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18 December 2017
Three Armed Bank Robberies Lead to Multiple Federal Indictments and ConvictionsRead the Press Release
Savannah, GA – Javel Roberts, 17, of Valdosta, Georgia, entered a guilty plea Thursday, December 14, 2017, before Senior U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore, Jr., for the armed robbery of the SunTrust Bank in Garden City, Georgia, on September 7, 2017, and for brandishing a firearm during the bank robbery. In addition to the SunTrust Bank robbery, Roberts was charged with the armed robberies of the Wells Fargo Bank at 10422 Abercorn Street in Savannah on July 25 and August 8, 2017. Although a juvenile under federal law, the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted Roberts as an adult. He faces up to life imprisonment.
Roberts’ guilty plea follows the guilty pleas of India Janette Henderson, 31, and Ira King, 39, of Savannah, both of whom pled guilty before Judge Moore on November 28, 2017, to aiding and abetting the SunTrust armed robbery, and both of whom face up to twenty-five years in prison. Jamal Henderson, 30, of Savannah, previously pled guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun and faces up to ten years in prison.
Oraefein Jabre King, 20, of Savannah, Georgia, was arrested in Birmingham, Alabama on December 12, 2017. King was charged in an eight-count indictment by a federal grand jury in Savannah with conspiring to rob the Wells Fargo Bank and SunTrust Bank, aiding and abetting the armed bank robberies committed on July 25, August 8, and September 7, 2017, aiding and abetting the carrying of a firearm during the bank robberies, and unlawfully transferring a handgun to a juvenile. If convicted, King faces not less than 57 years in prison and up to life imprisonment.
United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine said, “Our office will aggressively prosecute those who commit violent crimes in our neighborhoods and anyone who aids and abets them. Those who think they may avoid federal prosecution because of their youth, let this prosecution serve notice.”
“It very disconcerting that anyone would brandish a weapon during a bank robbery, let alone a 17-year old youth,” said David J. LeValley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The disregard for employees and customers is reprehensible. These arrests and prosecution of this case demonstrate the determination of the FBI Southeast Georgia Violent Crime Task Force and its local law enforcement partners to make our community a safer place.”
United States Attorney Christine emphasized that an indictment is only an accusation and is not evidence of guilty. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the Government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation into the three bank robberies was led by the FBI Southeast Georgia Violent Crime Task Force, along with assistance from Savannah-Chatham Police Department, and Garden City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Howard is prosecuting these cases for the United States. For any questions, please contact Appellate Chief R. Brian Tanner at (912) 652-4422.
Stratford Man Pleads Guilty to Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
John H. Durham. United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DARRYLL HARMON, 44, of Stratford, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to one count of bankruptcy fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, HARMON was in default on his HUD-insured mortgage, which was held by the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (“CHFA”). In January 2009, CHFA commenced foreclosure proceedings in Connecticut Superior Court. Between January 2009 and October 2013, HARMON filed seven petitions for bankruptcy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut, which caused the foreclosure proceedings to be automatically stayed until the bankruptcy proceedings were resolved. The bankruptcy court dismissed all but one of the bankruptcy petitions because HARMON failed to pay filing fees or to file required information. On July 25, 2014, the bankruptcy court dismissed HARMON’s seventh bankruptcy petition and issued an order barring HARMON from filing for bankruptcy for the two-year period from July 17, 2014 through July 17, 2016.
On July 1, 2016, HARMON filed another bankruptcy petition, this time in the name of another individual who lived in Texas. HARMON falsely listed his home as the other individual’s residence and forged that individual’s signature on the bankruptcy petition. The individual did not authorize the petition to be filed and did not have knowledge that it was being filed. The filing of the false bankruptcy petition caused another automatic stay of the foreclosure sale on HARMON’s home, thereby hindering and preventing CHFA from foreclosing on the HUD-insured mortgage and collecting the debts owed to it.
Bankruptcy fraud carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. A sentencing date has not been scheduled. HARMON is released on a $75,000 bond.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
Shreveport felon pleads guilty to possessing a handgunRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a Shreveport man who was previously convicted of two felonies pleaded guilty to possessing a loaded revolver.
Kevin Anthony Dison Jr., 21, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to the guilty plea, Shreveport Police officers stopped the vehicle Dison was driving on April 11, 2017. Police searched the vehicle and found a loaded Rossi revolver, model .38 caliber, which was located on the floorboard partially under the driver’s seat. The revolver could be seen by anyone driving the vehicle. Dison was previously convicted of felony theft in April 2015 in Caddo Parish and simple burglary in April 2016 in Bossier Parish.
Dison faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of March 23, 2018.
This investigation and prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a Department of Justice initiative to promote firearm safety and to reduce firearm crimes by preventing the possession and use of firearms by dangerous and persistent felons and others not authorized to possess a firearm.
The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford is prosecuting the case.
Shelby County Man Sentenced for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Robert Phelps, 49, of Jackson Center, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 36 months in prison for possessing child pornography.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and other members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force announced the sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice.
Phelps was one of three defendants convicted in the Southern District of Ohio as the result of a national FBI investigation, “Operation Pacifier,” which involved the takedown of a “dark web” site dedicated to child pornography. Using a court-approved Network Investigative Technique to pierce through the anonymity provided by the Tor network, agents uncovered IP addresses and other information that helped locate and identify users. Investigators sent more than 1,000 leads to FBI field offices in every state in the country and thousands more to oversees partners.
As a result of the investigation, at least 350 U.S.-based individuals have been arrested, 25 producers of child pornography have been prosecuted, 51 alleged hands-on abusers have been prosecuted and 55 American children who were subjected to sexual abuse have been successfully identified or rescued.
According to court documents in this case, when federal agents executed a search warrant in July at Phelps’s home, on just one computer they discovered more than 6,300 images and 590 videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. A separate hard drive contained an additional 255,000 images and 120 videos.
Phelps pleaded guilty in April to one count of possessing child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation by the FBI, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Amy M. Smith and Andrew J. Hunt, who are representing the United States in this case.
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Seminole Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Rodney Phillip Aird, age 50, of Seminole, Oklahoma pled guilty to Possession With Intent To Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), punishable by not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years imprisonment, and up to a $5,000,000.00 fine or both.
The Indictment alleged that on or about August 13, 2017, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, Rodney Phillip Aird, did knowingly and intentionally possess with the intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Seminole Nation Tribal Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. The defendant will remain in custody pending a sentencing hearing.
Assistant United States Attorney John David Luton represented the United States.
Romanian Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of A False PassportRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Alin Madalin Munteanu, 37, of Romania, pleaded guilty, before Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, to using a false passport. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who is handling the case, stated that on August 12, 2017, in the Town of Webster, NY, Munteanu was encountered by local police and asked for identification. The defendant provided a forged Hungarian passport that had been issued to someone else but had been altered to include Munteanu’s photograph.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, under the direction of Charles Brandeis, Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office; Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly, and the Webster Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph Rieger.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 23, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. before Chief Judge Geraci.
Resident of Webster, New York Pleads Guilty to Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John Farley announced today that Judith Morale (formerly known as Judith Remo), 54, currently a resident of Webster, New York, has pleaded guilty to health care fraud.
According to court documents, from 2006 to 2012, Morale owned and operated a business, Bedford Geriatric Physical Therapy, LLC, that provided physical therapy services to Medicare beneficiaries. Through the business, Morale provided routine foot care (e.g., toenail trimming, ingrown toenail repair and callus shaving) to patients in an assisted living facility in Bedford, New Hampshire. Knowing that the services were not covered by Medicare, Morale obtained payments totaling $41,127.89 by submitting claims for payment to Medicare that falsely described these routine services as wound care.
Morale is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Court Judge Joseph DiClerico on March 27, 2018.
“Fraud against federal health care programs such as Medicare is a very a serious crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “When health care providers fraudulently obtain money from the Medicare program, they will be held accountable for their actions. I commend the efforts of the law enforcement agents whose work led to this conviction.”
“By literally using the Medicare system as her own personal ATM, Ms. Morale violated the basic trust that taxpayers extend to healthcare providers.” said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Boston Division. “Fraudulently billing the government defrauds every American taxpayer, and the FBI is committed to finding those who abuse public health care programs to which we all contribute and depend on.”
“Every Medicare dollar is needed to provide necessary patient care, thus skimming off funds by providers will not be tolerated,” said Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “The message is clear. Those who steal from Medicare will have to pay the price.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Davis and Robert Kinsella.
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Queens Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 84 Months’ Imprisonment for Distributing “Batman” Branded HeroinRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Lamont Moran was sentenced by United States District Judge I. Leo Glasser to 84 months’ imprisonment to be followed by four years of supervised release, after his conviction for conspiring to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin. The defendant ran a heroin distribution operation near the Baisley Park Houses in South Jamaica, Queens from 2015 until his arrest in September 2016. Moran pled guilty to the charge in April 2017.
Bridget M. Rohde, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York), William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Division (FBI), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“The defendant Lamont Moran promoted and profited from the opioid epidemic in our District,” stated Acting United States Attorney Rohde. “Today he was held accountable. Together with our law enforcement partners, this Office will continue to investigate and prosecute those like the defendant who seek to line their own pockets by selling these dangerous drugs and harming our community.”
According to court filings, the defendant was affiliated with the violent street gang “Get it in Stacks” (also known as “GI$”), a subset of the nationwide Bloods gang operating near the Baisley Park Houses in South Jamaica, Queens. The defendant supervised street-level dealers near the Baisley Park Houses—including at least one GI$ member and several elderly heroin addicts—who distributed heroin and fentanyl labeled with brand names such as “Batman,” “Call of Duty” and “Sleepys.” The defendant also sold heroin and fentanyl directly to users. From March 2016 to August 2016, for example, the defendant made more than 15 drug sales to a confidential FBI source. On many of these occasions, the defendant sold the source fentanyl instead of heroin—without ever revealing this fact to the source.
The defendant acknowledged in post-arrest statements that he personally did not use heroin: “I don’t use this [expletive]. I don’t touch this [expletive]. . . . I don’t view it as drugs, I view it as money.” A search of the defendant’s phone revealed more evidence of gang affiliation, plus photographs of the defendant with wads of cash and multiple firearms.
Four other defendants have been charged with heroin distribution crimes in this case, and each has pleaded guilty. On August 8, 2017, co-defendant Michael Singletary was sentenced to a year and a day of imprisonment for a single incident of heroin distribution. On October 3, 2017, co-defendant David Young—one of the defendant’s street-level dealers—was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment. On October 27, 2017, co-defendant William Parker—a career offender and another one of the defendant’s street-level dealers—was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment. Co-defendant Dennis Pristell—a street-level dealer who worked for the defendant—is awaiting sentencing.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Jacobs is in charge of the prosecution.
Defendant Sentenced Today:
LAMONT MORAN
Age: 30
Residence: Queens, New YorkDefendants Previously Sentenced:
WILLIAM PARKER
Age: 53
Residence: Queens, New YorkMICHAEL SINGLETARY
Age: 43
Residence: Baldwin Harbor, New YorkDAVID YOUNG
Age: 66
Residence: Queens, New YorkDefendant Awaiting Sentencing:
DENNIS PRISTELL
Age: 57
Residence: Queens, New York
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-CR-506 (S-1) (ILG)
Porum Man Pleads Guilty to False StatementRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Darrell Lee McLemore, age 55, of Porum, Oklahoma pled guilty to False Statement, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 1383a(a)(2), punishable by not more than 5 years imprisonment, and up to a $250,000.00 fine or both.
The Indictment alleged that on or about February 1, 2017, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, Darrell Lee Mclemore, did knowingly make or caused to be made any false statement or representation of a material fact to the Social Security Administration used to determine the right for any payment. Specifically, Darrell Lee Mclemore participated in a redetermination conference wherein Darrell Lee Mclemore stated that Darrell Lee Mclemore had not worked since the date of Darrell Lee Mclemore’s last eligibility determination, when, in fact, Darrell Lee Mclemore knew that he had been gainfully employed during the period.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General.
The Honorable Steven P. Shreder, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Rob Wallace represented the United States.
Porter Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Firearm, AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Donald Jack Kilgore, age 67, of Porter, Oklahoma pled guilty to Felon In Possession Of Firearm And Ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, and up to a $250,000.00 fine or both.
The Indictment alleged that on or about June 6, 2017, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, Donald Jack Kilgore, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm and ammunition which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Broken Arrow Police Department, the Wagoner County Sherriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Steven P. Shreder, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. The defendant will remain in custody pending a sentencing hearing.
Assistant United States Attorney John David Luton represented the United States.
Political Consultant Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Spend Nearly $1 Million from Springfield Charity for Illegal Political Activity, KickbacksRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Philadelphia political consultant pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiring with a former Arkansas state legislator and several executives of a Springfield, Mo., charity to spend nearly $1 million on illegal political activity and on kickbacks to conspirators.
Donald Andrew Jones, also known as “D.A.” Jones, 62, of Willingboro, N.J., waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to a federal information that charges him with participating in a conspiracy from April 2011 to January 2017 to steal from an organization that receives federal funds.
Jones’s firm, D.A. Jones & Associates, based in Philadelphia, Penn., provides political and advocacy services, including consulting, analysis, and public relations. By pleading guilty today, Jones admitted that he was paid approximately $973,807 by Preferred Family Healthcare, Inc., a non-profit charity in Springfield, for illegal lobbying and political activity on behalf of the charity. Two co-conspirators received a total of $264,000 in kickbacks from Jones. (Preferred Family Healthcare resulted from the May 1, 2015, merger between Alternative Opportunities of Springfield, Mo., and Preferred Family Healthcare of Kirksville, Mo.)
Court documents cite, but do not identify by name, five individual co-conspirators who are not charged in the fraud scheme. Person #1, Person #2 and Person #3 – all residents of Springfield – were executives at the charity. Person #4, a resident of Rogers, Ark., served as an executive for company operations in the state of Arkansas. Person #4 also operated two lobbying firms. Person #7, a resident of Melbourne, Ark., was an Arkansas lobbyist and former state legislator. Person #7 also was a board member and employee of the charity.
Preferred Family Healthcare and its subsidiaries provide a variety of services to individuals, including mental and behavioral health treatment and counseling, substance abuse treatment and counseling, employment assistance, aid to individuals with developmental disabilities, and medical services. The charity received Medicaid reimbursements from the states of Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma from 2011 to 2016, of which the federal portion totaled more than $255 million. The charity also received more than $53 million from the federal government (the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs, and Justice) under programs involving grants, contracts, loans, guarantees, insurance and other forms of federal assistance from July 1, 2010, to June 30, 2016.
According to today’s plea agreement, conspirators engaged in multiple schemes to unlawfully use the charity’s funds to make political contributions and for excessive and unreported lobbying and political advocacy. In order to provide a veneer of legitimacy for the kickbacks paid to themselves and others, and to disguise the nature and source of the payments, conspirators caused the payments to be described in the records as business expenses, such as “consulting” and “training” services, and executed sham “consulting agreements.”
Conspirators caused the charity to engage in political outreach that violated both law and public policy. For example, they employed lobbyists and advocates (including Jones) to influence elected and appointed public officials. Also, the conspirators caused personal contributions to elected officials and their political campaigns to be reimbursed by the charity. Such indirect contributions are prohibited by law just as if the payments had been made by the charity directly.
Jones admitted that he worked from 2011 through January 2017 to provide advocacy services, including direct contact with legislators and government officials, in order to influence elected and appointed public officials regarding legislative issues that impacted the charity. Jones also solicited the assistance of elected and appointed officials in steering grants and other sources of funding to the charity.
The charity paid Jones a total of $973,807, with some payments routed through different business entities or lobbying firms. Although his services were falsely described as “consulting” services and the payments made to Jones as payments pursuant to a “consulting agreement,” they actually were payments for Jones’s advocacy services, including direct contact with elected and appointed public officials.
Jones admitted that he paid $219,000 in kickbacks to Person #4 and that he made two payments totaling $45,000 to Person #7. Both Person #4 and Person #7 worked for the charity.
By pleading guilty today, Jones acknowledged he willfully blinded himself to (in other words, deliberately avoided learning or recognizing) the following facts, which should have been obvious to him: • Person #1, Person #2, Person #3 and Person #4 made some payments to him indirectly in order to conceal on the charity’s books and records the full amount he was paid; • Person #1, Person #2, and Person #3 caused the charity to pay him as a “consultant” in order to conceal the nature of his services for the charity, which were advocacy and lobbying; and
• Jones’s compensation for work done on behalf of Entity E – a separate for-profit company owned in part by Person #1 and Person #2 – should have been paid by Entity E, and not the charity.In a separate and unrelated case, Jones pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on Friday, Dec. 8, 2017, to lying to the FBI. Jones admitted to making a false statement to the FBI arising from his participation in a scheme involving unlawful contributions to a political candidate’s campaign.
Under federal statutes, Jones is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Mohlhenrich and Trial Attorney Sean F. Mulryne of the Department of Justice Public Integrity Section. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the FBI and the Offices of the Inspectors General from the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs, and the FDIC.
Pawtucket Resident Sentenced for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Pawtucket resident who admitted to selling substantial quantities of methamphetamine has been sentenced to 5 years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch; Warwick Police Chief Colonel Stephen M. McCartney; Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves; and Mickey Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Christopher Bergeron, 46, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence on September 22, 2017, to possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. He was arrested on May 4, 2017, after Warwick Police seized 15 grams of methamphetamine from Bergeron’s vehicle and Pawtucket Police seized 121 grams of methamphetamine during a court authorized search of his residence.
Bergeron’s drug trafficking activities came to the attention of law enforcement during an unrelated investigation into the methamphetamine trafficking activities of Jon Cascella, 49, of Warwick. A federal court jury recently convicted Cascella on four counts of distribution of methamphetamine, two counts of distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, and one count each of possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of a firearm arm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Cascella is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith on March 2, 2018.
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith also ordered Christopher Bergeron to serve 4 years supervised release upon completion of his term of incarceration. The statutorily required minimum sentence of 5 years imposed by the Court is greater than the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines imprisonment range in this matter of 41-51 months. The government recommended the Court impose a sentence of 60 months of incarceration.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Zechariah Chafee.
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Owners of Oklahoma City Diabetic Supply Company Charged with Medicaid FraudRead the Press Release
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – A federal grand jury has charged EUNJA VASQUEZ, 55, and LAWRENCE VASQUEZ, 61, of Edmond, Oklahoma, with Medicaid fraud, announced Mark A. Yancey, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Mike Hunter, Oklahoma Attorney General.
According to the 115-count indictment, the Vasquezes used their own Oklahoma City company, Mercy Diabetic Supply, Inc., to defraud the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. Mercy Diabetic Supply is not affiliated with Mercy Health System. The indictment alleges that the Vasquezes submitted Medicaid claims for insulin pump supplies in the names of 29 Medicaid beneficiaries who did not, in fact, use insulin pumps in the treatment of their diabetes and whose physicians had not prescribed the use of insulin pumps for them. According to the indictment, some had not been diagnosed with diabetes. It is further alleged that Eunja Vasquez falsified medical forms and forged physician signatures as part of the scheme.
Attorney General Hunter’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case and brought the charges to the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma. The Attorney General said his office is dedicated to working with federal prosecutors to pursue individuals and companies committing fraud in the state.
"I commend the attorneys and investigators in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, who worked tirelessly on this case," Attorney General Hunter said. "Our office remains committed to fighting fraud, waste, and abuse of the state’s Medicaid program that helps vulnerable Oklahomans. I appreciate U.S. Attorney Mark Yancey and his team for taking this case."
U.S. Attorney Yancey said his office will continue its partnership with state agencies and state law enforcement to prevent fraud and corruption.
If convicted, the Vasquezes could each be imprisoned for a maximum of ten years on each count, to be followed by three years of supervised release. They could also be fined up to $250,000 on each count and would be subject to mandatory restitution.
The public is reminded these charges are merely accusations and that the Vasquezes are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt by a unanimous jury.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Maxfield Green and Assistant Oklahoma Attorney General Lory Dewey, who is also a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, are prosecuting the case. Reference is made to court filings for further information.
Orlando Woman Convicted of Tax Refund Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces that a federal jury found Jeanine Jeanty guilty of one count of conspiracy to steal tax refunds, five counts of theft of tax refunds, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. She faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy charge, up to 10 years’ imprisonment on each of the theft charges, and a mandatory minimum of two years in federal prison for the aggravated identity theft charges. The sentencing hearing will take place on March 16, 2018.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Jeanty conspired with others to steal federal tax refunds by filing false tax returns using stolen personal identifying information. She also purchased fraudulently-obtained tax refund checks from others for half of the face value of the checks. In less than two years, Jeanty and her co-conspirators stole more than $2.7 million in tax refunds from the Department of the Treasury.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karen L. Gable.
Newington Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Role in Drug RingRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TREVON TERRY, also known as “B.J.,” 39, of Newington, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello in Hartford to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by three years supervised release, for his role in a cocaine and crack cocaine distribution ring.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from joint law enforcement investigation headed by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and the Hartford Police Department that targeted a drug trafficking organization operating in Hartford’s North End that was distributing crack and powder cocaine. The investigation revealed that David Gil-Grande, of Manchester, received shipments of cocaine, secreted in sealed coffee cans, from Puerto Rico. He then supplied the cocaine to TERRY, Anthony Shelton, also known as “Pretty,” and Gerard Brown, also known as “Goldie,” who converted much of the cocaine into crack and distributed both forms of the drug in the area of Barbour Street in Hartford.
Twenty individuals were charged and convicted as a result of the investigation.
TERRY has been detained since his arrest on January 21, 2016. On that date, investigators seized $19,487 in cash from a safe in his Newington residence.
On August 31, 2017, TERRY pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
TERRY’s criminal history includes several state drug convictions, including a 2008 conviction for sale of narcotics for which he was sentenced to 11 years of incarceration, suspended after four years, and five years of probation. He was on probation for that narcotics offense while he was engaged in the criminal conduct that led to this federal conviction.
Gil-Grande, Shelton and Brown have pleaded guilty to related charges. On January 31, 2017, Gil-Grande was sentenced to 70 months of imprisonment. Shelton and Brown await sentencing.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. The Hartford Police Department’s Vice and Narcotics Division and the Drug Enforcement Administration have provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
New Haven Heroin Dealer Sentenced to 3 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ISMAEL RUIZ, also known as “Papo,” 51, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer in New Haven to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a heroin trafficking ring.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the DEA’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad targeted a New Haven-based heroin trafficking organization. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of narcotics and physical and video surveillance, revealed that members of the organization regularly purchased bulk quantities of heroin from suppliers located in the Bronx, New York, and sold the heroin through a network of redistributors, including RUIZ, on the streets of New Haven.
The investigation has resulted in federal charges against 24 individuals.
RUIZ was arrested on March 15, 2017. On August 10, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, heroin.
The DEA’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad includes officers from the Bristol, Hamden, Milford, Monroe, New Haven, Shelton, Wallingford and Wilton Police Departments.
The New Haven, East Haven and West Haven Police Departments, together with the U.S. Coast Guard, provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth and Patrick F. Caruso.
Mexican Citizen Sentenced for Illegal Re-entry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Avelarto Lopez Garcia, age 22, and a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today to time served (29 days in jail) for illegally re-entering the United States.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Thomas E. Feeley, Director of the Buffalo Field Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
As part of his guilty plea, Lopez Garcia admitted that he is a citizen of Mexico, and that he illegally returned to the United States after he was removed to Mexico on December 12, 2015. Lopez-Garcia had previously been removed from the United States back to Mexico on December 15, 2012, October 27, 2015, October 30, 2015, and December 9, 2015.
On November 16, 2017, ICE officers arrested Lopez Garcia in Latham, New York.
Following the sentencing, Lopez Garcia was remanded to the custody of the Department of Homeland Security, for removal proceedings.
The case was investigated by ICE-ERO and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward P. Grogan.
Member of Cowboys Gang in South Carolina Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for RICO ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The last indicted member of the Cowboys gang, a violent street gang that originated in “Eastside” area of Walterboro, South Carolina, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison in federal court in Charleston, South Carolina.
Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge C.J. Hyman of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Charlotte, North Carolina Field Division; Solicitor Duffie Stone of the 14th Judicial Circuit; Solicitor David Pascoe of the First Circuit; Sheriff R.A. Strickland of the Colleton County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office; Chief Wade Marvin of the Walterboro, South Carolina Police Department; Sheriff Al Cannon Jr. of the Charleston County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office; Sheriff L. C. Knight of the Dorchester County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office; Chief Jon Rogers of the Summerville, South Carolina Police Department; Director Jerry Adger of the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services; and Chief Mark Keel of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division made the announcement.
Dashawn Trevell Brown, aka TOB and Shawny, 24, of Walterboro, South Carolina, was sentenced to 240 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge David C. Norton. Judge Norton sentenced Brown to three years of supervised release following his prison sentence, and restitution for victims injured as a result of his criminal activity.
According to the plea agreement, Brown was a member of the Cowboys gang, a violent street gang that originated in the “Eastside” area of Walterboro, South Carolina. Members of the Cowboys show their allegiance by wearing red, white, and blue clothing, and carrying rags in these colors, including depictions of the American flag. Further, members of the Cowboys greet each other and show their membership in the gang using a set of hand-signs intended to evoke the shape of a “b.” This hand sign also shows an affiliation with the “Bloods” gang. Members of the Cowboys also show allegiance to the gang by having the words “Cowboy(s)” or “GMC” tattooed to some part of their body. The Cowboys gang was also, for a time, aligned with another violent street gang called the “Wildboys,” that originated out of the Green Pond area of Walterboro. In addition to sharing a common interest in posting threats, firearms, large amounts of cash, and what purported to be narcotics on Facebook and YouTube, Cowboys and Wildboys shared common enemies. These shared interests resulted in shootings, aimed at rival gang members, which left innocent by-standers seriously injured.
Brown was sentenced for his role in four shootings committed on behalf of his membership as a Cowboys. On May 12, 2011, after an encounter with an individual believed to be a member of a rival gang, Brown fired shots at the victim. The shooting occurred because of an on-going dispute between the Cowboys and the rival gang. Brown was identified by witnesses to the shooting. As a result of this, a retaliatory shooting occurred on May 14, 2011, during which, another innocent bystsander was shot and seriously injured. Brown was also identified as having fired shots during this incident.
Second, Brown was sentenced for his role in a June 30, 2013 shooting in the Druid Hills areas of Walterboro. Brown, who was in a vehicle occupied by two other members of the Cowboys, participated in a drive-by shooting of individuals believed to be members of a rival gang. Brown, who fired shots resulting in injuries to the victim’s arm, days later encountered the victim and told him, “I should have killed you.”
Third, Brown was sentenced for his role in the July 14, 2013 shooting at the Starlite Lounge in St. George. Brown, and other members of the Cowboys, attended a party at the lounge while dressed in Cowboys colors, including displays of red, white, and blue bandanas. While members of the Cowboys were on stage, members of the Cowboys exchanged words with a patron. After they believed they were disrespected by the patron, members of the Cowboys left the club and waited outside. As individuals began to leave the club, Brown and at least four other members of the Cowboys fired guns toward those coming out of the club. As a result of the shooting, at least three victims were shot and injured.
Lastly, Brown was sentenced for his role in a Nov. 6, 2015 attempted murder. Brown, along with co-defendants Khiry Broughton and Quintin Fishburne, attended a drag race outside of Walterboro. After bets were placed, Broughton questioned the results of the race and demanded the winnings, which were held by one of the race drivers. Broughton decided to rob the winner of the race and in so doing retrieved a backpack containing firearms from Fishburne’s vehicle. Broughton provided the firearms to Brown and other members of the Cowboys. After the winner refused to provide the money, the winner and another innocent bystander were shot and severely injured. After the shooting occurred, Fishburne, who transported Brown and Broughton, drove Brown and Broughton from the scene to avoid apprehension by the police.
Khiry Broughton, Clyde Naquan Hampton, Matthew Rashuan Jones, William Lamont Cox, Bryant Jameek Davis, Zaquann Ernest Hampton, Christopher Sean Brown, and Quintin Fishburne were all sentenced in November for their roles in criminal activity related to the Cowboys.
In August, Attorney General Jeff Sessions delivered remarks to the 2017 Gangs Across the Carolinas Training Symposium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Since the beginning of this year, the Department of Justice has secured more than 1,260 convictions against gang members.
The case was investigated by the ATF Charleston, in partnership with the Walterboro Police Department; Colleton County Sheriff’s Office; Charleston County Sheriff’s Office; Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office; Summerville Police Department; Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office; First Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office; South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services; and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Leshia Lee-Dixon of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tameaka A. Legette from the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office, Bluffton, South Carolina.
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Man Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Assault While Armed for Shooting His Neighbor in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Steven Talmadge Jones, 65, of Washington, D.C., has pled guilty to a felony charge stemming from the shooting of his neighbor, which occurred in October 2017 on their block in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
Jones pled guilty on Dec. 15, 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of aggravated assault while armed. The Honorable Danya A. Dayson scheduled sentencing for April 20, 2018. The charge carries a mandatory minimum term in prison of five years and a potential maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
According to the government’s evidence, Jones and the victim are neighbors and have known each other for several years. The two men had prior arguments related to the Homeowner Association rules for their gated community.
On Friday, Oct. 20, 2017, at approximately 2:20 p.m., the victim was waxing his car in the driveway outside his home in the 2200 block of Retta Gilliam Court SE. Jones was at his own home on the same street. Jones opened a window and shot the victim once in the chest. The victim fell to the ground bleeding. After the shooting, Jones took his dog, got into his car, and drove away. He was arrested on Nov. 1, 2017, and has been in custody ever since.
The gunshot entered the victim’s back, exited his chest, and pierced his heart. As a result of the shooting, the victim sustained serious bodily injuries that required surgery and hospitalization, including at least nine days intubated in an intensive care unit. He is in ongoing rehabilitation and treatment.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Fogle, Intelligence Analyst Zachary McMenamin, and Criminal Investigator John Marsh. Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha Smalky, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Man Caught with over 31,000 Marijuana Seeds Admits to Conspiring to Cultivate Marijuana in Giant Sequoia National MonumentRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Rosario Beltran-Leal (Beltran), 43, of Sinaloa, Mexico, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to manufacture or cultivate, distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana in the Giant Sequoia National Monument in Tulare County, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Beltran was found last spring bringing over 31,000 marijuana seeds to a cultivation site in a remote area closed to the public in the Giant Sequoia National Monument. He was also in possession of a large quantity of food and cultivation supplies, including 100 hose connectors. In pleading guilty, Beltran acknowledged that he had delivered food supplies to marijuana growers in the same area in 2016. The irrigation system from the previous year was intact. Native vegetation and trees had also been trimmed to make room for the marijuana plants and water had been diverted from a tributary of Mill Creek.
Beltran is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill on March 12, 2017. Beltran faces a maximum prison term of 20 years and a fine of up to $1 million. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Tulare County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
MS-13 Member Admits Responsibility for Murder of 15-Year Old BoyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An MS-13 member pleaded guilty on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017, in federal court in Boston to racketeering conspiracy involving the murder of a 15-year-old boy in East Boston.
Joel Martinez, a/k/a “Animal,” 23, a Salvadoran national formerly residing in East Boston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for March 22, 2018.
Martinez was identified as a member of MS-13’s Eastside Loco Salvatrucha (ESLS) clique, which operated in Chelsea, Everett, and elsewhere in greater Boston. Martinez admitted that on Sept. 20, 2015, he murdered a 15-year-old boy on Trenton Street in East Boston.
In recorded conversations between Martinez and a cooperating witness, Martinez acknowledged being a member of MS-13 and admitted that he stabbed the victim to death. Specifically, Martinez said, “I stabbed the asshole three times, and it was a beautiful thing! Just beautiful!” As a result of the murder, Martinez was “jumped in” and made a “homeboy,” or full member of MS-13, during a ceremony that was surreptitiously recorded by federal agents. When a prospective member is “jumped in,” members of the MS-13 clique beat the new member with their hands and feet while one of the leaders of the clique counts aloud slowly to thirteen.
After a three-year investigation, Martinez was one of 61 individuals named in a superseding indictment targeting the criminal activities of alleged leaders, members, and associates of MS-13 in Massachusetts. Martinez is the 27th defendant to plead guilty in this case.
Martinez faces up to life in prison, five years of supervised release, and will be subject to deportation upon the completion of his sentence. 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; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Commissioner Thomas Turco of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Thompkins; Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley; Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett; Boston Police Commissioner William Evans; Chelsea Police Chief Brian A. Kyes; Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie; Lynn Police Chief Michael Mageary; Revere Police Chief James Guido; Somerville Police Chief David Fallon; and Herndon (VA) Police Chief Maggie A. DeBoard made the announcement.
Lebanon Sex Offender Sentenced to 21 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a registered sex offender in Lebanon, Mo., was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet.
Kavin Dywayne Finley, 45, of Lebanon, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Finley to supervised release for the rest of his life following incarceration.
Finley, who pleaded guilty on April 27, 2017, is registered with the Missouri Sex Offender Registry due to his 1999 convictions in Arizona for molesting a 12-year-old child multiple times.
According to court documents, Finley was actively engaged in trading child pornography with other individuals on the Internet. The investigation began on April 16, 2015, when a Missouri State Technical Assistant Team investigator received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which reported child pornography in Finley’s Google Gmail account. Finley’s e-mail had multiple images of child pornography that he was sending to another user, and he remarked that he had more images and videos he could send.
On May 12, 2015, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Finley’s residence and seized a laptop computer, which contained multiple videos of child pornography, and Finley was arrested. Investigators also found child pornography on Finley’s cell phone.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Armored Vehicle and Gun Store RobberiesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man who pleaded guilty to robbing an armored vehicle and stealing 18 firearms, including a silencer, from a gun store, was sentenced today to 63 months in prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada.
Anthony Jovan Greene, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan. He pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of theft from a Federal Firearms Licensee.
According to the plea agreement, Greene admitted that on Oct. 5, 2012, both he and at least one other co-conspirator used baseball bats to rob approximately $210,889 from a Garda Cash Logistics armored truck at the Las Vegas Outlet Mall in downtown Las Vegas. Greene further admitted that on Sept. 8, 2016, he stole a total of 18 handguns, rifles, and a silencer from 2nd Amendment Gun shop at 4570 N. Rancho Drive in Las Vegas.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip N. Smith Jr. prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide commitment by the Department of Justice to reduce gun and gang crime in America by networking local programs that target gun and gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv.
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Konawa Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joe William Cooper, age 59, of Konawa, Oklahoma pled guilty to Felon In Possession Of Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, and up to a $250,000.00 fine or both.
The Indictment alleged that on or about May 29, 2017, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, Joe William Cooper, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. The defendant will remain in custody pending a sentencing hearing.
Assistant United States Attorney Dean Burris represented the United States.
Justice Department Settles U.S. Worker Discrimination Claims Against Colorado Agricultural CompanyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement agreement with Crop Production Services Inc. (Crop Production), an agricultural company headquartered in Loveland, Colorado. The settlement resolves a lawsuit the Justice Department filed against the company on Sept. 28, 2017, alleging that the company discriminated against U.S. citizens because of a preference for foreign visa workers, in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
The Department’s lawsuit alleged that in 2016, Crop Production discriminated against at least three United States citizens by refusing to employ them as seasonal technicians at its El Campo, Texas location because the company preferred to employ temporary foreign workers under the H-2A visa program. According to the Department’s complaint, Crop Production imposed more burdensome requirements on U.S. citizens than it did on H-2A visa workers to discourage U.S. citizens from working at the facility. For instance, the complaint alleges that although U.S. citizens had to complete a background check and a drug test before being permitted to start work, H-2A visa workers were allowed to begin working without completing them and, in some cases, never completed them. The complaint also alleged that Crop Production refused to consider a limited-English proficient U.S. citizen for employment yet hired H-2A visa workers with limited-English proficiency. Ultimately, all of Crop Production’s 15 available seasonal technician jobs in 2016 went to H-2A visa workers instead of U.S. workers.
Under the INA, it is unlawful for employers to intentionally discriminate against U.S. workers because of their citizenship status or to otherwise favor the employment of temporary foreign visa workers over available, qualified U.S. workers. In addition, the H-2A visa program allows employers to hire foreign visa workers only if there is not a sufficient number of qualified and available U.S. workers to fill the jobs.
The settlement agreement requires Crop Production to pay civil penalties of $10,500.00 to the United States, undergo department-provided training on the anti-discrimination provision of the INA, and comply with departmental monitoring and reporting requirements. In a separate agreement with workers represented by Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Crop Production agreed to pay $18,738.75 in lost wages to affected U.S. workers.
“There will be zero tolerance for companies that violate the Immigration and Nationality Act by hiring foreign visa holders over U.S. workers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division. “The Division’s Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative is committed to fighting discriminatory hiring practices that prevent qualified U.S. workers from obtaining jobs, and we commend Texas RioGrande Legal Aid for bringing this matter to our attention.”
The settlement is part of the Division’s Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative, an initiative aimed at targeting, investigating, and bringing enforcement actions against companies that discriminate against U.S. workers in favor of foreign visa workers.
The Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER), formerly known as the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices, is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits, among other things, citizenship status and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation; and intimidation.
For more information about protections against employment discrimination under immigration laws, call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a free webinar; email [email protected]; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites.
Applicants or employees who believe they were subjected to: different documentary requirements based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin; or discrimination based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral, should contact IER’s worker hotline for assistance.
Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Parker-HannifinRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a settlement with Parker-Hannifin Corporation. The settlement requires Parker-Hannifin to divest the Facet filtration business, including the aviation fuel filtration assets that it acquired from CLARCOR Inc. on Feb. 28, 2017.
The Department’s Antitrust Division filed suit on Sept. 26, 2017, because the acquisition eliminated competition in the development, manufacture, and sale of qualified filtration products necessary for the proper filtration of aviation fuel used in commercial and military aircraft. It has now filed a proposed settlement in U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware that, if approved by the court, would resolve the lawsuit, restore competition in the markets for aviation fuel filtration systems and elements, and address the Department’s competitive concerns.
“This agreement to fully divest the Facet filtration business restores the competition in the aviation fuel filtration markets that the underlying merger eliminated,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “Once the divestiture is completed, the acquirer will be in the same competitive position that CLARCOR enjoyed before the transaction, and the Facet brand of aviation fuel filtration products will be able to once again compete in the free market with Parker-Hannifin. This divestiture avoids the difficulties of a regulatory behavioral decree, relying instead on competition in the free market to protect American consumers and our military.”
Parker-Hannifin and the Antitrust Division agreed to the divestiture as well as provisions designed to promote compliance and make the enforcement of this consent decree as effective as possible on behalf of consumers and the military.
Prior to its delivery into commercial or military aircraft, aviation fuel must be properly filtered at multiple stages to ensure the removal of water droplets and particulate contaminants. Failure to filter aviation fuel properly creates unacceptable safety risks and can result in potentially catastrophic consequences. To address these safety concerns, aviation fuel filtration systems and elements are subject to specific industry standards, mandated by the U.S. airline industry. Only those aviation fuel filtration products qualified by the Energy Institute (EI) may be used to filter aviation fuel for use in U.S. commercial and military planes.
Prior to the acquisition, Parker-Hannifin and CLARCOR were the only two manufacturers of EI-qualified aviation fuel filtration systems and elements in the United States and were engaged in vigorous head-to-head competition, which was eliminated following the transaction. On Sept. 26, 2017, the Department filed an antitrust lawsuit against Parker-Hannifin and its subsidiary, CLARCOR, alleging that Parker-Hannifin’s $4.3 billion acquisition of CLARCOR created an effective monopoly in the markets for EI-qualified aviation fuel filtration systems and elements sold to U.S. customers. The Department alleged in its complaint that Parker-Hannifin’s acquisition of CLARCOR’s aviation fuel filtration assets would result in increased prices, decreased services and product innovation, and slower delivery of these critical safety products. Shortly after the filing of its complaint, the Division reached an agreement with Parker-Hannifin to preserve and maintain the aviation fuel filtration assets of both Parker-Hannifin and CLARCOR during the pendency of the action.
Parker-Hannifin Corporation is an Ohio corporation headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. It is a diversified manufacturer of filtration systems, and motion and control technologies for the mobile, industrial and aerospace markets with operations worldwide. In 2017, Parker-Hannifin’s sales revenues were approximately $12 billion. Parker-Hannifin sells its aviation fuel filtration products under the Velcon brand.
CLARCOR Inc. was a Delaware corporation headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee. CLARCOR was a leading provider of filtration systems for diversified industrial markets with net sales of approximately $1.6 billion in 2016. CLARCOR manufactured and sold aviation fuel filtration products under the Facet brand.
The proposed settlement, along with the Department’s competitive impact statement will be published in the Federal Register, as required by the Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act. Any person may submit written comments regarding the proposed final judgment within 60 days of its publication to Maribeth Petrizzi, Chief, Defense, Industrials, and Aerospace Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 5th Street, N.W., Suite 8700, Washington, D.C. 20530. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the court may enter the Final Judgment upon a finding that it serves the public interest.
Justice Department Files Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Owners and Manager of Kansas Rental PropertiesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit alleging that female tenants in residential rental properties in Wichita, Kansas, were subjected to egregious sexual harassment and retaliation in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act. The department’s complaint names four individuals as defendants: Thong Cao, who manages the rental properties and does business as Cao Properties and Rentals; Mai Cao; Van Le; and Tong Nguyen. Each of the defendants owns or previously owned one or more of the properties where the illegal conduct occurred.
Today’s lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, arose from two complaints that former tenants filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The lawsuit alleges that Thong Cao sexually harassed female residents at the rental properties from at least 2010 to 2014. According to the complaint, Thong Cao engaged in harassment that included, among other things, making unwelcome sexual advances and comments, engaging in unwanted sexual touching, and evicting tenants who refused to engage in sexual conduct with him.
“No woman should have to endure sexual harassment in order to remain in her home,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Sexual harassment in housing is unacceptable and illegal, and landlords should be on notice that the Justice Department will continue to vigorously enforce the Fair Housing Act to combat this type of discrimination and to obtain relief for its victims.”
“Property owners and managers who use their position to seek sexual favors are not only violating a woman’s housing rights, they are creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation,” said Anna María Farías, HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “HUD will continue to work with the Justice Department to take action to ensure that individuals that provide housing meet their obligation to comply with federal fair housing laws.”
In October, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced the Sex Harassment Initiative (SHI). The initiative specifically seeks to increase the Department’s efforts to protect individuals from harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, security guards, and other employees and representatives of rental property owners.
The Justice Department has filed or settled six sexual harassment cases since January 20, 2017, and has recovered over $1 million for victims of sexual harassment in housing.
Today’s lawsuit seeks monetary damages to compensate the victims, civil penalties and a court order barring future discrimination. The complaint contains allegations of unlawful conduct. The allegations must be proven in federal court.
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability and familial status. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt. Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of sexual harassment or other types of housing discrimination at rental dwellings owned or operated by Thong Cao, or who have other information that may be relevant to this case, can contact the Housing Discrimination Tip Line:
- English language: Call 1-800-896-7743, then press 1 to continue in English and select mailbox 994 to leave a message; or
- Spanish language: Call 1-800-896-7743, then press 2 to continue in Spanish and select mailbox 3 to leave a message.
Individuals can also report sexual harassment and other forms of housing discrimination by e-mailing the Justice Department at [email protected].
Jury Convicts Former Police Officer of Attempting to Support ISISRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a former police officer today of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and obstruction of justice.
“Nicholas Young swore an oath to protect and defend, and instead violated the public’s trust by attempting to support ISIS,” said Dana J. Boente, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s National Security Division and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “I want to thank the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Metro Transit Police, and the trial team for their tireless work and dedication to this case.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Nicholas Young, 38, of Fairfax, was formerly employed as a police officer with the Metro Transit Police Department. In late July 2016, Young attempted to provide material support and resources to ISIS by purchasing and sending gift card codes that he believed would allow ISIS recruiters to securely communicate with potential ISIS recruits.
Between Dec. 3, 2015, and Dec. 5, 2015, Young attempted to obstruct and impede an official proceeding. In specific, Young believed an associate of his, who was actually an FBI confidential human source (CHS), had successfully joined ISIS in late 2014. During an FBI interview, Young was told the FBI was investigating the attempt of his associate (the CHS) to join ISIS. Nevertheless, in an attempt to thwart the prosecution of the CHS and himself, Young attempted to deceive investigators as to the destination and purpose of the CHS’s travel.
Additionally, in November 2014, Young attempted to obstruct, influence, and impede an official proceeding of the Grand Jury by sending a text message to the CHS’ cell phone in order to make it falsely appear to the FBI that the CHS had left the United States to go on vacation in Turkey. In actuality, Young believed the CHS had gone to Turkey and then to Syria in order to join and fight for ISIS.
Young faces a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison when sentenced on Feb. 23, 2018. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dana J. Boente, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division and 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 after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the verdict. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gordon D. Kromberg and John T. Gibbs, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Turgeon, and Trial Attorney David P. Cora of the National Security Division.
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. 1:16-cr-265.
Jury Convicts Former Police Officer of Attempting to Support ISISRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a former police officer today of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and obstruction of justice.
“Nicholas Young swore an oath to protect and defend, and instead violated the public’s trust by attempting to support ISIS,” said Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “I want to thank the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Metro Transit Police, and the trial team for their tireless work and dedication to this case.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Nicholas Young, 38, of Fairfax, was formerly employed as a police officer with the Metro Transit Police Department. In late July 2016, Young attempted to provide material support and resources to ISIS by purchasing and sending gift card codes that he believed would allow ISIS recruiters to securely communicate with potential ISIS recruits.
“This case is another example of the complex nature of the terrorism threat we face and the danger it poses to our communities here at home,” said Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office. “The FBI's highest priority is protecting the American people by countering the threat posed by terrorism. The dedicated professionals assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force work to thwart the threat of terrorism every day. I would like to thank all of our partner agencies for their dedication and hard work particularly the Metro Transit Police Department.”
Between Dec. 3, 2015, and Dec. 5, 2015, Young attempted to obstruct and impede an official proceeding. In specific, Young believed an associate of his, who was actually an FBI confidential human source (CHS), had successfully joined ISIS in late 2014. During an FBI interview, Young was told the FBI was investigating the attempt of his associate (the CHS) to join ISIS. Nevertheless, in an attempt to thwart the prosecution of the CHS and himself, Young attempted to deceive investigators as to the destination and purpose of the CHS’s travel.
Additionally, in November 2014, Young attempted to obstruct, influence, and impede an official proceeding of the Grand Jury by sending a text message to the CHS’ cell phone in order to make it falsely appear to the FBI that the CHS had left the United States to go on vacation in Turkey. In actuality, Young believed the CHS had gone to Turkey and then to Syria in order to join and fight for ISIS.
Young faces a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison when sentenced on Feb. 23, 2018. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dana J. Boente, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division and 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 after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the verdict. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gordon D. Kromberg and John T. Gibbs, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Turgeon, and Trial Attorney David P. Cora of the National Security Division.
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. 1:16-cr-265.
Iraqi Refugee Sentenced for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISILRead the Press Release
Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, the 25-year-old refugee who was born in Iraq and resided in Houston, has been ordered to federal prison for 16 years following his conviction of attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. He pleaded guilty Oct. 17, 2016.
Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana Boente, Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of the FBI’s Houston Division and Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Houston made the announcement.
“Any person who provides material support to a foreign terrorist organization will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Martinez. “Al Hardan’s actions were treacherous and completely antithetical to the freedoms we as U.S. citizens value. The sentence imposed today reflects the Department of Justice’s resolve to seek out and punish all violators who would give aid and comfort to international terrorists.”
Today, U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes, who accepted the guilty plea, handed Al Hardan a 192-month sentence. He will also be on supervised release for the rest of his life.
At the time of his plea, Al Hardan had admitted he attempted to provide material support – specifically himself – to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Al Hardan entered the United States as a refugee on or about Nov. 2, 2009. Prior to entering the country, Al Hardan was in at least two refugee camps in Jordan and Iraq. After being admitted into the U.S. as an Iraqi refugee, he was granted legal permanent residence status on or about Aug. 22, 2011, and had resided in Houston.
In 2013, federal agents began investigating Al Hardan who had been communicating with a California man whom he understood was associated with the Al-Nusrah Front. In those communications, the individual had told Al Hardan that he had previously traveled to Syria to fight for Al-Nusrah and discussed plans to return to Syria with Al Hardan to fight for Al-Nusrah.
Beginning in June 2014 and continuing through 2015, Al Hardan also developed a relationship with a Confidential Human Source (CHS). During that time, they discussed traveling overseas to support ISIL in fighting jihad and various ways to assist ISIL. Al Hardan also said he wanted to be trained in building remote transmitter/receiver detonators for improvised explosive devices, wanted to learn to use cell phones as the remote detonators and wanted to build remote detonators for ISIL. Al Hardan indicated he taught himself how to make remote detonators by accessing online training videos and other resources he found online and showed the CHS a circuit board he built to be used as a transmitter for a detonator.
On Nov. 5, 2014, Al Hardan took an oath of loyalty to ISIL. Two days later, Al Hardan and the CHS participated in approximately one hour of tactical weapons training with an AK-47 that Al Hardan indicated he wanted.
During the investigation, Al Hardan had also posted many statements on social media in support of ISIL. One of those included a photo of a Humvee with an ISIL flag. Above the photo, Al Hardan posted, “ISIS yesterday in Iraq, today in Syria and Allah willing, tomorrow in Jerusalem.” He also made numerous statements about his plans to travel to Syria and fight alongside ISIL and become a martyr. In one instance he said “I want to blow myself up. I want to travel with the Mujahidin. I want to travel to be with those who are against America. I am against America.”
Upon his arrest in January 2016, investigators discovered training CDs on how to build remote detonators, electronic circuitry components, tools used to build circuitry, multiple cell phones (that had not been activated), a prayer list for committing Jihad and becoming a martyr and the ISIL flag.
Al Hardan has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ted Imperato, Carolyn Ferko and S. Mark McIntyre prosecuted the case.
Iraqi Refugee Sentenced for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISILRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, the 25-year-old refugee who was born in Iraq and resided in Houston, has been ordered to federal prison for 16 years following his conviction of attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. He pleaded guilty Oct. 17, 2016.
Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana Boente, Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of the FBI’s Houston Division and Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Houston made the announcement.
“Any person who provides material support to a foreign terrorist organization will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Martinez. “Al Hardan’s actions were treacherous and completely antithetical to the freedoms we as U.S. citizens value. The sentence imposed today reflects the Department of Justice’s resolve to seek out and punish all violators who would give aid and comfort to international terrorists.”
Today, U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes, who accepted the guilty plea, handed Al Hardan a 192-month sentence. He will also be on supervised release for the rest of his life.
At the time of his plea, Al Hardan had admitted he attempted to provide material support – specifically himself – to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Al Hardan entered the United States as a refugee on or about Nov. 2, 2009. Prior to entering the country, Al Hardan was in at least two refugee camps in Jordan and Iraq. After being admitted into the U.S. as an Iraqi refugee, he was granted legal permanent residence status on or about Aug. 22, 2011, and had resided in Houston.
In 2013, federal agents began investigating Al Hardan who had been communicating with a California man whom he understood was associated with the Al-Nusrah Front. In those communications, the individual had told Al Hardan that he had previously traveled to Syria to fight for Al-Nusrah and discussed plans to return to Syria with Al Hardan to fight for Al-Nusrah.
Beginning in June 2014 and continuing through 2015, Al Hardan also developed a relationship with a Confidential Human Source (CHS). During that time, they discussed traveling overseas to support ISIL in fighting jihad and various ways to assist ISIL. Al Hardan also said he wanted to be trained in building remote transmitter/receiver detonators for improvised explosive devices, wanted to learn to use cell phones as the remote detonators and wanted to build remote detonators for ISIL. Al Hardan indicated he taught himself how to make remote detonators by accessing online training videos and other resources he found online and showed the CHS a circuit board he built to be used as a transmitter for a detonator.
On Nov. 5, 2014, Al Hardan took an oath of loyalty to ISIL. Two days later, Al Hardan and the CHS participated in approximately one hour of tactical weapons training with an AK-47 that Al Hardan indicated he wanted.
During the investigation, Al Hardan had also posted many statements on social media in support of ISIL. One of those included a photo of a Humvee with an ISIL flag. Above the photo, Al Hardan posted, “ISIS yesterday in Iraq, today in Syria and Allah willing, tomorrow in Jerusalem.” He also made numerous statements about his plans to travel to Syria and fight alongside ISIL and become a martyr. In one instance he said “I want to blow myself up. I want to travel with the Mujahidin. I want to travel to be with those who are against America. I am against America.”
Upon his arrest in January 2016, investigators discovered training CDs on how to build remote detonators, electronic circuitry components, tools used to build circuitry, multiple cell phones (that had not been activated), a prayer list for committing Jihad and becoming a martyr and the ISIL flag.
Al Hardan has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ted Imperato, Carolyn Ferko and S. Mark McIntyre prosecuted the case.
Individual Arrested for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – On December 14, 2017, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Andie Nikolany-Geigel for interference with commerce by threats or violence, using a firearm during a crime of violence, and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is in charge of the investigation.
The indictment alleges that on or about November 25, 2017, in the District of Puerto Rico, Nikolany-Geigel, while carrying and brandishing a firearm, did take approximately 405 dollars from the TO GO Convenience Store, in the presence of employees, against their will by means of actual and threatened force, violence and fear of injury, threatening the employees with a firearm in order to commit the robbery.
“This defendant threatened the lives of defenseless victims while they were working for the hard earned money during these difficult times,” said US Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. “Through the hard work of federal and state law enforcement and the US Attorney’s Office prosecutors, this defendant will be brought to justice.”
“The FBI and other federal agencies, along with police departments all across Puerto Rico, are making it a top priority to take violent offenders off the streets. We then work with our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office to see that anyone involved in committing these crimes receives the maximum prison sentences allowed by federal law,” said Douglas A. Leff, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, San Juan Field Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Pérez-Bouret. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 15 years of imprisonment for the robbery charge (Count One), and up to life imprisonment for the firearms charge (Count Two). Indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Husband and Wife Sentenced in Homeland Security Impersonation Scheme Involving 780 Victims and over $1,000,000Read the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on December 14, 2017, Manish Patel (age: 26) was sentenced to 38 months imprisonment, and ordered to pay $1,101,901.61 in restitution for committing wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. Additionally, Nikita Shukla (age: 26) was sentenced to one year and one day imprisonment, and ordered to pay $149,531.28 in restitution for committing wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.
According to the plea agreements and other court documents, unknown members of the scheme located in India called victims and made material misrepresentations to them, which caused the victims to send a MoneyGram, which is an electronic, interstate transfer of money to a specific location and to a specific, fictitious name. One misrepresentation that the callers made was that they were from the Department of Homeland Security’s United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, and that the individuals (legal immigrants) had to pay for new passports or other items in order to avoid being sent to jail or deported. The caller would then instruct the victim to send a MoneyGram for a certain amount of money to a specific location and to a specific, fictitious name. The callers made numerous other misrepresentations to the many victims of this scam.
Manish Patel and others possessed fraudulent driver’s licenses that included the fictitious names of the MoneyGram recipients, but contained a photo of themselves. They used these fraudulent driver’s licenses to pick up MoneyGrams throughout the country. Patel frequently picked up several MoneyGrams a day from various locations using fraudulent driver’s licenses. For at least part of the scheme, Nikita Shukla drove Manish Patel throughout the country, including in the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Patel and Shukla were allowed to keep a certain percentage of fraud proceeds, but then deposited the remaining cash into various bank accounts or handed the cash off to unknown individuals.
Using 134 different fraudulent identifications, Patel picked up $1,101,901.61 in fraud proceeds in 1,081 transactions, from 780 victims from September 28, 2016 through May 10, 2017. Shukla aided and abetted by driving Patel to pick up $149,531.28 in fraud proceeds from 100 victims. When they were arrested in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Patel and Shukla possessed 147 fraudulent driver’s licenses with fake names and Patel’s photo in them. Law enforcement also found $21,672 in cash in the car.
The case was investigated by the Greenfield Police Department, the United States Secret Service Financial Crimes Unit, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, Digital Forensics and Analysis Unit. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Corey.
The public should be aware that neither the Department of Homeland Security nor the Internal Revenue Service (or any other federal government agency) will ever ask you to pay money to them via MoneyGram, RIA, Western Union, or especially iTunes or Steam (online gaming) gift cards.
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For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer Dean Puschnig 414-297-1700
Houston Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for East Texas Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A 45-year-old Houston man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Christopher Wade Ferrell pleaded guilty on May 18, 2017, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 327 months in federal prison on Dec. 15, 2017 by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone.
According to information presented in court, on Mar. 11, 2016, deputies with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department received information that a large shipment of methamphetamine was to arrive in the Beaumont, Texas area for further distribution. Law enforcement officers followed the suspects when the driver began driving erratically. A traffic stop was attempted at which time the driver of the vehicle, Ferrell, pulled into a parking lot then fled the scene in his vehicle when the officers approached the vehicle. Ferrell continued to evade officers and committed numerous traffic violations while doing so until he crashed into a privacy fence. Ferrell then fled on foot and was apprehended several homes away. The passengers remained in the vehicle and as officers approached the vehicle, they detected the odor of raw marijuana emanating from the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and located approximately one ounce of marihuana and assorted pills in a passenger’s purse, approximately 10 grams of suspected methamphetamine in a woman’s jacket pocket and approximately 11 other ounces of suspected methamphetamine inside a white plastic grocery bag in the rear seat area. Officers further located $10,500 in cash and assorted drug paraphernalia inside a backpack in the vehicle. Ferrell admitted to transporting one kilogram of methamphetamine to Beaumont earlier that same day and admitted that the money found in the backpack was from the sale of the methamphetamine.
This case is the result of an extensive joint investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. Ferrell was indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 2, 2016, and charged with drug trafficking violations.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle S. Englade.
Honolulu Man Sentenced to 80 Months for Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States District Court Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi sentenced Beei-Huan Chao, age 62, to 80 months in prison today for transporting child pornography in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(1). Chao, who was formerly employed as a professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, pled guilty to the offense on May 30, 2017.
Elliot Enoki, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii, said that according to court documents and information presented in court, in February of 2016, Chao was using a file sharing program called Vuze to obtain child pornography over the internet and share it with others. On February 11, 2016, a FBI agent working in an undercover capacity connected with Chao’s computer and downloaded 14 videos from Chao, all of which depicted child pornography. Agents executed a search warrant at Chao’s residence in June of 2016 and found more than 500 images of child pornography on his electronic devices.
At today’s sentencing, Judge Kobayashi commented that Chao’s conduct helped fuel a business that exploits minors and subjects them to humiliation. Judge Kobayashi also noted that the amount and type of child pornography Chao transported was an aggravating factor. In addition to sentencing Chao to 80 months in prison, Judge Kobayashi also imposed a ten-year term of supervised release and ordered Chao to pay a $35,000 fine. Chao must also register as a sex offender in any jurisdiction where he resides.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Nammar.
Honduran national sentenced to 18 months for possession of firearm, ammunition by illegal alienRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Honduran citizen was sentenced last week to 18 months in prison for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.
Franklin Reyes, 36, of Honduras, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by an alien illegally present in the United States. According to the September 1, 2017 guilty plea, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s officers responded to a report of shots fired on January 7, 2017 at a Lafayette apartment complex. After arriving, they heard a gunshot come from one of the apartments. Reyes opened the door of an apartment holding a .38 special revolver, which officers knocked from his hand as they arrested him. Officers found bullet holes in the walls and ceiling of the apartment and 11 expended ammunition casings scattered around the apartment. Reyes was previously removed in February of 2003, May of 2007, March of 2012, January of 2013 and December of 2013.
The ATF, Homeland Security Investigations and Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph T. Mickel prosecuted the case.
Haworth Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Firearm, AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Blake Gilbert, age 33, of Haworth, Oklahoma pled guilty to Felon In Possession Of Firearm & Ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, and up to a $250,000.00 fine or both.
The Indictment alleged that on or about September 7, 2017, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, Christopher Blake Gilbert, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce a firearm and ammunition which have been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
The charge arose from an investigation by the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office, the Choctaw Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Steven P. Shreder, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. The defendant will remain in custody pending a sentencing hearing.
Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Harrington represented the United States.
Glades Drugs Agrees to Pay the United States $300,000 to Settle Allegations of Fraudulent Claims to Medicare and TRICARERead the Press Release
Glades Drugs, Inc., a pharmacy located in Palm Beach County, Florida has agreed to pay the United States $300,000, to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by waiving or failing to collect required copayments from Medicare and TRICARE beneficiaries.
Benjamin Greenberg, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Shimon R. Richmond, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and John F. Khin, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), made the announcement.
The allegations arose from a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower, Elvens Vertus, under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the False Claims Act, private citizens can bring suit on behalf of the government for false claims and share in any recovery. Relator Vertus is a licensed pharmacy technician who worked at Glades Drugs in 2014 and 2015. As set forth in the settlement agreement between the parties, the United States alleged that between July 2014 and May 2015, Glades Drugs waived or failed to collect required copayments from beneficiaries to induce beneficiaries to accept prescription medications that generated reimbursements from Medicare and TRICARE.
The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, HHS-OIG, and DCIS. The case was investigated and the settlement negotiated by Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Spaccarotella and HHS-OIG Senior Counsel Felicia Heimer.
The case is captioned United States of America ex. rel. Elvens Vertus v. Glades Drugs, Inc., et al., Case No. 15-CV-81627 (S.D. Fla.), and was before The Honorable Donald M. Middlebrooks. The claims settled by the lawsuit are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Fulton Man Pleads Guilty to Firing Shots During Pursuit, Faces 40 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Fulton, Mo., man who fired at law enforcement officers and other motorists during a high-speed pursuit pleaded guilty in federal court today.
Russell Dean Moore, Jr., 27, of Fulton, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to the charges contained in an April 21, 2016, federal indictment.
Moore pleaded guilty to three criminal violations that occurred during a high-speed pursuit on Interstate 70 by law enforcement officers, in which Moore fired shots at both the officers and at semi-trailer trucks in an effort to block the pursuit. Moore pleaded guilty to one count of the destruction of a motor vehicle (a USF Holland, Inc., semi-tractor trailer), one count of the use of a firearm in furtherance of that crime, and one count of the use of a firearm in furtherance of the destruction of another motor vehicle (a DCE Transportation, Inc., semi-tractor trailer).
According to the plea agreement, Boone County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a Columbia, Mo., residence on the afternoon of April 6, 2016, for a stolen vehicle complaint. A woman told deputies that her 2007 Jeep, as well as firearms and other items, had been stolen from her residence. Among the items stolen was a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
At 2:44 a.m. the following morning, a sergeant with the Boone County Sheriff’s Department spotted the stolen Jeep in the parking lot of Midway Travel Center, 6401 E. Hwy. 40, Columbia. The sergeant drove over to the Jeep, which appear to be unoccupied, got out of his vehicle and walked towards the Jeep. As he did so, a woman appeared in the front passenger seat. She moved to the driver’s seat and drove away, stopping in the parking lot to allow Moore to get in the front passenger seat.
The sergeant pursued the Jeep with his emergency lights active. The Jeep turned onto Highway 40 and, as it was crossing Interstate 70, Moore shot at the sergeant multiple times. The Jeep turned onto Highway UU and stopped at the intersection of Sugar Creek Road. The sergeant saw Moore exit the Jeep and started shooting at him. Moore got back into the Jeep and the pursuit continued.
After the sergeant’s patrol vehicle was struck by at least one bullet, disabling it, other officers continued the pursuit of the stolen Jeep into the southern part of Columbia. The chase eventually moved onto Interstate 70 East, where officers continued to pursue the stolen Jeep into Callaway County. Throughout the pursuit, multiple shots were fired from the Jeep at various officers. Shots were also fired from the Jeep at four semi-trailer trucks traveling on Interstate 70, nearly striking one of the drivers.
The Jeep ran out of gas on County Road 172 in Callaway County and the occupants of the Jeep were arrested.
Moore told investigators that his intent when shooting at semi-trailer trucks on Interstate 70 East was to cause a serious accident, which would terminate the officers’ pursuit and aid in their escape. Two tractor trailers were shot during the pursuit. One of the drivers stopped his vehicle and discovered that his cab was damaged, and there was a 9mm bullet lodged behind the driver’s seat. Another driver told investigators he heard a pop and his truck engine began smoking and overheated. He pulled into a rest stop and called his employer. There was a hole in his tractor grill and the radiator, air cooler and condenser were damaged.
Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, the government and Moore agree to recommend to the court a sentence of 40 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Callaway County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Four People Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding Elderly Victims Throughout the United StatesRead the Press Release
Last week, four people from the Dubuque, Iowa area were sentenced to federal prison for participating in a fraud scheme that targeted more than 250 elderly victims across the United States. The sentences were imposed in Cedar Rapids by United States District Judge Linda R. Reade.
Evidence at the sentencing hearings and prior court hearings showed that Carlos Rodriguez, Michael Marcov, Stephanie Marcov, and Shawn Vaassen were all involved in a scheme to defraud victims, who were generally elderly, around the country. All four previously admitted that while they never made calls to victims, other individuals involved in the scheme called victims on the phone and told these victims that a relative was in jail. The caller would then ask the victims to wire money via Western Union or Money Gram to get the relative released. They further admitted that the money was being wired to various participants in the fraud who would pick up the wire transfers. They further admitted that there were participants in and around Dubuque who received wire transfers from the victims and sent the proceeds of the fraud via wire transfer to other participants of the scheme often located in the Dominican Republic
On December 13, 2017, Carlos Rodriguez, age 38, from Galena, Illinois, was sentenced to 79 months in federal prison after a May 9, 2017, guilty plea to one count of wire fraud. At his sentencing hearing, the judge found that Rodriguez was a manager of the fraud scheme and had personally recruited numerous individuals in the Dubuque area to participate in the fraud and then directed their actions. The judge found that Rodriguez was responsible for more than $750,000 in losses to 285 victims. Rodriguez was ordered to pay $774,584.97 in restitution to the victims.
On December 13, 2017, Michael Marcov, age 26, from Hazel Green, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison after a May 19, 2017, guilty plea to one count of wire fraud. At his sentencing hearing, the judge found that, after Marcov was recruited by Rodriguez to participate in the scheme, Marcov became a manager of the fraud scheme, recruited others to participate, and directed the actions of those he had recruited. The judge found that Marcov was responsible for nearly $300,000 in losses to 111 victims. In sentencing Marcov, the judge noted his extensive criminal history, including prior convictions for theft and domestic abuse. The judge ordered him to pay $298,314.42 in restitution to the victims.
On December 14, 2017, Stephanie Marcov, age 28, from Hazel Green, Wisconsin, who is married to Michael Marcov, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison after a May 19, 2017, guilty plea to one count of wire fraud. At her sentencing hearing, the judge found that Stephanie Marcov was responsible for more than $30,000 in losses to 14 victims. The judge ordered her to pay $33,879.30 in restitution to the victims.
On December 14, 2017, Shawn Vaassen, age 22, from Asbury, Iowa, was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison after a March 2, 2017, guilty plea to one count of wire fraud and one count of unlawful possession of a sawed-off shotgun. At his sentencing hearing, the judge found that Vaassen was recruited by Rodriguez to participate in the scheme and later became a manager of the fraud scheme who recruited others to participate and directed the actions of those he had recruited. The judge found that Vaassen was responsible for more than $250,000 in losses to 68 victims. In sentencing him, the judge also noted that Vaassen had unlawfully possessed a sawed-off shotgun in an effort to intimidate some of the individuals he had recruited to participate in the scheme. On September 23, 2016, Vaassen fired the sawed-off shotgun into the ceiling of a room at the Glenview Motel in Dubuque. While no one was shot, Vaassen’s discharge of the gun caused one person to lose hearing in an ear and also damaged the motel room. The judge also ordered Vaassen to pay $177,637.66 in restitution to the victims of the fraud scheme and $303.92 in restitution to the Glenview Motel for the damaged he caused to the hotel room.
All four individuals must also serve a term of supervised release after being released from prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
The prosecutions were part of the Elder Justice Initiative of the Department of Justice. In June 2016, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa was selected as one of 10 districts in the nation to form an Elder Justice Task Force (http://go.usa.gov/cSngj). The task force was assembled to foster a collaborative working relationship among all levels of government officials, advocacy groups for the elderly and the disabled, and others charged with the care and protection for these vulnerable groups. The goals include ensuring the integrity of all government expenditures by eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse in health programs, and protecting some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens from harm, whether it occurs in nursing homes or other institutions or involves financial fraud schemes. To learn more about the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, visit: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice/.
“Every day, elderly Iowans are plagued by fraudulent calls trying to trick them out of money,” said United States Attorney Peter Deegan. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement and other partners to hold accountable those who prey on others’ generosity and concern for their relatives. This office will also continue to prosecute the most dangerous criminals in our communities, including those like Shawn Vaassen who use firearms and threats of violence to commit their crimes. I thank the Department of Homeland Security and the Dubuque Police Department for their hard work on this case.”
Michael Marcov, Rodriguez, and Vaassen are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until each can be transported to a federal prison. Stephanie Marcov was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Vavricek and Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security - Investigations and the Dubuque Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 17-CR-1001 and 17-CR-1004.
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Fort Wayne Man Charged with Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – The United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, Thomas L. Kirsch II, announced that Danurell M. Blair, age 39, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was charged by way of complaint with bank robbery.
According to documents in this case, the complaint alleges that on December 16, 2017 Blair entered a bank in Kendallville, Indiana, demanded money from the bank teller. The teller provided money from the top drawers of two teller stations and Blair stuffed it into bags he brought with him. At approximately 10:01am, a law enforcement officer observed Blair exiting the bank walking fast. The law enforcement unit also observed Blair driving evasively through area business parking lots. The unit attempted to stop Blair, however he fled creating a high speed chase. The police were able to stop the vehicle and take Blair into custody.
“My Office is committed to working with our state, local and federal law enforcement partners to reduce bank robberies on the streets of Northern Indiana,” U.S. Attorney Thomas Kirsch II said in a statement.
"The FBI's Fort Wayne office worked hand in hand with our state and local law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office to bring this investigation to a successful conclusion," said W. Jay Abbott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Indianapolis Division. "Working together we are able to get violent offenders off of the streets and make our communities a safer place for all."
The United States Attorney's Office emphasized that a Complaint is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty in court.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the: Allen County Sheriff’s Department; Auburn Police Department; Churubusco Police Department; Fort Wayne Police Department; Kendallville Police Department; Indiana State Police; and Whitley County Sheriff’s Department. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Miller Lowery.
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Former Grovetown City Clerk Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Nearly $900,000 DollarsRead the Press Release
Augusta, GA – Vicky Vinson Capetillo, from Grovetown, Georgia, pled guilty today before U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall to two federal felonies related to her embezzlement of nearly $900,000 from the City of Grovetown.
According to the factual basis presented for her guilty plea, Capetillo worked for the City of Grovetown as the City Clerk. Her duties as Clerk included the preparation of the regular bank deposits of the City. Capetillo developed a scheme to steal the cash from the deposits: first, she intercepted checks sent in by citizens as payment for utility bills; then, after developing a cache of checks, she would pocket cash from the regular deposit and replace the stolen cash with the intercepted checks to make the deposit ticket balance.
Between January 2011 and April 2016, Capetillo stole and deposited $890,000 in cash into her and her family’s accounts.
Capetillo faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $500,000, and five years of supervision following release from prison. Capetillo was released on bond pending sentencing, which will be set after the U.S. Probation Office completes a presentence investigation.
U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine said, “The citizens of this district should be able to rely on the honest service of their public officials. Corruption and embezzlement by those in positions of government trust will be met with federal prosecution and jail time.”
The charges against Capetillo resulted from an investigation led by IRS Special Agent Jeff Hale and FBI Special Agent Charles McKee. Assistant United States Attorney Patricia G. Rhodes prosecuted the case for the Government. For any questions, please contact Appellate Chief R. Brian Tanner at (912) 652-4422.
Federal grand jury indicts Fort Polk soldier for illegally manufacturing, using a chemical weaponRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging a Fort Polk soldier with manufacturing and detonating a chemical weapon in the Kisatchie National Forest adjacent to the Fort Polk Army installation.
Ryan Keith Taylor, 24, of New Llano, La., was charged with producing, possessing and using a chemical weapon in violation of federal law. According to the indictment, Taylor manufactured and detonated a chemical weapon on April 12, 2017 in the Kisatchie National Forest that resulted in the release of highly toxic chlorine gas into the atmosphere.
Taylor faces up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine if convicted.
The FBI and U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Command investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis E. Robinson are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Federal and State Authorities Arrest 14 Defendants on Federal Drug Trafficking/Money Laundering Charges Filed in El PasoRead the Press Release
Today, federal authorities arrested 35-year-old Evelyn Gonzalez of Glendale Heights, IL, on federal drug trafficking charges, bringing the total number of those arrested over the past week in connection with this distribution operation to 14, announced United States Attorney John F. Bash and Special Agent in Charge Karen I. Flowers, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, El Paso Division.
The other 13 defendants include:
Name Age Residence
Veronica Martinez Carrera-Perez (aka “Comadre,” “Luna”) 41 El Paso
Sergio Serra (aka “Flaco”) 35 Edinburg, TX
Fernando Chavez-Rolon (aka “Raco”) 24 Woodstock, IL
Crystal Aguilar (aka “Betty”) 33 El Paso
Ricardo Martinez (aka “Richie”) 32 El Paso
Roberto Clemente 41 El Paso
Esperanza Corpus de Escalona (aka “Espy”) 45 Alton, TX
Cristal Glore-Guzman 33 Mission, TX
Julio Ferreyra 33 Cicero, IL
Kevin Martinez 24 Clint, TX
Julio Mota (aka “Gordo,” “Gordito”) 26 Sunland Park, NM
Jesus Galindo 29 El Paso
Rene Alvarez 19 El Paso
A federal grand jury indictment, returned in El Paso, charges all of the defendants except Rene Alvarez with one count of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Carrera-Perez, Serra, Roberto Clemente, Corpus de Escalona, Glore-Guzman, Martinez, and Mota are charged with a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. All but Jesus Galindo are charged with one or more substantive drug possession charges. Carrera-Perez, Serra, Aguilar, Roberto Clemente, Corpus de Escalona, Ferreyra and Martinez are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Authorities allege that these defendants were responsible for the smuggling into the United States of large amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin. The narcotics would be transported to areas across the United States, including Atlanta, Georgia, Chicago, Illinois, and Wichita, Kansas, for further distribution. Defendants would also collect, transport and launder cash proceeds derived from the sale of narcotics.
During this investigation, authorities seized approximately 48 kilograms of cocaine, 25 kilograms of methamphetamine, two kilograms of heroin, and over $500,000 in U.S. currency attributed to this drug trafficking operation.
All of the defendants remain in federal custody pending detention hearings expected to occur in U.S. Magistrate Court in El Paso beginning this week. Upon conviction on the drug charges, Veronica Martinez faces a mandatory life imprisonment sentence; Roberto Clemente and Sergio Serra face between 20 years and life imprisonment; Rene Alvarez faces up to 20 years imprisonment; and, the remaining defendants face between ten years and life imprisonment. Defendants convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering face up to 20 years imprisonment.
“The individuals arrested and charged in this indictment are allegedly responsible for distributing cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin without regard to the countless people suffering from drug addiction,” stated DEA El Paso Division Special Agent in Charge Karen I. Flowers. “The Western Texas law enforcement community banded together to stop this organization from doing further harm and to save lives.”
These federal charges resulted from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration together with the United States Border Patrol, El Paso Police Department, Socorro Police Department, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, Norman (OK) Police Department and the Arkansas State Police.
The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering operations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
It is important to note that 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.
Federal Jury Convicts Two Colombian Nationals in Plan to Smuggle over $45 Million of CocaineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces that a federal jury has found Gustavo Enrique Llanos Miranda (62) and Jair Mendoza Montoya (49), both of Colombia, South America, guilty of conspiring to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and possessing with the intent to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Llanos Miranda faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison. Mendoza Montoya faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. The sentencing hearings are scheduled for March 20, 2018. They were indicted on September 19, 2017.
According to evidence presented at trial, Llanos Miranda and Mendoza Montoya participated in a plan to smuggle more than 1,500 kilograms of cocaine on board a large oil tanker named FAT CROW. In August 2017, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) interdicted the vessel in international waters in the Caribbean Sea. After conducting an exhaustive search of the ship, the USCG found 1,504 kilograms of cocaine in a hidden compartment that the crew had constructed in the ship’s bow. Llanos Miranda and Mendoza Montoya, along with several other FAT CROW crewmembers, had participated in extensive negotiations with a drug cartel representative concerning their compensation for smuggling the cocaine and participated in loading the cocaine onto the ship. Five other crewmembers pleaded guilty to the conspiracy prior to trial. The wholesale value of the cocaine exceeds $45 million.
This case was investigated by agents of the Panama Express Strike Force, an OCDETF Strike Force comprised of agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Interagency Task Force South. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Taylor G. Stout and Carlton C. Gammons.
Fayette County Felon Sentenced to More than Fifteen Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Shotgun and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
A Fayette County felon, who possessed a shotgun and ammunition in a car in June 2016, was sentenced last week to more than fifteen years in federal prison.
Kyle Dwayne Boleyn, age 42, received the prison term after a June 29, 2017, guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. In a plea agreement, Boleyn admitted that, on June 16, 2016, he was a passenger in a Ford Mustang that was driving the streets of Oelwein, Iowa. When law enforcement officers stopped the Mustang, they found defendant with a shotgun and ammunition. They also found a number of materials that Boleyn intended to use to manufacture methamphetamine, including pseudoephedrine and Coleman fuel. Boleyn already had a warrant for his arrest when he was found with the gun. He also had at least seven prior felony convictions. The convictions include convictions for delivery of methamphetamine, manufacture of methamphetamine, sexual abuse, and violation of a sex offense registry law.
Boleyn was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett. Boleyn was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. Boleyn must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Boleyn is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and investigated by the Oelwein Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 17-CR-31. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Dubuque Man Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Perjury Before a Federal Grand JuryRead the Press Release
A Dubuque man who committed perjury before a federal grand jury was sentenced last week to more than two years in federal prison.
John Michael Gronen, age 20, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 25, 2017, guilty plea to making a false declaration before a grand jury. At the plea hearing and in a plea agreement, Gronen admitted that he testified falsely, under oath before a grand jury in the Northern District of Iowa on January 10, 2017. Gronen testified that he had never seen a particular sawed-off shotgun, when he had seen another individual carrying the sawed-off shotgun in September 2016. Further, Gronen falsely testified that no one was using drugs at his house on September 22, 2016, when he actually saw two people using cocaine and marijuana in his basement on that date.
Gronen was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Gronen was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Gronen was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-cr-31-LRR.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Drug Cartel Supplier Gets 30 Years in Federal Prison for East Texas Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A 33-year-old Houston man has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Jaime Cruz Romero pleaded guilty on May 17, 2017, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison on Dec. 15, 2017 by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone.
According to information presented in court, beginning in March 2014, federal agents began in investigation of a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large amounts of methamphetamine from Houston to Beaumont, Texas and then throughout the United States. Jaime Cruz Romero was identified as a main supplier of methamphetamine, dealing directly with the Mexican sources which was confirmed to be with the Knights of Templar Cartel. Cruz Romero was identified as a manager or supervisor and was found to be personally responsible for conspiring with others to distribute at least 62 kilograms of methamphetamine, 18 kilograms of cocaine, and 20 pounds of marijuana. The drugs were brought from Mexico and distributed to sources in the Houston and Beaumont areas for further distribution.
This case is the result of an extensive joint investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. Cruz Romero was indicted by a federal grand jury on Feb. 3, 2016 and charged with drug trafficking violations.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle S. Englade.
Doctor Sentenced to 30 Years for Oxycodone Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond doctor was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for conspiring to distribute Oxycodone.
According to court documents and evidence and testimony at trial, Clarence Scranage, Jr., 62, was the supplier to a drug trafficking organization that, at various points in time, had more than 40 participants. The participants were recruiters, pill fillers, and dealers who sold to addicts. During the course of the conspiracy, which began in January 2011, Scranage dispensed 1,257 fraudulent prescriptions amounting to more than 223,000 30-mg Oxycodone pills distributed into the underground stream of commerce. Scranage represented himself at trial, and was convicted by a jury on all 19 counts charged in the indictment on August 10. During the trial, one expert testified that Scranage was “a one-man opioid epidemic.”
In addition to the prison sentence, the Court also entered a forfeiture order in the amount of $628,500 which represents the proceeds Scranage received as a result of this drug trafficking conspiracy.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Adam S. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, Karl C. Colder, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Mastandrea-Miller 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. 3:17-cr-23.
District Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for RobberyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Canaan King, 18, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to a four-year prison term for a robbery that occurred near the Fort Totten Metro Station in April 2017, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
King pled guilty in August 2017, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of robbery. The plea, which was subject to the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon sentence of three to five years in prison. The Honorable Juliet McKenna accepted the plea and sentenced King on Dec. 15, 2017, to four years in prison. Following the prison term, King will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Monday, April 24, 2017, at approximately 6:10 p.m., the victim was walking from the Fort Totten Metro Station near the 700 block of Gallatin Street NE. King approached the victim from behind and placed her in a chokehold. A struggle ensued, and King demanded the victim’s iPhone 6S and told her to “be quiet” and “delete your iCloud.” He choked the victim tighter as she tried unsuccessfully to access her iCloud. He then took the iPhone and fled.
The victim’s iPhone 6S was recovered during the execution of a search warrant on King’s residence in Northeast Washington. Following his arrest on April 28, 2017, King admitted robbing the victim, indicating that he grabbed her from behind and took her phone before fleeing.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Fogle. Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Smalky and Rizwan Qureshi, who investigated and prosecuted the case.