having been deported from the United States on or about December 17, 2010 and November 17, 2016.
If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of two years.
The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ERO”), and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Zaleski.
An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.