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Friday 27 October 2017
Brockton Man Sentenced for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for trafficking fentanyl.
Gilvan Monteiro, 26, a/k/a “G,” was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 66 months in prison and three years of supervised release. During the period of supervised release, Monteiro is prohibited from associating with his co-conspirators and certain Brockton gang members. He is also prohibited from being in the City of Brockton.
In January 2017, Monteiro pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. In April 2016, Monteiro was arrested and charged in a criminal complaint along with Luis DaCosta and Edson Gomes. In May 2016, they and four others were indicted on drug and firearm-related charges.
On numerous occasions between December 2015 to March 2016, Monteiro and his co-defendants sold fentanyl in the Brockton area, and shared several of the same customers. In instances where Monteiro was out of fentanyl, he would direct his customers to purchase from Gomes.
According to court records, Monteiro has a criminal record that includes narcotics and firearms offenses and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
DaCosta was sentenced to 106 months in federal prison in May 2017, and Gomes was sentenced to 71 months in prison in June 2017.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Michael Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz; and Brockton Police Chief John Crowley made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenn A. MacKinlay, Chief of Weinreb’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Moran, also of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit, prosecuted the case.
Bay St. Louis Man Sentenced to Prison on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Peter Skladzien, 58, of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 236 months in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst. Skladzien was also ordered to pay restitution to victims in the amount of $119,000.
Skladzien pled guilty on July 11, 2017, to possession and receipt of visual images depicting minors under the age of 12 engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was investigated by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda Haynes.
Baltimore Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Failing to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4855
Greenbelt, Maryland – United States District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Dennis Morgan, age 52, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 18 months in prison, 6 months of which are to be served in a halfway house, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for Failure to Register as a Convicted Sex Offender.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning; Marshal Johnny Hughes of the United States Marshals Service and Chief James A. Cervera of the Virginia State Police.
Morgan is required to register as sex offender by reason of a 1996 conviction for Attempted Sexual Battery in Florida. Between August 2016 and November 2016, he both resided and worked within the district of Maryland. Throughout that time period, he knowingly failed register as a sex offender in the state of Maryland.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the United States Marshals Service and Virginia State Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant United States Attorney Nadia Prinz and Joseph Baldwin, who prosecuted this case.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions Honors Beaumont Federal ProsecutorsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Attorney General Jeff Sessions recognized 202 department employees for their distinguished public service this week at the 65nd Annual Attorney General’s Awards Ceremony. Nineteen other individuals outside of the department were also honored for their work. This annual ceremony recognizes individuals for their outstanding service and dedication to carrying out the missions of the Department of Justice. The department will also present one posthumous award to Deputy Commander Patrick T. Carothers for exceptional heroism in the line of duty during a fugitive apprehension in Allenhurst, Georgia on Nov. 18, 2016, in which Deputy Commander Carothers was mortally wounded.
“Every single day, the 115,000 men and women of the Department of Justice work to protect our national security against terrorist threats, defend the civil rights of all Americans, reduce violent crime in our communities, stop deadly drug dealers and their organizations, and strengthen the rule of law,” said Attorney General Sessions. “This work benefits every American, and each Department of Justice employee plays a role that helps us accomplish our objectives. Today, we take a moment to recognize those who have distinguished themselves by exemplary service to the Department. Each one of these men and women—through their dedication and commitment—has made a difference. Meeting with them and their families today, I am more confident than ever that the Department—and the safety of the American people—are in good hands.”
This year’s program honors individuals across the department and our federal, state, local, and tribal partners for their self-less efforts, protecting our national security and our civil rights, addressing rising violent crime in our communities, going after gangs and those trafficking in dangerous narcotics and human beings. The awards also honor the work of civil and environmental litigation, which enforces the rule of law and upholds our Constitution. They also recognize employees whose ideas and efforts save taxpayer dollars and help our government operate more effectively and efficiently, among other contributions to public safety and good governance.
From the Eastern District of Texas, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph R. Batte and Christopher T. Tortorice were honored with the John Marshall Litigation Award. Bate was a prosecutor for the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 1995. Tortorice is also a former state prosecutor having worked for the Navarro County District Attorney’s Office and the Texas Attorney General’s Office. He joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2009.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to acknowledge this award for outstanding work in the field of white collar prosecutions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “Assistant U.S. Attorneys Batte and Tortorice continue to excel and lead the complex crimes area of the Beaumont Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Their work reflects outstanding investigative leadership in complex white collar cases, and East Texas is better off by having them as prosecutors in the Eastern District of Texas.”
Attempted Robber Sentenced to Substantial Prison TermRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Gregory J. Hanstaad announced that Devon Brantley (age: 18) of Milwaukee was recently sentenced in federal court for charges stemming from an attempted robbery of a Subway Restaurant in Milwaukee on September 24, 2016. United States District Judge Lynn Adelman sentenced Brantley, to seven years and one day in prison.
According to the plea agreement, Brantley levelled a sawed-off shotgun at one restaurant employee, and that employee and her coworker fled to the restaurant’s freezer until police arrived. Brantley and his 16-year-old accomplice attempted to open the restaurant cash register but were unable to do so even though Brantley had previously worked at a Subway Restaurant. Brantley was subsequently apprehended after he was spotted walking down the street carrying the sawed-off shotgun.
This case was investigated by the Milwaukee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Taibleson.
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For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer Dean Puschnig (414) 297-1700
Another Defendant Sentenced on Federal Charges Arising Out of ATF-Led Operation Targeting Drug Trafficking and Firearms Crime in Bernalillo CountyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – In Aug. 2016, a multi-agency investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) concluded with the filing of 59 federal indictments and a federal criminal complaint charging 103 Bernalillo County residents with federal firearms and narcotics trafficking offenses. To date, 80 of the 103 defendants charged as the result of this investigation have entered guilty pleas and 47 of them have been sentenced.
The investigation was undertaken in support of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets “the worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies collaborate with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders for federal prosecution primarily based on their prior criminal convictions with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.
Yesterday, Albuquerque, N.M., resident Luis Arreola-Palma, 24, was sentenced in federal court to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
Arreola-Palma’s co-defendant Daniel Carmona, 31, was charged by criminal complaint with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Aug. 3, 2016, in Bernalillo County, N.M., after Carmona allegedly distributed approximately 67 grams of methamphetamine to undercover law enforcement agents. Thereafter, Arreola-Palma, Carmona and Gaspar Leal, 47, were indicted on Aug. 9, 2016, and charged with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine from July 21, 2016 through July 25, 2016. In addition, Carmona was charged with distributing methamphetamine on July 25, 2016 and Aug. 3, 2016, and using and carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime on Aug. 3, 2016. According to the indictment, the defendants committed the offenses in Bernalillo County, N.M.
On July 28, 2017, Arreola-Palma pled guilty to an information charging him with conspiracy, and admitted that from July 21, 2016 through July 25, 2016, he conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine to another person. Carmona and Lael have entered not guilty pleas to the charges in the indictment. Both are detained pending trial.
Twenty of the defendants charged as the result of the ATF investigation have entered not guilty pleas to the charges against them. Charges in indictments are merely accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law. Two defendants are fugitives and the charges against two defendants have been dismissed.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of ATF and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Norman Cairns and Samuel A. Hurtado.
Anderson Man Pleads Guilty to Manufacturing Counterfeit Currency in Upstate ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Anderson, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated that Kenneth Bearden, age 49, of Anderson, South Carolina, entered a guilty plea in federal court in Anderson to Manufacturing Counterfeit Federal Reserve Notes, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 471, and Conspiracy to Pass Counterfeit Federal Reserve Notes, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 371. United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain, of Anderson, accepted the guilty plea and will impose the sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report, which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Kenneth Bearden learned how to manufacture counterfeit from Crystal Hudson, a co-defendant who previously pled guilty in the case. Bearden distributed counterfeit to other co-conspirators to pass and passed it himself around the Upstate.
Ms. Drake stated that the maximum penalty Bearden could receive is twenty years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 dollars. The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, Anderson Police Department, Belton Police Department, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, Easley Police Department, and South Carolina Department of Probation, Pardon, and Parole Services. Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen of the Greenville office prosecuted the case.
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American Sentenced to 20 Years for Joining ISISRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).
Mohamad Jamal Khweis, 28, was convicted by a federal jury on June 7. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Khweis left the United States in mid-December 2015, and ultimately crossed into Syria through the Republic of Turkey in late December 2015. Before leaving, Khweis strategically planned his travel. Using a sophisticated scheme of tradecraft, Khweis purposefully traveled to other countries first before entering Turkey to conceal his final destination. During his travel to the Islamic State, he used numerous encrypted devices to conceal his activity, and downloaded several applications on his phone that featured secure messaging or anonymous web browsing. Khweis used these applications to communicate with ISIS facilitators to coordinate and secure his passage to the Islamic State.
“The evidence at trial demonstrated that Mohamad Khweis is an unpredictable and dangerous person who was radicalized towards violent jihad,” said Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Division. “This office, along with the National Security Division and our investigative partners, are committed to tracking down anyone who provides or attempts to provide material support to a terrorist organization.”
After arriving in Syria, Khweis stayed at a safe house with other ISIS recruits in Raqqa and filled out ISIS intake forms, which included his name, age, skills, specialty before jihad, and status as a fighter. When Khweis joined ISIS, he agreed to be a suicide bomber. In February 2017, the United States military recovered his intake form, along with an ISIS camp roster that included Khweis’ name with 19 other ISIS fighters.
“Today's sentencing of Mohamad Khweis demonstrates the relentless efforts of the FBI and our partners within the Joint Terrorism Task Force, whom work 24/7 to identify individuals who pose a risk or harm to U.S. persons or interests,” said Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office. “Khweis purposefully traveled overseas with the intent to join ISIS in support of the terrorist group's efforts to conduct operations and execute attacks to further their radical ideology. Khweis recognized that ISIS uses violence in its expansion of its caliphate and he committed to serving as a suicide bomber.”
During the trial, the evidence showed that Khweis spent 2 1/2 months as an ISIS member, traveled with ISIS fighters to multiple safe houses, participated in ISIS-directed religious training, attended ISIS lectures and constantly watched military videos with his fellow ISIS members for inspiration, frequently gave money to ISIS members, and was forward deployed to Tal Afar, Iraq, before he was captured. Kurdish Peshmerga military forces detained Khweis in March 2016. A Kurdish Peshmerga official testified at trial that he captured Khweis on the battlefield after Khweis left an ISIS-controlled neighborhood in Tal Afar.
On cross-examination, Khweis admitted he consistently lied to United States and Kurdish officials about his involvement with ISIS, and that he omitted telling United States officials about another American who had trained with ISIS to conduct an attack in the United States.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis Fitzpatrick and Trial Attorney Raj Parekh of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force provided assistance in this case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:16-cr-143.
American Sentenced to 20 Years for Joining ISISRead the Press Release
Mohamad Jamal Khweis, 28, of Alexandria, Virginia, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Dana J. Boente, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security 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 sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady.
“The evidence at trial demonstrated that Mohamad Khweis is an unpredictable and dangerous person who was radicalized towards violent jihad,” said Mr. Boente. “This office, along with the National Security Division and our investigative partners, are committed to tracking down anyone who provides or attempts to provide material support to a terrorist organization.”
“Today's sentencing of Mohamad Khweis demonstrates the relentless efforts of the FBI and our partners within the Joint Terrorism Task Force, whom work 24/7 to identify individuals who pose a risk or harm to U.S. persons or interests,” said Mr. Vale. “Khweis purposefully traveled overseas with the intent to join ISIS in support of the terrorist group's efforts to conduct operations and execute attacks to further their radical ideology. Khweis recognized that ISIS uses violence in its expansion of its caliphate and he committed to serving as a suicide bomber.”
Khweis was convicted by a federal jury on June 7. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Khweis left the United States in mid-December 2015, and ultimately crossed into Syria through the Republic of Turkey in late December 2015. Before leaving, Khweis strategically planned his travel. Using a sophisticated scheme of tradecraft, Khweis purposefully traveled to other countries first before entering Turkey to conceal his final destination. During his travel to the Islamic State, he used numerous encrypted devices to conceal his activity, and downloaded several applications on his phone that featured secure messaging or anonymous web browsing. Khweis used these applications to communicate with ISIS facilitators to coordinate and secure his passage to the Islamic State.
After arriving in Syria, Khweis stayed at a safe house with other ISIS recruits in Raqqa and filled out ISIS intake forms, which included his name, age, skills, specialty before jihad and status as a fighter. When Khweis joined ISIS, he agreed to be a suicide bomber. In February 2017, the U.S. military recovered his intake form, along with an ISIS camp roster that included Khweis’ name with 19 other ISIS fighters.
During the trial, the evidence showed that Khweis spent two and a half months as an ISIS member, traveled with ISIS fighters to multiple safe houses, participated in ISIS-directed religious training, attended ISIS lectures, constantly watched military videos with his fellow ISIS members for inspiration, frequently gave money to ISIS members and was forward deployed to Tal Afar, Iraq, before he was captured. Kurdish Peshmerga military forces detained Khweis in March 2016. A Kurdish Peshmerga official testified at trial that he captured Khweis on the battlefield after Khweis left an ISIS-controlled neighborhood in Tal Afar.
On cross-examination, Khweis admitted he consistently lied to United States and Kurdish officials about his involvement with ISIS, and that he omitted telling U.S. officials about another American who had trained with ISIS to conduct an attack in the United States.
Trial Attorney Raj Parekh of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis Fitzpatrick of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force provided assistance in this case.
Alexandria Man Sentenced for $2.3 Million Investment FraudRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria man was sentenced today to three years in prison for running multiple scams that defrauded investors of over $2.3 million.
According to court documents, Gregg Seitz, 50, recruited investors to invest in a purported real estate opportunities. Investors were told that Seitz and others were involved in purchasing, renovating and reselling distressed real estate for pennies on the dollar, and that the investors’ money would be used to help purchase and “flip” the real estate. Seitz claimed to have experience with large real estate deals and to be earning large returns on his own money from these investments. Later, Seitz found additional investors, who asked to loan money to finance a purported software company, which investors were falsely told had a lucrative contract with U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In fact, there were no real estate deals and there was no lucrative contract with the Department of Homeland Security. Rather, Seitz used new investor money to pay back old investors and finance his own lifestyle. For example, Seitz spent some of the money on luxury cars, mortgage payments on a townhouse in Alexandria, a wine business, travel to Mexico, Italy and the Caribbean, and purchases from high-end retailers. The total loss to investors was over $2.3 million.
In addition to his prison sentence, Seitz was also ordered to forfeit $2.3 million and pay $2.3 million in restitution to his victims.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine L. Wong prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:16-cr-98.
Thursday 26 October 2017
Woman Sentenced to Prison for Stealing Identity of Registered NurseRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Windsor woman was sentenced today to nine years in prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft offenses.
Amanda Porter-Eley, 37, pleaded guilty on July 13. According to court documents, beginning in 2012, Porter-Eley used social security numbers assigned to others to open bank accounts through which she negotiated worthless checks and thereby fraudulently obtained nearly $50,000. Beginning in September 2015, Porter-Eley totally assumed the identity of A.F.P., a registered nurse then residing in New York state. Porter-Eley used A.F.P.’s Virginia registered nursing license to obtain employment as a nursing supervisor, a position she held for nearly six months despite lacking the requisite training and qualifications. In the weeks before she was fired from this position, Porter-Eley began using A.F.P.’s personal identifying information to obtain bank, credit, retail, loan, and mortgage accounts. In total, Porter-Eley opened and attempted to open more than three dozen accounts with over 15 financial institutions and retailers operating in Hampton Roads. Through these accounts, Porter-Eley attempted to obtain more than $450,000 in cash, credit, goods, and services, including at least three vehicles and one residential property. Porter-Eley’s use of A.F.P.’s identity continued until her arrest in September 2016 and caused losses to banks and retailers in excess of $120,000.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Robert B. Wemyss, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Terry L. Sult, Chief of Hampton Police Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin C. Gratton 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. 4:16-cr-89.
Whippoorwill and Pinon Duo Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Terms for Assault, Carjacking, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX– This week, Victoria Lynn Buckinghorse, 25, of Whippoorwill, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 198 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Buckinghorse had previously pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and carjacking. Additionally, Avram Cook, 30, of Pinon, Ariz., was sentenced to 130 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence and assault with a dangerous weapon.
On March 16, 2015, Buckinghorse and Cook assaulted the victim with a shotgun, resulting in the victim’s two fingers being amputated.
On March 29, 2015, Buckinghorse and an unknown male pointed a shotgun at the victim and threatened to shoot her.
On April 15, 2015, Buckinghorse and Cook blocked a road with their vehicle while Cook brandished and pointed a firearm at a family traveling to a family event. As the family was leaving, shots were fired at the vehicle.
Buckinghorse and Cook are enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, as well as the victims.
The investigation in this case was conducted by Navajo Nation Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Kiyoko Patterson, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-15-8206-PCT-JJT; CR-15-8237-PCT-JJT; CR-15-8065-PCT-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2017-106_ Buckinghorse_Cook
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Wanblee Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MarijuanaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Wanblee, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana was sentenced on October 24, 2017, by Chief Judge, Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Keith Lyle Brown, age 36, was sentenced to 36 months in custody, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brown was indicted for Distribution of a Controlled Substance to Person Under Age 21 and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on March 21, 2017. He pled guilty to Count II on June 23, 2017.
On November 4, 2016, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by Brown. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement found marijuana and marijuana based products designed for consumption, which Brown possessed and intended to distribute. At sentencing, the Court found Brown had distributed to juveniles and increased his sentence.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services – Division of Drug Enforcement, and Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Brown was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Veterans Administration Employees Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Steal and Sell Prescription DrugsRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Cody Hiland, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, James W. Werner, Special Agent in Charge of the South Central Field Office of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General (VAOIG), and Anthony Lemons, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock District Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), announced today that Nikita Neal, 43, of Little Rock, a former student trainee at the VA John L. McClellan Memorial Hospital in Little Rock, pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal and distribute the prescription opioid oxycodone. Neal’s co-conspirators, pharmacy technicians Alisha Pagan, 34, of Mabelvale, and Satishkumar “Steve” Patel, 45, of North Little Rock, pleaded guilty to the same charge in August and September, respectively.
United States District Judge J. Leon Holmes accepted Neal’s plea on Thursday. A superseding indictment, returned by a federal grand jury in February 2017, charged the trio with eight counts stemming from a scheme in which the three ordered oxycodone, hydrocodone, Viagra, Cialis, and promethazine syrup with codeine and then diverted the controlled substances from the VA for street distribution.
This investigation began in June 2016, when VAOIG received a report that large amounts of unaccounted-for prescription medications were charged to VA accounts. Patel, a pharmacy technician, used his VA access to a medical supplier’s web portal to order and divert 4,000 oxycodone pills, 3,300 hydrocodone pills, 308 ounces of promethazine with codeine syrup, and more than 14,000 Viagra and Cialis pills, at a cost to the VA of approximately $77,700 dollars, with a street value of more than $160,000. Patel then falsified payment invoices to avoid detection.
During the course of the investigation, which included controlled deliveries of oxycodone at the direction of law enforcement, VAOIG and DEA determined that Patel was distributing the medications to Pagan, also a pharmacy technician, who in turn distributed a portion of the drugs to Neal.
Once Patel ordered the narcotics, he communicated with Pagan via text message to arrange transfer of the drugs to Pagan. After obtaining the drugs, Pagan then delivered the drugs to others, including Neal. Neal in turn passed on the drugs to a street-level distributor.
Pagan pleaded guilty on August 2, 2017, and Patel pleaded guilty on September 28, 2017. All three will be sentenced by Judge Holmes at a later date.
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone is punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment, with a possible fine of up to $1,000,000, and not less than three years of supervised release.
The case against Patel, Pagan, and Neal was investigated by the VAOIG and DEA, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hunter Bridges.
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University City Man Sentenced on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Justin X. Carroll, was sentenced today to 54 months in prison for viewing 15 child porn videos and more than 600 images of children engaged in sex acts.
According to court documents, federal investigators discovered a group of child pornography sharers and were able to identify Carroll as one of the participants by tracing IP addresses to computers at his residence and Washington University, where Carroll served as Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. Washington University has cooperated with the investigation.
Carroll, 67, of University City, pled guilty on July 31, 2017, to one felony count of access with intent to view child pornography.
This case was investigated U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant United States Attorney Rob Livergood is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
U.S. Attorney’s Office urges public to participate in Drug Take-Back driveRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, LAFAYETTE, MONROE, ALEXANDRIA, LAKE CHARLES, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook urges the public to discard unused prescription drugs this weekend at area collection sites during Drug Take-Back Day.
On Saturday, October 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Drug Enforcement Administration and local law enforcement agencies across the Western District of Louisiana will give the public its 14th opportunity in seven years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Last April, Americans turned in 450 tons (900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,500 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 13 previous Take-Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in more than 8.1 million pounds—more than 4,050 tons—of pills.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses because of these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.
The DEA will have collection sites across the country on Saturday, October 28, for those who are interested in bringing their unused or expired prescription drugs for proper disposal. Only pills and other solids, like patches, can be brought to the collection sites – liquids and needles or other sharp objects will not be accepted. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Prescription drugs can be dropped off from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., October 28, at:
Shreveport
- Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff’s Safety Town in the parking lot of Summer Grove Baptist Church, 8910 Jewella Ave.
Bossier City
- Louisiana State Police Troop G office, 5300 Industrial Drive
Monroe
- Louisiana State Police Troop F office, 1240 Highway 594
- Brookshire’s Food & Pharmacy, 1801 North 18th St.
- Brookshire’s Food & Pharmacy, 4070 Highway 165
- Super One, 2810 Louisville Ave.
Alexandria
- Louisiana State Police Troop E office, 1710 Odom St.
- Alexandria Police Department, 1000 Bolton Ave.
Lafayette
- Louisiana State Police Troop I office, 121 E. Pont Des Mouton Road
- Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, 1825 W. Willow Street
Broussard
- Broussard Police Department at Walgreen’s parking lot, 105 St. Nazaire St.
Lake Charles
- Lake Charles Police Department at 900 Lake Short Drive (Civic Center)
- Louisiana State Police Troop D office, 805 Main St.
Morgan City
- Walgreens, 815 Brashear Ave.
- Walmart Neighborhood Market parking lot, 1002 La.-70
- Walmart Super Center, 973 Highway 90-East
The public can also find other nearby collection sites by visiting the DEA Diversion website or call 800-882-9539.
U.s. Attorney’s Office and DEA Announce National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Collection SitesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Charleston Regional Office announced today the location of collection sites for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The event provides safe venues for West Virginians to responsibly dispose of prescription drugs. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is on Saturday, October 28, 2017, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Anyone can properly dispose of prescription medication by visiting one of several conveniently located collection sites throughout West Virginia.
“People often ask what they can do to help the fight against the opioid epidemic, and Prescription Drug Take Back Day provides one of the most effective ways to keep dangerous opiate painkillers off the streets,” stated United States Attorney Carol Casto. “Take the time to become part of the solution - go through your medicine cabinets or wherever your prescriptions are kept and use this program to safely dispose of unused and expired medication. A few minutes taking part in this initiative can make a significant difference in cutting off the supply of opioids and combating the drug crisis.”
“The National Take Back Day is an opportunity for the community to empty their medicine cabinets of unwanted or unused medications,” stated Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Gourley of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Charleston District Office. “We are seeing a lot of medication being diverted from legitimate use to illicit use. This is one of the reasons that is driving the drug problems we see today.”
Nearby collection sites can be found by visiting www.dea.gov, clicking on the “Take-Back Site Locations” icon, and searching by zip code, county, city, and state. Another option for locating collection sites is to call 800-882-9539. West Virginians have the option of visiting nearly 100 sites throughout the state to dispose of prescription drugs. Only pills and other solids, such as patches, can be brought to collection sites – liquids, needles, or other sharps will not be accepted.
Two Superseding Indictments Charge Six in Lawrence Federal Drug Sweep with Additional OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Six defendants involved in a May 2017 federal drug sweep in Lawrence were charged yesterday in federal court in Boston with additional drug and firearms offenses.
The individuals were arrested in May 2017 along with approximately 25 co-defendants. After a year-long investigation aimed at attacking the fentanyl and heroin crisis in Lawrence and surrounding areas, more than 200 federal, state and local law enforcement officers conducted a drug sweep to dismantle two Lawrence-based drug trafficking organizations; one allegedly run by Juan Anibal Patrone, and another allegedly led by Santo Ramon Gonzalez-Nival, who was also a source of supply for Patrone. The separate superseding indictments pertain to the two drug trafficking organizations.
Two members of the Patrone organization were charged with additional offenses. Juan Anibal Patrone, 27, and Josuel Moises Patrone Gonzalez, 22, both dual Dominican and Italian citizens, were each charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and 400 grams or greater of fentanyl. Juan Anibal Patrone was also charged with one count of being an alien in possession of a firearm. During a search of Juan Anibal Patrone’s home, agents found a 10mm Auto-Ordnance Corp, loaded with a magazine containing six 10mm rounds of ammunition.
Four members of the Gonzalez-Nival organization were charged with additional offenses. Ramon Gonzalez Nival, 40, and Julio Baez Gonzalez, 34, both Dominican nationals, were each charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and 400 grams or greater of fentanyl. Baez Gonzalez, who was previously charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm, is charged with an additional count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Bernaldo Rosario Santiago, 25, of Lowell, and Diosmary Burgos, 39, a Dominican national, were each charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and 40 grams or greater of fentanyl.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or greater of fentanyl provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $20 million. The charge of conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or greater of fentanyl provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, a minimum of four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $5 million. The charge of being an alien in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of using a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a minimum sentence of five years in prison to be served consecutive to any sentence imposed for additional charges.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Michal J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. The DEA Cross Border Initiative comprised of the DEA and the Andover, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, and Wilmington Police Departments, conducted the investigation jointly with the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Winkler of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the cases.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Men Admit Roles in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – Two men today admitted their respective roles in an international drug trafficking organization, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Wilson Madrid, 31, of Norcross, Georgia, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with conspiracy to launder money. Dany Francisco-Valerio, 44, of Bronx, New York, pleaded guilty before Judge Sheridan to an information charging him with conspiracy to distribute heroin.
According to documents filed in these and other cases and statements made in court:
From June 2014 through November 2014, Madrid conspired with other members of an international drug trafficking organization, with cells operating in New Jersey, to launder more than $150,000 related to the distribution of heroin. In December 2014, Francisco-Valerio conspired with members of the drug trafficking organization to transport and distribute kilogram quantities of heroin. On Dec. 24, 2014, he was arrested while transporting 15 kilograms of heroin contained in a hidden compartment in his vehicle.
One of their conspirators, Henry Zamora, pleaded guilty before Judge Sheridan on Aug. 31, 2017, to conspiring to distribute four kilograms of heroin that were recovered from a hidden compartment in Zamora’s vehicle. Another conspirator, Harry Madrid, pleaded guilty before Judge Sheridan on Sept. 7, 2017, to conspiring to launder more than $150,000 on behalf of the drug trafficking organization.
The money laundering charge to which Madrid pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 30, 2018.
The narcotics charge to which Francisco-Valerio pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 31, 2018.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Carl J. Kotowski, officers of the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Col. Joseph R. Fuentes, and officers from the DeKalb (Illinois) Police Department, under the direction of Chief Gene Lowrey, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty pleas.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Kearney and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamari Buxton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Organized Crime/Gangs Unit in Newark.
Defense counsel:
Madrid: Mark Davis Esq., Hamilton, New Jersey
Francisco-Valerio John D. Lynch Esq., Jersey City, New Jersey
Two Cleveland residents sentenced to prison after stealing identities to defraud bank out of $76,000Read the Press Release
Two Cleveland residents were sentenced to prison for defrauding a bank out of at least $76,000 by using fake identities, said U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman.
Delon Roberson, 26, was sentenced to nearly four years in prison while Shameka Roberson, 27, was sentenced to more than three years in prison. Both were ordered to pay $765,399 in restitution to Key Bank.
Both were previously found guilty of one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Delon Roberson used the social media site Facebook to recruit numerous local individuals to open accounts or turn over their bank ATM or debit cards and PINs. Delon Roberson and Shameka Roberson then caused the deposit of at least 138 fraudulent checks totaling more than $159,000 into the bank accounts of the recruited individuals. Approximately $76,399 was later withdrawn from the accounts through ATM transactions and debit card purchases between May 2015 and April 2016, according to court documents.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert W. Kern and Megan R. Miller following and investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Financial Fraud and Identity Theft Task Force. This case specifically involved the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department, the Cleveland Heights Police Department and the Cleveland Division of Police.
Texas man pleads guilty to heroin distributionRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a man from Texas pleaded guilty Tuesday to drug distribution charges after heroin was found in his car battery.
Jose Alonzo Hernandez, 42, of Brownsville, Texas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. According to the guilty plea, a state trooper conducted a traffic stop on Hernandez’s car March 16, 2017 on Interstate 20 in Bossier Parish. The trooper conducted a search of the vehicle and found approximately 3.35 kilograms of heroin hidden inside the car’s battery.
Hernandez faces 10 years to life in prison, five years to life of supervised release and a $10 million fine. The court set a February 23, 2018 sentencing date.
The DEA and Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields is prosecuting the case.
Streetsboro man indicted for child pornography violationsRead the Press Release
Lawrence Michael Lynde, 49, of Streetsboro, was indicted on charges of with receiving and distributing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and possessing child pornography, said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman.
The conduct took place between October 2014 and December 2015, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian McDonough and Danielle Angeli following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
South Bend Man Charged with Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – The United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, Thomas L. Kirsch II, announced that Lawrence Holley, age 45, of South Bend, Indiana was charged with possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine; possession with intent to deliver heroin; possession with intent to deliver cocaine; felon in possession of a firearm; and armed drug trafficking.
The affidavit supporting the complaint alleges that investigators obtained and executed a search warrant for a house in St. Joseph County. During that search, agents located narcotics and ammunition. In October, agents observed Lawrence Holley driving a pickup truck. Holley had outstanding warrants, so police stopped the truck. Inside the truck agents found approximately 2 pounds of crystal methamphetamine (“ice”), quantities of heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, and a loaded handgun. Mr. Holley was also searched, and agents recovered additional quantities of a crystal substance that tested positive for methamphetamine.
Holley’s detention hearing is scheduled for Friday, October 27, 2017, at 2:00 pm before the United States Magistrate Judge for the South Bend Division.
The United States Attorney’s office emphasizes that a Complaint is merely an allegation and that all persons are presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, 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 complaint results from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Elkhart Police; the Indiana State Police; the Mishawaka Police; the South Bend Police; the St. Joseph County Police and the St. Joseph County Drug Investigations Unit. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
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Sioux City AUSA Returns from Year in AfghanistanRead the Press Release
A federal prosecutor who spent a year in Afghanistan as the Justice Attaché and a Special Deputy United States Marshal returned to his duties today as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in Sioux City, Iowa.
AUSA Forde Fairchild, was detailed from the Northern District of Iowa to the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, then deployed forward as the Justice Attaché for Afghanistan. Fairchild is the second prosecutor from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa to serve in Afghanistan since the beginning of Operation Resolute Support, a 2015 U.S. led NATO mission, which began after transitioning from the International Security Assistance Force, which was created in accordance with the Bonn Conference in December 2001 shortly after the fall of the Taliban. Major General Patrick Reinert, U.S. Army Reserve, also a federal prosecutor from the Northern District of Iowa, served, in uniform from May of 2013, through October of 2014, as the commander of the Rule of Law Field Force and Combined Joint Interagency Task Force 435.
United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. stated, “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa is very proud of Forde.” Deegan added, “Forde made tremendous sacrifices in supporting law enforcement efforts in a dangerous and troubled part of the world. His dedication to justice is clear from his work in Afghanistan and his outstanding work as an AUSA prosecuting some of the most dangerous and violent criminals in Iowa.”
The Office of the Justice Attaché at the United States Embassy in Kabul is the United States Attorney General's representative in Afghanistan. It coordinates all U.S. civilian law enforcement efforts in Afghanistan with DOJ components in the United States, and aids in the investigation of crimes being considered for extraterritorial prosecution in the United States. It also serves as a close partner of the U.S. interagency community including the U.S. Armed Forces, Afghanistan and U.S. Departments of State, and is part of the U.S. Embassy’s Country Team and its Small Group Leadership team. The Office of Justice Attaché’s efforts are designed to aid the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in its efforts to build its capacity to aggressively investigate and prosecute terrorism, narcotics, corruption, and other major criminal offenses in a transparent, just, and timely manner consistent with its laws and consistent with international standards of justice.
Fairchild's work as the leader of the Office of the Justice Attache regularly took him outside the relative safety of the International Zone. Careful security preparations were necessary for each of these trips, but by getting out into the field, Fairchild forged strong partnerships with Afghan law enforcement professionals, including the Attorney General of Afghanistan. These strong partnerships were critical in assisting the Afghans in their counter-insurgency law enforcement efforts. Fairchild’s efforts in this regard included working closely with the Afghan Chief Justice, Sayed Yousuf Halim. Fairchild built close ties with the U.S.'s international partners including the United Nations, NATO, and the governments of Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, among others.
Shillington, PA Man Receives 42 Months Prison for Mail FraudRead the Press Release
Mark Vega, 35, of Shillington, Pennsylvania was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for Mail Fraud, submitting false claims to the United States, and Aggravated Identity Theft, announced Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen. According to the indictment, Vega obtained stolen identities and used the names, dates of birth, and social security numbers of these victims to apply for credit cards. According to the indictment, Vega also had himself added as an authorized user on these credit card accounts. Vega also used stolen identities to file false tax returns claiming refunds in the names of those stolen identities.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, United States District Judge Edward G. Smith sentenced Vega to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $162,261.13 in restitution.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Cumru Township Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Ignall
Sentencings for October 25 & 26, 2017Read the Press Release
Bill Frank Blanchard, 53, of Escondido, California, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on October 26, 2017, for manufacturing counterfeit obligations. Blanchard was arrested in Laramie, Wyoming. He received 37 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $80.00 in restitution and a $100.00 special assessment. This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service.
Mario Thomas Escajeda, 48, of Littleton, Colorado, was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on October 25, 2017, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Escajeda was arrested in Colorado. He received 70 months of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment. This case was investigated by the Cheyenne Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Scranton Woman Sentenced for Role in Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that on October 24, 2017, United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Magdalena Alvarez, age 55, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, to six months home confinement for her role in a drug conspiracy.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brander, Alvarez pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute approximately 30 grams of heroin and 30 grams of cocaine throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania between February and April 2016. This amount of drugs equates to approximately 1,200 personal doses of heroin.
Alvarez was indicted by a grand jury on October 25, 2016, and pleaded guilty pursuant to a plea agreement on January 24, 2017.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre Police Departments conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Evan Gotlob and Sean Camoni prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Scranton Man Sentenced to over 12 Years’ Imprisonment for Role in Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that on October 25, 2017, United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Louis Bracey, age 41, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, to 151 months’ imprisonment for his role in a drug conspiracy.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brander, Bracey pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute heroin and crack cocaine throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania between February and April of 2016.
Bracey was indicted by a grand jury on October 25, 2016, and pleaded guilty pursuant to a plea agreement on January 10, 2017.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre Police Departments conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Evan Gotlob and Sean Camoni prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Scranton Man Charged with Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Dickson Gutierrez, age 41, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was indicted on October 24, 2017, by a federal grand jury for cocaine trafficking offenses.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment charges Gutierrez with two counts of distributing cocaine on August 18 and 25, 2017, and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine on August 31, 2017.
The government is also seeking forfeiture of approximately $10,275 in cash.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Scranton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Saturday’s Prescription Drug Take-Back Good Way to Fight Public Health Emergency of Opioid AbuseRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM –Today’s declaration by President Donald Trump that America’s opioid crisis is a public health emergency underscores the importance of the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, said U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s biannual event offers the public a convenient, anonymous way to properly dispose of potentially dangerous expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs, thereby preventing their misuse and protecting the environment from contamination that can result from flushing drugs down the toilet or throwing them in the trash.
“The number of individuals whose path to addiction began with prescription pills is staggering,” Town said. “Today, the president formally recognized what he and so many others have known for too long…that this country’s abuse and addiction to opioids is a public health emergency. This is evidenced by the sad reality that nearly 100 people in America die every day from opioid overdose. The easiest and most effective thing we all can do to protect our loved ones from prescription drug abuse, opioid addiction, and even potential progression to heroin use, is to clean out our medicine cabinets and drop those drugs off for proper disposal,” he said.
“Last April, Alabamians turned in more 6,200 pounds of prescription drugs at more than 70 sites operated by the DEA and our state and local law enforcement partners,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bret Hamilton. “We hope that this Take-Back will be just as successful and will help rid our community of these deadly drugs.”
The Take-Back will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at thousands of collection sites across the country, including more than 30 in the Northern District of Alabama. To locate a collection site near you, go to the DEA Prescription Drug Take-Back Day website at https://takebackday.dea.gov/#collection-locator where you can search by zip code, city or state.
The site lists eight drop-off locations in the Birmingham area, including the Hoover and Vestavia Hills police departments, Fultondale Fire Station No. 2, Greystone YMCA, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department at 2651 Center Point Road, Bessemer Police Department Emergency Operations Center at 651 9th Ave. SW, and the Alabama Board of Pharmacy at 111 Village St.
Huntsville-area locations include the Fox Army Health Center and the Army Air Force Exchange Service's Mail Post Exchange Building.
If this weekend is not convenient, there also are permanent, secure prescription drop-off sites in the metro Birmingham area. Locations include 24-hour Walgreens Pharmacies in Hoover, Roebuck and Bessemer, and some police and fire departments. To find a location near you, follow this link: http://www.rxdropbox.com/.
On the DEA’s Take-Back Day in April, Americans turned in 450 tons (900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,500 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 13 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in more than 8.1 million pounds – more than 4,050 tons – of pills. DEA cannot accept liquids, needles, or sharps, only pills or patches. The disposal service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. Some painkiller abusers move on to heroin: four out of five new heroin users started with painkillers.
The Take-Back initiative addresses the public safety and public health issues that surround medications languishing in home cabinets, becoming highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse.
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Sacramento Couple Indicted for Naturalization Fraud and Other Crimes Related to Fraudulent Use of U.S. Citizen’s IdentityRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment today against Gustavo Araujo Lerma, 62, and his wife Maria Eva Velez, 64, both of Sacramento, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Araujo is charged with aggravated identity theft, passport fraud, conspiracy to commit unlawful procurement of naturalization and citizenship, and five counts of voting by an alien. Velez is charged with conspiring to commit unlawful procurement of citizenship and unlawful procurement of citizenship.
According to court documents, Araujo committed passport fraud by applying for U.S. passports in the assumed identity of “Hiram Enrique Velez,” a now deceased U.S. citizen whose identity Araujo fraudulently used for over 25 years. Araujo allegedly used the false identity to commit various other offenses, including conspiring to obtain legal permanent resident status and ultimately U.S. citizenship for Velez, his wife. Although he and Velez had previously married in Mexico, they married again in Los Angeles in 1992 using Araujo’s fraudulent U.S. citizen identity, which allowed Velez to illegally obtain status as the purported wife of a U.S. citizen. Araujo also committed illegal alien voting by using the identity of Hiram Velez in numerous federal, state and local elections, including the five charged in the indictment. Araujo’s false representations concerning his citizenship in connection with his voting activity forms the basis for the aggravated identity theft count alleged in the indictment.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine T. Lydon is prosecuting the case.
Araujo's initial appearance on a criminal complaint was on October 16, 2017, and he will be arraigned on the indictment on October 30 2017.
If convicted, Araujo faces a maximum statutory penalty of fifteen years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Velez faces a maximum statutory penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rootstown man charged with child pornography violationsRead the Press Release
Christopher T. Fowler, 47, of Rootstown Township, was charged with receiving, distributing and possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.
Fowler knowingly received and distributed numerous computer files which contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. This took place between June and December 2016, according to the indictment
Fowler also possessed three micro-SD cards, each of which contained child pornography, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Sullivan.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rochester Man Sentenced to 25 Years on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051
ROCHESTER, N.Y.—Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Allan Watson, 36, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced to 25 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The defendant was also ordered to forfeit two firearms and rounds of ammunition seized at the time of his arrest.Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Marangola, who handled the case, stated that shortly after midnight on July 14, 2016, Rochester Police Department officers responded to a motor vehicle crash near the intersection of Hollenbeck Street and Belfour Drive in Rochester. During the crash investigation, officers directed Watson out of an SUV and, after a brief struggle with police, he was taken into custody. At that time, defendant had a loaded 9mm pistol, crack cocaine, and heroin packaged for street sale, as well as over $3,899 in cash.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict, and the United States Marshal Service, under the direction of Charles Salina.
Report to IRS Whistleblower Program Leads to Guilty Plea from L.A. Man who Failed to Report to IRS over $3 Million in Overseas IncomeRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A West Los Angeles resident who earned more than $3 million over a three-year period while working in Dubai has pleaded guilty to a federal tax evasion charge for failing to report this income to the Internal Revenue Service.
Fallah Alfallah, 49, who resides in the City of Los Angeles adjacent to Beverly Hills, pleaded guilty to the felony offense yesterday afternoon before United States District Judge Dolly M. Gee.
According to a plea agreement filed in this case, Alfallah is a naturalized United States citizen who lived in Dubai during the years 2008 through 2010 while working as an investment advisor for the Bahrain-based Unicorn Investment Bank. Alfallah admitted that his salary and bonuses totaled $1,512,557 in 2008, $830,691 in 2009, and $658,794 in 2010.
Although he earned more than $3 million during those three years and despite being advised by his tax preparer that he had a legal obligation to report his overseas income to the IRS, Alfallah did not file income tax returns with the IRS. By pleading guilty, Alfallah admitted that he intended to avoid paying taxes on this income and took affirmative steps to evade the tax due for those three years.
As a result of Alfallah’s conduct, the government sustained losses of $933,492.
Alfallah pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion related to his unpaid taxes for 2009.
The investigation into Alfallah was conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation, which received a tip through the IRS Whistleblower Program, which offers compensation to individuals who “blow the whistle” on people who fail to pay the taxes that they owe.
Alfallah is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Gee on February 7, 2018. The statutory maximum sentence he can receive is five years in federal prison. Alfallah has agreed to pay restitution of $933,492 to the IRS.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Charles Parker and Robert F. Conte of the Tax Division.
Relocation of Premerger and Division Statistics Unit, Antitrust DivisionRead the Press Release
The Antitrust Division’s Premerger and Division Statistics Unit is relocating to the Liberty Square Building, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., on Monday, November 27, 2017. The Premerger and Division Statistics Unit accepts and processes Hart-Scott-Rodino Premerger & Report Forms for the Antitrust Division.
As of Monday, November 27, 2017, the mailing address for the Premerger and Division Statistics Unit is:
Department of Justice
Antitrust Division
Premerger and Division Statistics Unit
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20530-0001Hand deliveries will be processed through security stationed at the loading dock entrance on Sixth Street, between D Street and E Street.
Hart-Scott-Rodino Premerger Notification & Report Forms and other materials will continue to be accepted at the Main Justice Building, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., until 5:00 p.m. Friday, November 24.
All telephone numbers and email addresses for the Premerger and Division Statistics Unit will remain the same. For further information, please call (202) 514-2558.
Registered Sex Offender Charged with Attempted Coercion of A MinorRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Shane Kainoa Kelly, 45, of Tracy, charging him with attempted online coercion of a minor to engage in sexual activity and the commission of an offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Kelly responded to a personal advertisement on Backpage.com and began conversing with an individual he believed to be 15 years old via text. Kelly discussed sexual activity with the individual, sent her multiple photographs and arranged to meet her when her mother was purportedly not at home. Unbeknownst to Kelly, the individual with whom he conversed was actually a law enforcement agent.
This case was the product of an investigation by U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Manteca Police Department Investigations Division, and San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Amy Schuller Hitchcock is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Kelly faces a mandatory statutory minimum of 20 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison, as well as a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety.
Rapid City Man Resentenced for Failing to Pay TaxesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Collect and Pay Over Tax was resentenced on October 25, 2017, by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court. The Defendant was charged on January 30, 2017, and pleaded guilty on February 12, 2017.
Kenneth E. Orrock, age 48, was sentenced to five years probation. He was further ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crimes Victims Fund, and $280,257.72 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, with restitution to be paid in monthly payments of $1,000.
The Court originally sentenced Orrock on August 30, 2017, to 12 months of imprisonment, with the sentence to be served on weekends, followed by three years of supervised release. On October 3, 2017, the Court vacated the original sentence, concluding that the sentence to weekend imprisonment was not authorized under federal law and was, therefore, illegal.
During the years 2011 through 2015, Orrock was the sole member of Black Hills Asset Protection Group, LLC, a limited liability company located in Rapid City that offers security-related services in western South Dakota under the trade name “Black Hills Patrol.”
During the same period, Orrock withheld taxes from his employees’ wages, including federal income tax, social security, and Medicare taxes for employees of Black Hills Patrol, and willfully failed to pay over those taxes to the United States. Orrock also willfully failed to pay the employer’s portion of taxes on wages paid to employees during the same period. Rather than paying over the taxes, Orrock used a portion of the withholdings for his own personal use.
Orrock, who was a licensed attorney until recently, served as the Bennett County State’s Attorney until January 2017.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
RBS Securities Inc. Agrees to Pay $35 Million Penalty Related to Securities Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Christy Goldsmith Romero, Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP), and Patricia M. Ferrick, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that global securities firm RBS Securities Inc. and the U.S. Attorney’s Office have entered into a non-prosecution agreement relating to RBS’s fraudulent trading through its now-defunct U.S. Asset-Backed Securities, Mortgage-Backed Securities and Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities Trading group. As part of this agreement, RBS will pay a monetary penalty of $35 million and pay more than $9 million of restitution to victim customers, which include firms affiliated with recipients of federal bailout funds through the Troubled Asset Relief Program.
The government’s investigation revealed that RBS – principally from its trading floor in Stamford, Connecticut – perpetrated a scheme from 2008 to 2013 to defraud its customers in trades of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) and collateralized loan obligations (CLOs). The purpose and effect of RBS’s fraud was to increase its profits on RMBS and CLO trades at the expense of victim customers. RBS conducted this scheme by, through and with its employees, who acted with the knowledge, encouragement and participation of RBS supervisors or its compliance-related personnel.
RBS conducted its scheme in various ways. First, RBS misrepresented material facts to deceive and cheat its customers in trades. For instance, in certain transactions, RBS lied to the buyer about the seller’s asking price (or vice versa), keeping the difference between the price paid by the buyer and the price paid to the seller for RBS. In other transactions, RBS misrepresented to the buyer that bonds held in RBS’s inventory were being offered for sale by a fictitious third-party seller, which allowed RBS to charge the buyer an extra, unearned commission. Second, RBS instructed its RMBS and CLO traders in, and caused them to use, fraudulent trading practices. Third, RBS lied to victims who detected or suspected that they had been the victims of fraud. Fourth, RBS ignored or refused to act on complaints by its own employees who were not part of the scheme. Fifth, RBS used its purportedly independent proprietary trading operation, known as its “prop desk,” as an arm of its RMBS and CLO trading desk in order to deceive rival broker-dealers in trades, including by allowing its RMBS and CLO traders to direct the prop desk’s negotiations in the sale of bonds. Finally, RBS concealed its fraudulent conduct from its customers, and from its own employees who were not participants in the scheme, in order to prevent or delay discovery.
“For years, RBS fostered a culture of securities fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Daly. “Those in a position of authority taught and encouraged fraudulent trading practices. Worse, those supervisors and compliance personnel then took steps to prevent victims and honest RBS employees from discovering and exposing the scheme. After our joint investigation into fixed income trading began, RBS saw the error of its ways. RBS was able to avoid criminal charges in this case only because of its voluntary self-reporting and extraordinary cooperative efforts. By entering into this agreement, RBS has admitted the seriousness of its past criminal conduct and made a clean break. This is another step in our continuing joint effort to make clear to broker-dealers that lying to customers to increase profits is a crime, and that only by rooting out and reporting such misconduct on their own trading floors can they avoid significant criminal liability. We thank SIGTARP and Connecticut FBI for their excellent work on this important case.”
“This investigation uncovered that RBS officials committed a long-running scheme to increase profits by defrauding customers, including TARP banks,” said Christy Goldsmith Romero, Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program. “I applaud RBS's prompt decision to cooperate fully with SIGTARP’s investigation that, in addition to this settlement, helped lead to the convictions of an RBS trader and an RBS supervisor. RBS’s cooperation in SIGTARP’s investigation and subsequent actions to right this wrong are the correct response when federal law enforcement shows up. U.S. Attorney Deirdre Daly has my deep gratitude as she and her team have stood steadfast with SIGTARP as a leader in fighting RMBS crime related to TARP.”
“It is incredibly troubling that RBS supervisors participated in and encouraged lower level employees to commit securities fraud, then took steps to prevent honest employees from reporting their concerns,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Ferrick. “Had RBS not decided to self-report and cooperate, it would have faced much harsher consequences for its egregious criminal conduct. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, SIGTARP and the FBI have forged a formidable partnership in our investigation into fraud in the RMBS and related markets.”
Under the terms of the non-prosecution agreement, which was entered into on October 25, 2017, RBS agreed to pay a penalty of $35 million and make restitution to victims of at least $9,091,317.14. This resolution takes into account RBS’s voluntary self-reporting, extensive and continuing commitment to cooperate, acceptance of responsibility for its and its employees’ conduct, and remediation efforts. The U.S. Attorney’s Office did not require RBS to retain an independent consultant to assess and improve RBS’s compliance and ethics program because RBS’s U.S. Asset-Backed Securities, Mortgage-Backed Securities and Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities Trading group substantially ceased operations in March 2015 and RBS has already taken steps to reasonably prevent and detect further fraud.
The agreement announced today addresses only the corporate criminal liability of RBS Securities Inc., not potential criminal charges for any individual. The criminal investigation of individuals associated with RBS’s trading activities remains open.
On March 11, 2015, Matthew Katke, a registered broker-dealer and managing director at RBS, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and began cooperating with the government. On December 21, 2015, Adam Siegel, the Co-Head of U.S. Asset-Backed Securities, Mortgage-Backed Securities and Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities Trading at RBS, pleaded guilty to the same charge and also began cooperating.
This matter is being investigated by the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Francis and Heather Cherry.
This case received support from the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, a federal and state law enforcement effort focused on investigating and prosecuting significant financial crimes and on recovering proceeds for victims of financial crimes.
rbs_securities_npa.pdfPocatello Pair Plead Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Lataya Anderson and Matthew Toombs, of Pocatello, pleaded guilty this week to possession of a methamphetamine with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Anderson and Toombs were indicted by a federal grand jury in Pocatello on May 24, 2017.
According to court records, in March of this year, Anderson and Toombs sold just over 14 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant working with police investigators.
On April 27, 2017, Anderson and Toombs were arrested in Pocatello by the Idaho State Police Anderson had a vial containing approximately 3 grams of methamphetamine in her pocket. In Anderson and Toombs’ vehicle, police found 23 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale with residue, a Phoenix Arms .22 caliber handgun, a drug ledger, approximately 2.8 grams of marijuana, small clean plastic baggies and a glass drug pipe.
The charge for possession of a methamphetamine with intent to distribute is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1,000,000 and at least three years of supervised release.
Sentencing is set for January 18, 2018, before U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.
The case was investigated through the combined efforts of the Bannock County Prosecutor’s Office, the Idaho State Police and the Eastern Idaho Partnership. The Eastern Idaho Partnership is a collaborative effort among local communities, law enforcement, the State of Idaho, and the U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho. The Partners combine efforts to fund and support a Special Assistant United States Attorney, or “SAUSA.” The SAUSA, Bryan Wheat, works with local prosecutors and law enforcement to prosecute serious local crimes in federal court. The Partnership focuses its efforts on regional drug trafficking, gun and gang violence, internet based crimes against children, and other serious crimes with a federal nexus that affect the southeast Idaho region.
Pittsburgh-Area Doctor Charged with Unlawfully Distributing OpioidsRead the Press Release
A suburban Pittsburgh physician has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of conspiracy and unlawfully distributing controlled substances, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today. The indictment of Andrzej Kazimierz Zielke, 62, is the first since Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the formation of the Opioid and Abuse Detection Unit, a Department of Justice initiative that uses data to target and prosecute individuals that are contributing to the nation’s opioid crisis.
“Today we are facing the worst drug crisis in American history, with one American dying of a drug overdose every nine minutes,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “An unprecedented crisis like this one demands an unprecedented response—and that’s why President Trump has made this a top priority for this administration," Sessions said. "This summer, I designated a dozen of our top federal prosecutors to focus solely on the problem of opioid-related health care fraud in places where the epidemic was at its worst--including Western Pennsylvania. These cases take on the supply of drugs and stop fraudsters from exploiting people suffering from addiction. Today, as President Trump unveils his plan to fight the opioid epidemic, we have filed the first charges by these prosecutors. We will file many more charges in the months to come—because the Department of Justice will be relentless in hunting down drug dealers and turning the tide of this epidemic.”
“Western Pennsylvania is experiencing some of the highest rates of overdose deaths in the nation,” added Acting U.S. Attorney Song. “In response, we in law enforcement aggressively target drug traffickers – both those who distribute on the street, and those who traffic under the guise of physicians writing excessive prescriptions.”
“Opioid-related health care fraud is a serious problem facing the Western Pennsylvania area today,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Johnson. “Doctors who betray their trust and authority for their own financial gain by prescribing Schedule II narcotics for purposes other than medical reasons are contributing to our nation’s opioid crisis. This indictment is indicative of the FBI’s intent to employ substantial resources to combat this national epidemic. The FBI Pittsburgh Division will continue to work with our law enforcement partners in a unified effort to address the local effects of this national trend.”
According to the 14-count indictment that was returned on October 24, Zielke is a medical doctor who owned and operated Medical Frontiers, which advertised as a holistic pain management practice, located in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania. The indictment alleges that on 13 occasions Zielke prescribed Schedule II narcotics - Oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine sulfate and methadone – outside the usual course of professional practice and not for legitimate medical purpose. The indictment also alleges that Zielke conspired with others to distribute Schedule II narcotics. On October 5, Zielke was arrested on a criminal complaint. The complaint alleges that Dr. Zielke engaged in a pattern of illegally prescribing opioid painkillers to patients with no legitimate medical purpose and without examination, evaluation or testing.
According to the criminal complaint:
Agents began investigating his practice based on information they received that Dr. Zielke was writing a large number of oxycodone prescriptions for people residing in the McKeesport, Pennsylvania area, and that some of these pills were being obtained by a narcotics dealer.
According to accounts of former employees and patients, Dr. Zielke charged approximately $250 cash for office visits and many of his patients traveled long distances to see him.
On October 11, 2017, the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine issued a Temporary Suspension of Dr. Zielke’s license to practice medicine and surgery.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1 million, or both, for each count of the indictment. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation, conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.Pittsburgh-Area Doctor Charged with Unlawfully Distributing OpioidsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A suburban Pittsburgh physician has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of conspiracy and unlawfully distributing controlled substances, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today. The indictment of Andrzej Kazimierz Zielke, 62, is the first since Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the formation of the Opioid and Abuse Detection Unit, a Department of Justice initiative that uses data to target and prosecute individuals that are contributing to the nation’s opioid crisis.
“Today we are facing the worst drug crisis in American history, with one American dying of a drug overdose every nine minutes,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “An unprecedented crisis like this one demands an unprecedented response—and that’s why President Trump has made this a top priority for this administration," Sessions said. "This summer, I designated a dozen of our top federal prosecutors to focus solely on the problem of opioid-related health care fraud in places where the epidemic was at its worst--including Western Pennsylvania. These cases take on the supply of drugs and stop fraudsters from exploiting people suffering from addiction. Today, as President Trump unveils his plan to fight the opioid epidemic, we have filed the first charges by these prosecutors. We will file many more charges in the months to come—because the Department of Justice will be relentless in hunting down drug dealers and turning the tide of this epidemic.”
“Western Pennsylvania is experiencing some of the highest rates of overdose deaths in the nation,” added Acting U.S. Attorney Song. “In response, we in law enforcement aggressively target drug traffickers – both those who distribute on the street, and those who traffic under the guise of physicians writing excessive prescriptions.”
“Opioid-related health care fraud is a serious problem facing the Western Pennsylvania area today,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Johnson. “Doctors who betray their trust and authority for their own financial gain by prescribing Schedule II narcotics for purposes other than medical reasons are contributing to our nation’s opioid crisis. This indictment is indicative of the FBI’s intent to employ substantial resources to combat this national epidemic. The FBI Pittsburgh Division will continue to work with our law enforcement partners in a unified effort to address the local effects of this national trend.”
According to the 14-count indictment that was returned on October 24, Zielke is a medical doctor who owned and operated Medical Frontiers, which advertised as a holistic pain management practice, located in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania. The indictment alleges that on 13 occasions Zielke prescribed Schedule II narcotics - Oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine sulfate and methadone – outside the usual course of professional practice and not for legitimate medical purpose. The indictment also alleges that Zielke conspired with others to distribute Schedule II narcotics. On October 5, Zielke was arrested on a criminal complaint. The complaint alleges that Dr. Zielke engaged in a pattern of illegally prescribing opioid painkillers to patients with no legitimate medical purpose and without examination, evaluation or testing.
According to the criminal complaint:
Agents began investigating his practice based on information they received that Dr. Zielke was writing a large number of oxycodone prescriptions for people residing in the McKeesport, Pennsylvania area, and that some of these pills were being obtained by a narcotics dealer.
According to accounts of former employees and patients, Dr. Zielke charged approximately $250 cash for office visits and many of his patients traveled long distances to see him.
On October 11, 2017, the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine issued a Temporary Suspension of Dr. Zielke’s license to practice medicine and surgery.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1 million, or both, for each count of the indictment. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation, conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.Opening Statement by U.S. Attorney R. Trent Shores before the Senate Committee on Indian AffairsRead the Press Release
Chairman Hoeven, Vice-Chairman Udall, and Members of the Committee:
Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today about three important bills pertaining to critical justice issues in Indian Country: S. 1870, Securing Urgent Resources Vital to Indian Victim Empowerment Act 2017; S. 1953, Reauthorization of the Tribal and Law Order Act of 2010; and S. 1942, “Savanna’s Act.” It is truly an honor to be here, not only as a United States Attorney representing the Justice Department, but also as an Oklahoman and as a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. I began my legal career at the Department’s Office of Tribal Justice, meeting with tribal leaders from across the Country and even helping to draft testimony for officials who testified before this Committee.
Fifteen years later, I am an experienced career prosecutor who has seen firsthand the very real challenges that these bills seek to address. As I reviewed the content of these bills, I am confident that we can—and will—work together to improve public safety in Native communities. It is our duty to do so as we seek to uphold our federal trust responsibility.
The three bills address some of the biggest threats to public safety in Native communities. Violent crime and substance abuse occurs at higher rates in Indian country than anywhere else in the United States. That is unacceptable. There are not enough resources to cover all of the needs of law enforcement and victim service providers working in and around Indian country. Too many correctional facilities in Indian country are overcrowded or substandard such that they cannot maintain sight and sound separation between adult and juvenile detainees. Furthermore, the need for treatment services is widespread and urgent. Like many areas of our Country, Indian communities have been plagued by the scourge of the opioid epidemic. We must improve our services and programs for Native juveniles involved in the justice system, and we need better law enforcement tools and techniques to respond to cases of missing and murdered Native peoples, especially Native women.
As the United States Attorney in the Northern District of Oklahoma, and throughout my years of experience working on tribal justice issues, I have seen and heard from tribal leaders, law enforcement, social service providers, and victims about the challenges that exist on-the-ground in Native communities. There are 39 federally recognized tribes in Oklahoma, and 14 of those are in my District. We have large tribes like the Cherokee Nation and Muscogee (Creek) Nation and smaller tribes such as the Pawnee, Miami, or Delaware Tribes. We prosecute a diverse array of violent crimes and encounter too many victims who do not have the resources they so desperately need.
As a federal prosecutor, I have stood next to a hospital bed while a victim of domestic violence recounted the horrific details of how her lip was busted, her head concussed, her tooth knocked out, her arm broken, and her eye blackened. I listened to her cry as she explained that her boyfriend had flown into a fit of rage. I remember learning that the boyfriend had a history of domestic violence and that multiple women had sought protective orders against him. And I remember the disappointment when the victim notified us that she did not want to testify for fear of repercussions. While we were still able to successfully prosecute the boyfriend in this case, far too often tribal, state, and federal prosecutions of domestic violence offenders are unsuccessful because of witness and evidentiary problems. In this and similar moments, it was crucial that I had with me federal and tribal law enforcement agents and a victim-witness specialist to ensure that we met the needs of the prosecution and the victim. Multi-jurisdictional and multi-disciplinary teams are important in these types of cases, just as they also are in sexual assault and child sexual assault prosecutions.
In 2008, I sat on the floor of a doublewide trailer in rural Oklahoma with a BIA investigator and Cherokee Nation Marshal as we tried to build rapport with a twelve-year-old girl who had been repeatedly raped by her father for a period of years. The victim had been so victimized that she communicated by adopting the characteristics of horses, that is, she whinnied, snorted, and stamped her feet. You see, the horses in the field behind her house were the only thing in her life that had not hurt her. They were her friends. After months of intense work with our prosecution team and counselors, that same little girl—and two of her friends who had also been raped by her father—bravely testified in front of a jury and in front of her father. He was found guilty and is now spending life in a federal penitentiary.
Members of the Committee, there are many more cases like these—domestic violence, sexual assaults, child abuse—that require resources to be successfully investigated and prosecuted, and to help give a voice to victims. These bills seek to provide some of those critical resources and I thank you.
Thanks to the ongoing efforts of this Committee, federal agencies, and the Tribes, we are making progress in improving public safety in Native communities. Since the passage of the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 we are making progress in ensuring that Tribes are able to access law enforcement databases, which is critical to meeting public safety needs. We have expanded funding and training opportunities, established more productive protocols based on our government-to-government relationship with the Tribes, and have sought to be more clearly accountable for our efforts.
In the Northern District of Oklahoma, I am blessed to have a great relationship with the fourteen federally recognized tribes. My Tribal Liaison, Shannon Bears Cozzoni, regularly travels to Indian Country where, together with other federal prosecutors, she provides a variety of training to tribal law enforcement officials to help them obtain Special Law Enforcement Commissions to enforce federal law in Indian Country. As a former tribal liaison myself, I can assure you this position is crucial for United States Attorney’s Offices and there are no more dedicated advocates for justice in Indian Country. The funding of training programs for tribal law enforcement through District-focused initiatives and the National Advocacy Center serves to improve the investigative skills of law enforcement, social service providers, and prosecutors working in Indian Country. Similarly, the creation of the Native American Issues Coordinator at the Executive Office for United States Attorneys and the formal establishment of the Office of Tribal Justice has given United States Attorneys with Indian Country in their Districts an ever-present voice in the halls of the Justice Department in DC even when we are not physically present. The Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 has been good for Indian Country and good for those of us working to ensure justice in Indian country.
Each bill proposes new methods and refined approaches to addressing major threats to public safety. Savanna’s Act addresses a tragic set of cases: missing and murdered individuals, often women, in Indian country. The Department of Justice supports the goals of this bill and the effort to take on this dark and tragic issue. We have identified some technical issues in the course of our review. For example, Section 1 of the bill references the Automated Integrated Fingerprint Identification System, which has been replaced with the Next Generation Identification System. We welcome the opportunity to work with your staffs to assist in making some technical adjustments.
The SURVIVE Act addresses a long-time issue in Indian country: a lack of resources to support the level of victim services warranted by the levels of violent crime in Indian country. The importance of providing effective services to victims of crime cannot be overstated. From any angle—humanitarian, law enforcement, community relations—it is both right and necessary. A number of the Department of Justice comments on an earlier version of this Act were incorporated into the current bill, which we recognize and appreciate. We note that the Act includes a consultation requirement. In fact, the Department, through the Office for Victims of Crime, has already begun making plans for formal consultations and listening sessions with tribes, with the first listening session having occurred in Milwaukee on October 18, 2017. Our review of this bill is ongoing, and welcome discussion with your staffs as we make progress towards a formal Administration response.
The Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 was a significant and extremely positive piece of legislation. As a result of that legislation, the Department of Justice is making significant progress on improving public safety in Indian country. This Committee has received previous testimony from this Department on the many ways that the 2010 Tribal Law and Order Act altered and improved the way that we work in Indian country and with our federal partners and we agree with the Committee’s efforts to do more. Our review of this bill is also ongoing, so while we do not yet have a formal position to offer we do applaud efforts to compel greater improvements in law enforcement, data sharing, and justice for Native American and Alaska Native children. We are particularly heartened that you intend to extend the Bureau of Prisons pilot project and included support for our Tribal Access Program, which will help us expand that opportunity to more Tribes.
In our review, we noted a recurring effort to improve data collection and information sharing. The Department is unequivocally in favor of efforts to improve collection of and access to data whenever we can do so without harming victim confidentiality or jeopardizing an investigation. We are working internally to find immediate opportunities for improvement. And we will continue to work with our partner agencies, with Tribes, and with your staffs on data collection and information sharing issues.
The Department is actively engaged in efforts to address the specific challenges described in the bills and is committed to working with Congress, other federal agencies, and Tribes to more effectively address them. We seek, whenever possible, to expand Tribes’ opportunities for funding, training, and technical assistance. Our partnerships with Tribes and with other agencies active in Indian country are an integral part of our daily work, which we continually review to ensure that our work is productive and focused on the needs of the Tribes.
While we have further to go, we are far ahead of many nations in recognizing and protecting the rights of native peoples. Around the world, indigenous peoples are marginalized, exploited, or threatened with death—denied basic human rights, women abused, indigenous cultures destroyed, languages lost. With your continued leadership, the United States can lead by example to promote and protect the inherent rights of indigenous people. Recently, missing and murdered indigenous women was a topic of discussion during a June meeting of the Attorneys General for the U.S., Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia. In that meeting, Attorney General Sessions voiced support for the creation of a working group that would allow us to expand our partnerships in addressing this grievous issue.
As indicated earlier, the Department of Justice fully supports the goals of these three bills. The bills under discussion today are clearly intended to spur further progress, specifically in support of law enforcement, in providing effective services to victims of crime, and in shedding light on the tragic number of missing and murdered individuals in Indian country. The Department’s review of the bills is ongoing; some offices have already reached out to discuss some of the technical aspects of the bills, and we welcome the opportunity to continue working with your staffs to refine language.
We have made great progress, but we know we have a ways to go before we reach our shared goal of achieving lasting public safety in Indian country. We appreciate the efforts by this Committee to ensure that legislation affecting Native communities puts Federal, State, and Tribal agencies in the best possible position to overcome barriers to public safety. Thank you again for the opportunity to appear before you today. Thank you also for the opportunity to share with you some perspective from the United States Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Oklahoma. I am happy to answer any questions you may have.October 28th Is National Prescription Drug Take Back DayRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Jill Westmoreland Rose announced today that October 28th is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has partnered with state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to give the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by safely disposing prescription drug medications at designated locations. The one-day event will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at designated collections sites across the district, and it is an effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.
“Prescription drug abuse has reached epidemic proportions in our country, including in this district. Prescription drugs are the second most commonly used category of drugs, behind marijuana and ahead of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine combined. They are highly addictive and can devastate families that may suffer from the deadly overdose of a loved one. Prescription Drug Take Back Day offers an opportunity to remove potentially harmful medications from our homes and to dispose of them in a safe and environmentally responsible manner,” said U.S. Attorney Rose.
Last April, the DEA collected over 26,420 pounds of unwanted prescription drugs in North Carolina. On a national level, Americans turned in 450 tons (900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs. Overall, in its 13 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have collected over 8.1 million pounds – more than 4,050 tons – of pills. The disposal service is free and anonymous. The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles, or sharps, only pills or patches.
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. Some painkiller abusers move on to heroin: Four out of five new heroin users started with painkillers. This initiative addresses the public safety and public health issues that surround medications stored in home cabinets, becoming highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.
In addition, Americans are advised that their usual method of disposing unwanted medicines – flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash – pose potential safety and health hazards. Take Back events ensure environmentally responsible disposal of unwanted prescription medications.
For more information or to locate a collection site near you, go to the DEA Prescription Drug Take Back Day web site at https://takebackday.dea.gov//#collection-locator where you can search by zip code, city, or state, or by calling 800-882-9539.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and DEA encourage parents, along with their children, to educate themselves about the dangers of legal and illegal drugs by visiting the DEA’s interactive websites at https://www.justthinktwice.gov, https://www.getsmartaboutdrugs.gov and http://www.dea.org.
Notice of Press ConferenceRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore. – Billy J. Williams, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, will hold a press conference following the conclusion of Magistrate Court on Friday, October 27. The conference will announce the indictment of Jason Paul Schaefer, and discuss the involvement of the Joint Terrorism Task Force in the successful investigation of the case. Other speakers will include Oregon FBI Special Agent in Charge Loren Cannon and Washington County Sheriff Pat Garrett.
Date
Friday, October 27, 2017
Time
Set up beginning at 2:00PM. Conference will begin between 2:30-2:45PM.
Location
United States Attorney’s Office
Main Conference Room – Sixth Floor Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse 1000 SW Third Ave., Suite 600
Portland, OR 97204
Access
All credentialed media are invited to attend and required to display valid photo identification to gain entry into the courthouse and the United States Attorney’s Office.
Please limit attendance to a maximum of three individuals from any one media outlet.
Photo/Video
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Norwalk Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud OffenseRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that EDDIE CHAN, 57, of Norwalk, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer in New Haven to one count of making a false statement on a federal income tax return.
According to court documents and statements made in court, CHAN was employed as a bookkeeper for a private art firm located in New York City. Between 2013 and 2015, CHAN withdrew funds from the firm’s business accounts without authorization from his employer, and used the money for personal expenses. CHAN failed to declare a total of $271,166 in misappropriated funds on his federal income tax returns for 2013 and 2014, resulting in a loss of $78,214 to the Internal Revenue Service.
Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for January 18, 2018, at which time CHAN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three years and a fine of up to $100,000. He also has agreed to cooperate with the IRS to pay all outstanding taxes, interest and penalties.
CHAN was released on bond pending sentencing.
This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division and in being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Sheldon.
New York Man Charged with Attempted Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
Malik Palin, a/k/a “Gambino,” 26, of New York, New York, was charged today by Indictment with attempted sex trafficking of a minor, announced Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen.
If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum possible sentence of life in prison, a minimum of 5 years up to lifetime supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Morgan.
An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed
innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New Haven Man Arrested on Drug Distribution Charges Stemming from OverdoseRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that CURTIS DRAUGHN, also known as “Kirk,” 62, of New Haven, was arrested yesterday on a criminal complaint charging him with distributing controlled substances.
This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.
DRAUGHN appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joan G. Margolis in New Haven and was released on a $100,000 bond.
As alleged in court documents, on December 22, 2016, New Haven Police and emergency medical personnel responded to a 911 call indicating that a man who had suffered an apparent overdose was found unconscious and slumped over the steering wheel in a parked car on Read Street. First responders transported the victim to the hospital where he was placed on life support. At the scene, officers seized several glassine baggies containing powder, several discarded empty baggies, other narcotics and drug paraphernalia. A subsequent test of the powder in the baggies revealed the presence of fentanyl.
The victim, who was 33, was taken off life support and died on December 26, 2016.
It is alleged that the victim purchased heroin from DRAUGHN shortly before he died.
Between May and August 2017, investigators made three controlled purchases of heroin from DRAUGHN.
The complaint charges DRAUGHN with possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, controlled substances, and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Both offenses carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the New Haven Police Department. The Tactical Diversion Squad includes members from the New Haven, Hamden, Greenwich, Shelton, Bristol, Vernon, Wilton, Milford, Monroe and Fairfield Police Departments, and the Connecticut State Police.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Spector.
Milford Man Pleads GuiltyTo Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Harry Bolton, 63, of Milford, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in federal court today to 11 counts of cocaine distribution.
According to court filings and statements in court, Bolton sold cocaine to a cooperating individual on 11 separate occasions. The transactions occurred at locations in Bedford, Goffstown, Milford, Weare, and Wilton, New Hampshire. Bolton is the president of Milford & Company Motorcycle Club.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for February 1, 2018.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is working each day with our law enforcement partners to combat drug trafficking in New Hampshire,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “Those who choose to sell drugs in the Granite State will be held accountable for their conduct.”
“This case is another great example of our continued efforts to disrupt and dismantle the criminal behavior of outlaw motorcycle gangs, which can promote illicit drug trafficking and bring violence into our neighborhoods,” said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “I'm proud of the hard work and long hours the members of the FBI's Safe Streets Gang Task Force put into this case. We are committed to working as a law enforcement team and maximizing our resources in order to protect the citizens of the Granite State."
The case was investigated by the FBI New Hampshire Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which is comprised of the FBI, the New Hampshire State Police, New Hampshire Probation and Parole, and the Police Departments of Hudson, Manchester, and Nashua. This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
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Middlesex County, New Jersey, Man Arrested for Using Phony Payments, False Identity Theft Claims to Obtain FundsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Old Bridge, New Jersey, man was arrested today for allegedly using phony payments and false identity theft claims to deceive credit card companies and banks into giving him funds and credit, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Sandy John Masselli, 55, is charged by complaint with two counts of bank fraud and two counts of wire fraud. FBI agents arrested Masselli at his residence this morning. Masselli is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court.
According to the complaint:
From June 2014 through July 2017, Masselli engaged in three separate but related schemes to fraudulently obtain credit and funds from various credit card companies and two brokerage firms.
In one scheme, Masselli opened accounts with certain credit card companies, made purchases with these accounts until he had almost reached or exceeded the credit limit, and then sent payments from bank accounts that he knew did not have sufficient funds to cover the purchases. Before the fraudulent payments were rejected for insufficient funds, the credit card companies temporarily credited Masselli’s accounts based on those payments, providing him access to additional credit and allowing him to continue to make purchases. Masselli failed to pay these balances and the credit card companies sustained substantial losses.
In another scheme, Masselli opened credit accounts with two credit card companies, made thousands of dollars in purchases, and then falsely represented to these credit card companies that the accounts had been opened fraudulently and used without his authorization, causing these companies to close the accounts and sustain losses.
As part of a third scheme, Masselli attempted to deposit more than $600,000 in checks from a closed account into a new brokerage account, which he then tried to use for various personal expenses. Those transfers were unsuccessful because the checks he deposited were ultimately returned as unpaid.
The bank fraud counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The wire fraud counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas P. Grippo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mexican National Sentenced to Five Years for Federal Drug Trafficking and Illegal Re-Entry ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Rogelio Delgado, 25, a Mexican national illegally residing in Roswell, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to 60 months in prison for his conviction on methamphetamine trafficking and illegally re-entry charges. Delgado will be deported after completing his prison sentence.
Delgado was arrested on Nov. 17, 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Nov. 16, 2016, in Chaves County, N.M. According to the complaint, law enforcement officers seized 4.05 pounds of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, a handgun and ammunition during the execution of a search warrant at Delgado’s residence.
On April 14, 2017, Delgado pled guilty to a felony information charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and re-entry of a removed alien. In entering the guilty plea, Delgado admitted that on Nov. 16, 2016, law enforcement officers found approximately 1.8 kilograms of methamphetamine in his residence while executing a search warrant, and acknowledged that it was his intention to sell the drugs to others. Delgado also admitted that he was a citizen of Mexico without any legal right to be present in the United States and previously had been removed from the United States on June 13, 2013.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Balla prosecuted the case.
The HIDTA Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force is comprised of investigators from the Roswell Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI and the Chaves County Sherriff’s Office. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program was created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. HIDTA is a program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) which provides assistance to federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States and seeks to reduce drug trafficking and production by facilitating coordinated law enforcement activities and information sharing.