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Thursday 19 October 2017
Western Washington Organizations Receive more than $6.2 Million in Grants to Fight Domestic Abuse and Sexual ViolenceRead the Press Release
The U.S. Department of Justice will provide more than $6.2 million in federal funds to a dozen western Washington entities working to combat domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. The grants also fund services to victims, and programs to prevent violence and abuse.
“I’m pleased that these grant monies support programs that assist victims of domestic and sexual violence, and prevent such violence in the future,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “These grants are aimed at assisting a wide range of western Washington residents from tribal members, to immigrants, to members of our LGBTQ community. I commend the groups whose proposals rose to the top and received funding.”
Five local non-profit organizations received grants:
- Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Seattle – A $750,000 grant to provide advocacy services to 500 rural Latina victims of sexual assault and legal services to an additional 120 victims.
- Turning Point Domestic Violence Services, Shelton, WA – A $356,717 grant to provide services in rural Mason County, including training for first responders, establishment of sexual assault protocols, establish 24/7 domestic violence response system and appropriate materials to advocate for Latina victims.
- King County Sexual Assault Resource Center (KSARC) Seattle – A $776,336 grant to provide competent sexual assault advocacy and civil legal representation to Latina victims of sexual assault.
- Young Women’s Christian Association YWCA, Seattle – A $608,603 grant to conduct outreach to underserved communities and provide legal services to victims of sexual assault thought a variety of means, including translating materials into Spanish, Somali and Korean.
- NW Network of Bisexual, Trans, Lesbian & Gay Survivors, Seattle – A $350,000 grant to work with other partners to provide intervention and therapy services to youth survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking and sex trafficking.
Both King County and Pierce County received grant funding, as did Clark College in Vancouver, WA.
- Pierce County received $900,000 to work with local non-profits to provide services to victims of domestic violence especially in immigrant communities.
- King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office received $406,079 to work with domestic violence victims to understand why victims recant their statements to law enforcement, jeopardizing prosecution.
- Clark College, Vancouver, WA – A $300,000 grant to train law enforcement and provide services to victims of sexual assault.
Three Western Washington Tribes and one coalition received grants focused on services to victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence:
- Tulalip Tribes of Washington, Tulalip, WA -$528,015 for a civil legal aid program for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
- Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Port Angeles, WA -$498,865 to provide housing and services to victims of sexual assault and domestic abuse.
- Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, La Conner, WA - $495,000 to strengthen the Tribal justice system and provide services to victims.
- Washington State Native American Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Sequim, WA - $318,008 to raise awareness and provide services to Native American victims of sexual assault, domestic abuse and sex trafficking.
More information about the grants are available from the recipients.
Waltham Man with Criminal Record Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Waltham man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully possessing multiple firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
Zeph H. Pitt, 42, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In May 2016, Pitt pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
In February 2015, Pitt traveled to Florida and took possession of his deceased father’s estate. Included with the property was a cache of weapons and ammunition, including an Israel Weapons Industry Baby Desert Eagle .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol; a Ruger P85 9mm semi-automatic pistol; a Mossberg 930 12 gauge shotgun; an ERA 12 gauge shotgun; a Ruger 10/22 .22 caliber rifle; a Harrington and Richardson 700 .22 caliber rifle; and approximately 2400 rounds of various caliber ammunition. Pitt then transported the weapons and ammunition to his home in Waltham. Once in Waltham, two of the firearms were stolen by Pitt’s friend, George Perry, also a previously convicted felon. Perry was later arrested and admitted to stealing the weapons from Pitt.
Pitt was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions, including a 1994 breaking and entering conviction; a 1994 distribution of cocaine conviction; a 1999 distribution of cocaine conviction; a 2003 kidnapping, assault and battery, and assault with a dangerous weapon conviction; a 2010 larceny conviction; a 2010 breaking and entering conviction; a 2010 assault and battery conviction; and a 2013 conviction for carrying a dangerous weapon.
In August 2016, Perry was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Waltham Police Chief Keith MacPherson made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Virginia Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Hollis Lee Ball, age 44, of Virginia, was indicted on October 18, 2017, by a federal grand jury for sexual exploitation of children and enticement of children.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that between March 5 and 11, 2017, Ball contacted two children in Pennsylvania through an Ipad application known as “Musical.ly.”
This matter was investigated by the Lower Paxton Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea Schinnour is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law is 30 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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Vermont Man Sentenced for Possession of OxycodoneRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Robert Mackenzie, 62, of Fletcher, Vermont, was sentenced on October 18, 2017, in United States District Court in Burlington, Vermont, to serve a one (1) year term of probation after his guilty plea to one count of possession of Oxycodone. Chief U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss also ordered Mackenzie to perform 40 hours of community service during his term of probation, and to pay a $25 special assessment.
According to court records and proceedings, while employed by the U.S. Postal Service as a Rural Carrier Associate, Mackenzie stole Oxycodone for his personal use from parcels sent through the U.S. mail that he was supposed to deliver. Mackenzie stole parcels containing controlled substances on at least six separate occasions. Mackenzie lost his job upon discovery of the thefts.
Acting United States Attorney Eugenia A.P. Cowles commended the efforts of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, in the investigation and prosecution of Mackenzie. The prosecution of Mackenzie was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara A. Masterson. Mackenzie was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven L. Barth.
Union Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Michael Brewer, 61, of Union, Maine pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records, on May 13, 2017, Brewer led the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office on a high speed chase after they attempted to execute a traffic stop of the truck Brewer was driving. The chase ended when Brewer crashed and rolled his truck. When removing Brewer from the truck, officers located a .22 caliber pistol resting beside Brewer. Brewer was prohibited from possessing firearms based on prior felony convictions for Criminal Operating Under the Influence (2006), Burglary (2015) and Attempted Murder (1989).
Brewer faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the Boothbay Harbor Police Department and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Two mail carriers charged with stealing packagesRead the Press Release
Two mail carriers were indicted for stealing packages from the mail while working for the U.S. Postal Service.
Brandon L. Mitchell, 32, of North Olmsted, is accused of stealing a parcel on Aug. 4 that was addressed to a location on Melgove Avenue in Garfield Heights, according to the indictment.
Thomas N. Schaefer, 43, of Broadview Heights, is accused of stealing a parcel on Aug. 3 that was addressed to a location on McBride Avenue in Cleveland, according to the indictment.
Assistant United States Attorney Elliot Morrison is prosecuting the case following an investigation by the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
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.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial, in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two Men Involved in Lawrence Heroin Trafficking Scheme Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national and a Saugus man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston for their roles in a heroin trafficking scheme operating in and around Lawrence.
Waner Manuel Lara, a/k/a Anibal Santiago Torres, 34, a Dominican national residing in Lawrence, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute a controlled substance – 100 grams or more of heroin and fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance – 100 grams or more of heroin and fentanyl. Edwin Soto, 46, of Saugus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute a controlled substance – heroin and fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled their sentencings for Jan. 17, 2018, and Jan. 10, 2018, respectively.
From about April 2015 to March 2016, law enforcement investigated the drug distribution activities of Ramon Baez and his associates in and around the City of Lawrence. Baez obtained kilograms of heroin and cocaine from local suppliers and suppliers based in Mexico. Baez’s co-conspirator, Jose A. Rosario, supplied Baez with heroin, which Baez then repackaged for distribution.
Lara and Soto purchased heroin and fentanyl from Baez. On Dec. 29, 2015, law enforcement officers seized from Soto $99,200 in drug proceeds intended for Baez. On March 19, 2016, agents seized from Lara 140 grams of heroin and fentanyl supplied to him by Baez.
Baez was sentenced in June 2017 to 121 months in prison, and Rosario was sentenced in September 2017 to 22 months in prison.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Ferguson of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the cases.
Two Brothers from Yorktown Heights Plead Guilty in Connection with Heist of over $1 Million Worth of Computers Bound for Public High School StudentsRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ANTON SALJANIN and GJON SALJANIN pled guilty this week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisa Margaret Smith to charges associated with participating in a scheme to steal, transport, and sell a shipment of approximately 1,200 computers, valued at over $1 million, that were bound for two public high schools in New Jersey. All four defendants charged in the scheme have pled guilty. ANTON SALJANIN and GJON SALJANIN are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas in February 2018.
According to the Complaint and Superseding Indictment filed in White Plains federal court, as well as materials submitted in connection with the plea proceedings:
On or about January 15, 2014, ANTON SALJANIN, a driver for a shipping company, drove a truck from Yorktown Heights, New York, to a technology company located in Massachusetts to pick up a shipment of approximately 1,200 computers. ANTON SALJANIN brought his brother, GJON SALJANIN, with him. The computers were being shipped to two public high schools located in New Jersey, and were valued at over $1 million.
The next morning, ANTON SALJANIN reported to the Yorktown Police Department that the truck had been stolen from a parking lot located in Yorktown Heights. Later that day, ANTON SALJANIN reported to Yorktown Police that he had been driving around looking for the truck when he happened to spot it from the highway in a parking lot in Danbury, Connecticut. The truck would not have been visible in the Danbury parking lot to a driver passing by on the highway. Furthermore, historical cell site data for ANTON SALJANIN’s cellphone contradicts his claims about the route he took to look for the truck.
Yorktown Police detectives examined the truck and found that a window had been broken. The detectives found broken glass on the scene in the Danbury parking lot but found no broken glass on the scene in the Yorktown Heights parking lot, suggesting that the window had been broken at the Danbury parking lot rather than at the Yorktown Heights parking lot.
During interviews with the Yorktown Police, ANTON SALJANIN and GJON SALJANIN both falsely claimed that on the night of January 15, 2014, they drove directly from a convenience store outside of Yorktown Heights to the Yorktown Heights parking lot. Security camera footage from various locations in Yorktown Heights shows that a truck matching the description of the truck driven by the SALJANIN brothers departed from their claimed route, and instead traveled in the direction of the residence of Ujka Vulaj, a long-time friend of ANTON SALJANIN. The video surveillance footage also shows that the duration of the detour corresponds to the approximate length of time it would have taken to drive to Vulaj’s residence, unload the computers from the truck, and return to the route to the Yorktown Heights parking lot.
From in or about January 2014 through at least in or about April 2014, Vulaj sold the stolen computers, some with the help of a co-worker, Carlos Caceres. They sold the computers, which had a retail value of approximately $1,000, for far below the market price. Vulaj and Caceres charged approximately $500 to $800 in cash for each computer, and handed over each computer in plain brown cardboard packaging.
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ANTON SALJANIN, 45, of Yorktown Heights, New York, pled guilty on October 18, 2017, to one count of conspiracy to commit theft from an interstate shipment, interstate transportation of stolen property, and receipt, possession, and sale of stolen property, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of theft from an interstate shipment, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 6, 2018.
GJON SALJANIN, 42, of Yorktown Heights, New York, pled guilty on October 16, 2017, to one count of conspiracy to commit theft from an interstate shipment, interstate transportation of stolen property, and receipt, possession, and sale of stolen property, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 2, 2018.
The SALJANINs’ co-defendants have been convicted and sentenced. Vulaj, 56, of Yorktown Heights, New York, pled guilty on June 17, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to commit theft from an interstate shipment, interstate transportation of stolen property, and receipt, possession, and sale of stolen property, and was sentenced by Judge Karas on May 12, 2017, to 12 months and one day in prison and two years of supervised released (including 6 months of home confinement). Judge Karas also ordered Vulaj to forfeit $889,424.15 in ill-gotten gains and to pay $889,424.15 in restitution.
Caceres, 39, of the Bronx, New York, pled guilty on July 21, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to commit receipt, possession, and sale of stolen property, and was sentenced by Judge Karas on January 6, 2017, to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised released. Judge Karas also ordered Caceres to forfeit $331,188 in ill-gotten gains and to pay $331,188 in restitution.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Yorktown Police Department, the Westchester County Police Department, and the New York City Police Department. He also thanked the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Won S. Shin, Benjamin Allee, and Scott Hartman are in charge of the prosecution.
Toledo woman sentenced to prison for theftRead the Press Release
Marita Holland, 32, of Toledo, was sentenced to a year in prison for theft of government funds, said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman and IRS Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Korner.
Holland, in 2012, illegally received two checks from the U.S. Treasury totaling approximately $16,793, according to court documents.
Holland was ordered to pay $119,081 in restitution.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Gene Crawford.
Three Men Arrested in Federal Fentanyl Sweep Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Three men pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to their roles in a widespread heroin and fentanyl trafficking conspiracy operating in Lawrence.
Andreury Fana Burgos, 21, of Lawrence, Mass.; Melvin Weatherspoon, 58, of Rochester, N.H.; and Matthew Shover, 29, of Maine, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine and fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled the sentencings for Burgos and Weatherspoon on Feb. 13, 2018, and Jan. 30, 2018, respectively. Shover’s sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
On May 30, 2017, 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 executed a federal drug sweep to dismantle a Lawrence-based drug trafficking organization allegedly run by Juan Anibal Patrone. Burgos, Weatherspoon, and Shover were arrested and charged along with Patrone and approximately 25 co-conspirators.
Burgos was a street level courier who delivered drugs to addicts at Patrone’s direction. Weatherspoon and Shover were redistributors who obtained drugs from Patrone to distribute to their own customers.
Patrone has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
The conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Michal J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lawrence Police Chief James Fitzpatrick 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 remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Thirteen Involved in Rival Mill Creek Drug Distribution Organizations IndictedRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen announced today the indictment of thirteen individuals on charges including murder, drug trafficking, and unlawful possession and use of firearms.
For several years two drug distribution groups operated within the Mill Creek neighborhood of West Philadelphia to sell crack cocaine in and around two playgrounds. One organization sold crack in a playground, commonly referred to as “the Grounds,” located near to the intersection of 52nd Street and Westminster Avenue. The second organization sold crack in a playground, commonly referred to as “the Pit,” located near to the intersection of 51st Street and Reno Street. These two areas are within close proximity to each other (merely a few blocks away) and are separated by a baseball field on Westminster Avenue, the lower boundary of “the Grounds.” “The Grounds” organization involved Robert Mack, a/k/a “Tweet,” Kenneth Riley, a/k/a “Kenny,” James Wilson, a/k/a “JT,” Clayton Roberts, a/k/a “Water,” Mark Samuel, Xavier Towel, a/k/a “Zay,” Sir Robert Keen, a/k/a “Brock,” and others. “The Pit” organization involved, Sean Gilliam, a/k/a “Shizzy-Ones,” Bryant Calloway, a/k/a “Bigs,” Sean Wilson, a/k/a “Lil Shizz,” Tonie Henderson, a/k/a “Tone,” Tyree Johnson, a/k/a “Riq,” and others.
In the summer of 2013, Bryant Calloway, a convicted felon and member of “the Pit” organization, attempted to overtake a portion of the crack sales that were occurring in “the Grounds” area. In furtherance of that effort on August 5, 2013, Bryant Calloway, and others, entered into “the Grounds” and shot and killed Brian Littles, a/k/a “BL,” who at the time was selling crack for “the Grounds” organization. Calloway killed Littles in order to attempt to expand the drug distribution area of his organization.
In response to the murder of Littles, members of “the Grounds” organization conspired to shoot Calloway. On November 22, 2013, James Wilson, a convicted felon and member of “the Grounds’” organization, shot Calloway approximately 10 times. Calloway survived the murder attempt. Within 24 hours of the shooting of Calloway, Sean Wilson, a convicted felon and member of “the Pit” organization, fired multiple shots from a firearm down a residential street near to “the Grounds.” “D.F.”, an innocent bystander who happened to be present in the area was shot and injured.
Three indictments were unsealed today in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Seven members of “the Grounds” organization were charged in a 16 count indictment. That indictment charges, among other offenses, a multi-year long crack distribution conspiracy, the shooting of Bryant Calloway, possession, use and discharge of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, felon in possession of a firearm, and multiple counts of crack distribution and distribution of crack within a protected zone.
Five members of “the Pit” organization were charged in a 31 count indictment. That indictment charges, among other offenses, a multi-year long crack distribution conspiracy, the murder of Brian Littles, the shooting of D.F., possession, use and discharge of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, felon in possession of a firearm, and multiple counts of crack distribution and distribution of crack within a protected zone.
Also, a two count indictment was filed against Marcus Royster who, during the ATF investigation, sold over 28 grams of crack cocaine to a confidential informant within a protected zone.
“The alleged acts of those charged here illustrate the threat to our communities posed by the violent crime that goes hand in hand with drug distribution,” said Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen. ”The violence knows no boundaries, nor does it respect protected zones, like community playgrounds, that should be safe spaces. Through the cooperation between federal and local officials in cases like this, we remain committed to significant prosecutions that will make our communities safer.”
“The ATF is committed to working with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to target violent drug trafficking organizations that are responsible for drug trafficking and related gun violence in our communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Cekada. “These indictments are a perfect example of the collaborative effort between the ATF and the Philadelphia Police Department to target violent offenders.”
“This investigation, along with the resultant arrests, is a fine example of great collaborative effort among law enforcement agencies,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross, Jr. “We appreciate all of our law enforcement partners in our collective effort to keep our city safe.”
If convicted the defendants face lengthy terms of imprisonment. Bryant Calloway, Kenneth Riley, and James Wilson, each face a mandatory minimum term of 30 years imprisonment and a maximum of life. Sean Gilliam and Robert Mack each face a mandatory minimum term of 25 years imprisonment and a maximum of life. Sean Wilson, Tyree Johnson, Clayton Roberts, Xavier Towel, Sir Robert Keen, and Marcus Royster each face a mandatory minimum term of 20 years imprisonment and a maximum of life. Tonie Henderson and Mark Samuel each face a mandatory minimum term of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum of life. Each defendant also faces multiple years of post-release supervision, potential fines and special assessments.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, with the assistance of the Philadelphia Police Department, investigated the case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Ortiz and Seth Schlessinger.
Texas Man Indicted for "Sextorting" Minors in IllinoisRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Texas man was indicted on Wednesday by a federal grand jury in Peoria, Illinois, on charges related to the production of child pornography involving four minor victims, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Hansen of the Central District of Illinois.
Mark P. Barnwell, 35 of Whitehouse, Texas, was indicted on four counts of production of child pornography and one count of being required to register as a sex offender while committing a sex-related felony involving a minor. Barnwell was initially arrested on Oct. 3, in Whitehouse, Texas on a federal criminal complaint.
According to the indictment, from September 2016 through November 2016, Barnwell employed, used, persuaded, coerced, and enticed four different minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct. Further, according to the Indictment, Barnwell committed a felony offense involving a minor while being required to register as a sex offender.
The charges and allegations contained in an indictment are merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The charges are the result of a joint investigation by the U.S. Secret Service, the Peoria Police Department and the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ronald Hanna and Katherine Legge of the Central District of Illinois and Trial Attorney William Grady of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Tax Return Preparer Charged in 21-Count Tax Fraud IndictmentRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Ernest Ray Lewis with 17 counts of aiding and assisting in the filing false of tax returns, and 4 counts of failing to file a tax return. Each aiding and assisting offense carries a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment. Each failing to file a tax return offense carries a penalty of up to one year in prison.
According to the indictment, Lewis worked at a tax return preparation business in Jacksonville. The indictment alleges that Lewis knowingly reported false information on customers’ income tax returns, including false claims for business losses and dependent exemptions, which decreased the amount of money owed by the customers to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and increased the amount of tax refunds received by the customers from the IRS. The indictment specifically alleges that Lewis filed 17 false returns on behalf of 10 taxpayers for the years 2012 through 2015.
The indictment also alleges that Lewis was required to file a tax return reporting his own income for each of the years, from 2012 through 2015, but failed to do so.
The owner of the tax return preparation business (Elizabeth M. Jordan) and her daughter (Dolores A. Youmans), who worked as a preparer at the business, were also indicted on June 30, 2016, with conspiracy to defraud the IRS and aiding and assisting others with the filing of false tax returns. Their cases remain pending.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has violated one or more of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
Taos County Man Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Oxycodone Trafficking ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Joseph Cordova, 31, of Chamisal, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to a 48-month prison term followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction on an Oxycodone trafficking charge. The sentence was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney, Acting Special Agent in Charge Steve Borak of the El Paso Division of the DEA, and New Mexico State Police Chief Pete N. Kassetas.
Cordova appeared in court on Sept. 30, 2016, on an indictment charging him with possessing Oxycodone, heroin, cocaine and methadone with intent to distribute. The indictment alleged that Cordova committed the crimes on June 5, 2016, in Taos County, N.M.
On June 5, 2017, Cordova pled guilty to Count 1 of the indictment charging him with possessing Oxycodone with intent to distribute. In entering the guilty plea, Cordova admitted that on June 5, 2016, officers of the New Mexico State Police found more than 1,000 Oxycodone pills while searching Cordova’s vehicle. Cordova admitted that he intended to distribute the pills to others.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter J. Eicker prosecuted the case as part of the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. The HOPE Initiative was launched in January 2015 by the UNM Health Sciences Center and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in response to the national opioid epidemic, which has had a disproportionately devastating impact on New Mexico. Opioid addiction has taken a toll on public safety, public health and the economic viability of our communities. Working in partnership with the DEA, the Bernalillo County Opioid Accountability Initiative, Healing Addiction in our Community (HAC), the Albuquerque Public Schools and other community stakeholders, HOPE’s principal goals are to protect our communities from the dangers associated with heroin and opioid painkillers and reducing the number of opioid-related deaths in New Mexico.
The HOPE Initiative is comprised of five components: (1) prevention and education; (2) treatment; (3) law enforcement; (4) reentry; and (5) strategic planning. HOPE’s law enforcement component is led by the Organized Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA in conjunction with their federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners. Targeting members of major heroin and opioid trafficking organizations for investigation and prosecution is a priority of the HOPE Initiative. Learn more about the New Mexico HOPE Initiative at http://www.HopeInitiativeNM.org.
Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Attempting to Join Jabhat al-Nusrah in SyriaRead the Press Release
Abdella Ahmad Tounisi, 23, of Aurora, Illinois, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, and a lifetime of supervised release, for attempting to travel overseas to Syria to join Jabhat al-Nusrah, a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana J. Boente, Acting U.S. Attorney Joel R. Levin for the Northern District of Illinois and Acting Special Agent in Charge John P. Selleck of the FBI’s Chicago field office made the announcement. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Samuel Der-Yeghiayan.
Tounisi was arrested at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago in April 2013 as he attempted to board a flight to Istanbul, Turkey. Tounisi had spent four months conducting online research related to overseas travel and violent jihad, focusing specifically on Syria and the violent Jabhat al-Nusrah terrorist organization.
Tounisi pleaded guilty in 2015 to one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. According to his plea agreement, Tounisi in early 2013 made online contact with an individual he believed to be a recruiter for Jabhat al-Nusrah. He and the purported recruiter exchanged a series of emails, during which Tounisi shared his plan to go to Syria by way of Turkey, as well as his willingness to fight for the jihadist cause, the plea agreement states. Unbeknownst to Tounisi, the purported recruiter was actually an FBI employee.
Tounisi, a U.S. citizen, requested an expedited passport and purchased an airline ticket for the flight from Chicago to Istanbul. He arrived at O’Hare on the evening of April 19, 2013, and was arrested after passing through security in the international terminal.
The defendant was a close friend of Adel Daoud, of Hillside, Illinois, who was arrested on Sept. 14, 2012, for allegedly attempting to detonate a bomb outside a bar in downtown Chicago. Tounisi recommended certain attack techniques to Daoud but ultimately decided against participating in the attack. Daoud was charged separately and is awaiting trial in federal court in Chicago.
The investigation was led by the Chicago FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is comprised of Special Agents of the FBI, officers of the Chicago Police Department and representatives from an additional 20 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Barry Jonas of the Northern District of Illinois and Trial Attorney Lolita Lukose of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Join Jabhat Al-Nusrah in SyriaRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge today sentenced a suburban Chicago man to 15 years in prison for attempting to travel overseas to join a jihadist militant group in Syria.
ABDELLA AHMAD TOUNISI, 23, of Aurora, Ill., was arrested at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago in April 2013 as he attempted to board a flight to Istanbul, Turkey. Tounisi had spent four months conducting online research related to overseas travel and violent jihad, focusing specifically on Syria and the violent Jabhat al-Nusrah terrorist organization.
Tounisi pleaded guilty in 2015 to one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. U.S. District Judge Samuel Der-Yeghiayan imposed the sentence in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Joel R. Levin, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Dana J. Boente, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security; and John P. Selleck, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The investigation was led by the Chicago FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is comprised of Special Agents of the FBI, officers of the Chicago Police Department, and representatives from an additional 20 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
According to his plea agreement, Tounisi in early 2013 made online contact with an individual he believed to be a recruiter for Jabhat al-Nusrah. He and the purported recruiter exchanged a series of emails, during which Tounisi shared his plan to go to Syria by way of Turkey, as well as his willingness to fight for the jihadist cause, the plea agreement states. Unbeknownst to Tounisi, the purported recruiter was actually an FBI employee.
Tounisi, a U.S. citizen, requested an expedited passport and purchased an airline ticket for the flight from Chicago to Istanbul. He arrived at O’Hare on the evening of April 19, 2013, and was arrested after passing through security in the international terminal.
Tounisi was a close friend of Adel Daoud, of Hillside, Ill., who was arrested on Sept. 14, 2012, for allegedly attempting to detonate a bomb outside a bar in downtown Chicago. Tounisi recommended certain attack techniques to Daoud but ultimately decided against participating in the attack. Daoud was charged separately and is awaiting trial in federal court in Chicago.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Barry Jonas of the Northern District of Illinois, and Trial Attorney Lolita Lukose of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Springfield Sex Offender Sentenced for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., sex offender was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Robbie R. Robinson, 29, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to seven years and seven months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Robinson to a three-year term of supervised release following incarceration, with the special condition that he register as a sex offender as required by state and federal law.
On June 1, 2017, Robinson pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Robinson admitted that he was in possession of a loaded CW9 9mm pistol on Oct. 13, 2016.
Springfield police officers contacted Robinson at a local Wal-Mart store on that date and discovered an active warrant for his arrest. Officers asked Robinson if he possessed any weapons, and he admitted he was in possession of the pistol. An officer frisked Robinson and found the pistol in his front right pants pocket.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Robinson has prior felony convictions for the attempted rape of a child and failure to register as a sex offender. Robinson was not registered, as required by law, at the time of the offense.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., man identified during an online live-streaming session was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and distributing child pornography.
Michael V. Lucas, 32, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Lucas to a 15-year term of supervised released following incarceration.
Lucas, who pleaded guilty on May 3, 2017, admitted that he received and distributed child pornography from Jan. 1, 2016, to Sept. 22, 2016.
According to court documents, a federal law enforcement agent in Phoenix, Ariz., encountered a person later identified as Lucas among the participants who were live streaming images and videos of child pornography over the Internet on Sept. 15, 2016. During the live-streaming session, Lucas claimed to have molested two 13- and 16-year-old victims and said he would attempt to broadcast a future sexual encounter with the victims.
Lucas was partially visible in a reflection during the live stream. The federal agent engaged in two additional live-streaming sessions that day in which Lucas participated and continued to share images and videos of child pornography.
On Sept. 19, 2016, Lucas was identified by the agent posting messages in a known pedophile group. These messages described the number of videos he possessed as well as advertising his new Skype group. Lucas was live streaming videos of child pornography and his reflection could be seen. Lucas also shared two links to a Dropbox account that contained images of child pornography and claimed that he was in possession of more than 1,000 videos of child pornography.
On Sept. 20, 2016, Lucas was live streaming and moved the position of the camera to show his face. Lucas also displayed a handgun and loaded magazine for the weapon during the course of the stream.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Lucas’s residence on Sept. 22, 2016, and Lucas was arrested.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
South Hills Man Sentenced to Prison for Committing Ticket ScamRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 12 months and one day in prison on his conviction of wire fraud, to be followed by a consecutive term of imprisonment of four months for a supervised release violation for a previous conviction, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Daniel J. Isabella, Jr., 34, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, on or about April 5, 2014, while on pretrial release, Isabella falsely represented to have tickets to entertainment events to potential purchasers on Craigslist. He would then have potential purchasers wire money for these tickets, but Isabella did not provide any tickets. Additionally, on August 11, September 16, and September 28, Isabella was found to have violated his conditions of supervised release for a previous conviction for similar conduct.
Assistant United States Attorney Shardul S. Desai prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Song commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Isabella.
Six Previously Deported Aliens Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that six previously deported aliens were indicted separately on October 18, 2017, by a federal grand jury for illegal re-entry into the United States by a previously deported alien.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Gustavo Reyes-Bejarano, age 33, of Honduras, is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after June 2011, and was found in the United States in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Lorenzo Sanchez-Ramos, age 28, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States in September 2013. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after September 2013, and was found in the United States in Franklin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Carlos Pena-Pena, age 39, of Honduras, was previously deported from the United States to Honduras in August 2007. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after August 2007, and was found in the United States in Franklin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Jorge Vazquez-Guzman, age 28, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in July 2013. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after July 2013, and was found in the United States in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Rodolfo Rueda-Varedo, age 46, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in April 2014. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after April 2014, and was found in the United States in Columbia County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Heriberto Moreno-Vasquez, age 31, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in April 2016. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after April 2016, and was found in the United States in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
These cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian G. McDonnell is prosecuting the cases.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is two years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Sheriff’s Deputy Sentenced for Scheme to Smuggle Illegal Fishing Profits AbroadRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Bristol County Sheriff’s Deputy was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for smuggling the profits of an over-fishing scheme to Portugal.
Antonio Freitas, 47, of Taunton, a Sheriff’s Deputy with the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office and a long-time Task Force Officer with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to one year and one day in prison and three years of supervised release. In July 2017, Freitas was convicted by a federal jury of one count of bulk cash smuggling and one count of structuring the export of U.S. currency.
On Feb. 5, 2016, Freitas smuggled $17,500 through airport security and later deposited the money in a Portuguese bank account belonging to Carlos Rafael, the owner of Carlos Seafood Inc. Rafael owned 32 fishing vessels and 44 permits, which amounted to one of the largest commercial fishing businesses in the United States. From 2012 to January 2016, Rafael routinely lied to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration about the quantity and species of fish his boats caught in order to evade federal quotas designed to guarantee the sustainability of certain fish species. He also submitted false records to federal regulators, and sold most of the fish his vessels caught to a wholesale business in New York City in exchange for bags of cash. During meetings with the undercover agents, Rafael said that in dealings with the New York buyer he received $668,000 in cash, and that he then had the cash smuggled to Portugal to avoid U.S. taxation.
In September 2017, Rafael was sentenced to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release, during which time he is banned from working in the fishing industry. The Court also ordered Rafael to pay a fine of $200,000, restitution of $108,929, and to forfeit four fishing vessels and associated permits.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; Rear Admiral Steven D. Poulin, Commander of the First Coast Guard District; Timothy Donovan, Assistant Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Law Enforcement; Mark Tasky, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, Washington Field Office; and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew E. Lelling and David G. Tobin, of Weinreb’s Criminal Division.
Seven More Defendants Charged in Food Program FraudRead the Press Release
A federal indictment was unsealed today charging seven more individuals for their roles in a conspiracy to defraud the United States Department of Agriculture’s Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), announced Donald Q. Cochran, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
On October 11, 2017, a federal grand jury in Nashville returned an indictment charging the following individuals with conspiracy to commit wire fraud:
Alice Dunlap, 62, of Murfreesboro, Tenn.;
Adrian Jennings, 23, of Madison, Tenn.,
Brian Jennings, 46, of Springfield, Tenn.;
Clarissa Jennings, 35, of Springfield, Tenn.;
Juanita Mitchell, 61, of Murfreesboro, Tenn.;
Nicole Golden, 41, of Hendersonville, Tenn.; and
Patsy Mathis, 73, of Knoxville, Tenn.
According to the indictment, these defendants claimed to be childcare providers and made application to participate as CACFP home childcare providers through All About Giving, Inc., the CACFP sponsor organization. The indictment also alleges that with the exception of Juanita Mitchell, all defendants are relatives or family members of LaShane Hayes, the founder of All About Giving, Inc.
The CACFP was created to reimburse child care providers for meals served to low-income children and other qualifying individuals. The program is funded by the USDA and administered in Tennessee by the Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS). The USDA and the TDHS utilize program sponsor organizations to enlist childcare providers into the program; communicate the total amount of reimbursement funds the sponsor organization’s providers were entitled to receive each month to the TDHS; and distribute reimbursement funds to childcare providers.
The indictment further alleges that the defendants and their co-conspirators, including Hayes, defrauded the program in a number of ways, including by overstating the number of All About Giving providers who actually furnished meals to children; by overstating the number of children who received meals from All About Giving providers in order to receive more program funds from the TDHS; and by cashing CACFP reimbursement checks and returning a portion of the money to Hayes.
Finally, the indictment alleges that between March 2015 and July 2016, the number of providers that All About Giving claimed reimbursement for grew from six to 75 and as of July 2016, All About Giving had received a total of $2,114,239 of CACFP funds from TDHS. The indictment alleges that each defendant received between $11,000 and $41,000 during this period.
LaShayne Hayes pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy earlier this year and admitted stealing more than $1.5 million of program funds. She was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger in April of this year to three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. They also face forfeiture of the proceeds of their offenses.
An indictment is merely an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The case was investigated by the USDA Office of Inspector General and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry Leventis.
Sentencings for October 13 - 18, 2017Read the Press Release
Adrian Ray Salinas, 32, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on October 18, 2017, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Salinas was arrested in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He received 33 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Steven Mathew King, 44, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on October 16, 2017, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and for being a felon in possession of firearms. King was arrested in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He received 120 months of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $400.00 in restitution and a $200.00 special assessment. This case was investigated by the Cheyenne Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Tommy Ambrosio Hernandez, 48, of Sacramento, California, was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on October 16, 2017, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Hernandez was arrested in Sacramento, California. He received 63 months of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $500.00 in restitution and a $100.00 special assessment. This case was investigated by the Cheyenne Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Sallie E. Caraway, 51, of Jerome, Idaho, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson on October 16, 2017, for aiding and assisting in preparation of fraudulent tax returns. Caraway was arrested in Boise, Idaho. She received six months of imprisonment, to be followed by one year of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment. This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service.
Ivan Padilla, 30, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson on October 16, 2017, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He received 60 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment. This case was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.
Terry Lee Jervah, 59, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on October 13, 2017, for bank robbery. Jervah was arrested in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He received 32 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment. Restitution will be determined at a later date. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Juan Antonio Bautista, 25, of Gillette, Wyoming, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on October 13, 2017, for distribution of methamphetamine and for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Bautista was arrested in Gillette, Wyoming. He received 54 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $250.00 in restitution and a $200.00 special assessment. This case was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.
Salt Lake City Man and Chicago Man Convicted of Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – A jury voted yesterday to convict two men of conspiring to defraud the Laurentian Aerospace Corporation (“Laurentian”) of $2.5 million.
Keith Eric Jergensen, age 58, of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Debashis Ghosh, age 53, of Chicago Illinois, were found guilty following a 7-day trial before United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes in Syracuse.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Vadim D. Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Acting United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith stated: “Jergensen and Ghosh stole $2.5 million from a group of people who founded Laurentian with the hope of building a new business in the North Country. Jergensen and Ghosh quickly gained their victims’ trust, and just as quickly abused it by taking their money and then lying to them about what had occurred. They strung their victims along for years with false promises that their money would be returned. Yesterday’s verdict brought them to justice, brought justice to their victims, and demonstrates our commitment to investigating and prosecuting financial crime.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Vadim D. Thomas stated: “Jergensen and Ghosh abused their investors’ trust, as well as their money. The FBI is dedicated to investigating these crimes because of their lasting impact on the lives of the victims and our community as a whole. Jergensen and Ghosh will now face the serious consequences of their fraudulent actions.”
Judge Sannes is scheduled to sentence the defendants on February 16, 2018. They each face up to 20 years in prison, 2 years of post-imprisonment supervised release, and a maximum $250,000 fine. They may also be ordered to pay restitution to their victims. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The evidence at trial demonstrated that Jergensen and Ghosh were Co-Chief Executive Officers of Verdant Capital Group, LLC (“Verdant”), based in Chicago. Laurentian retained Verdant to raise funds for the construction of an airplane maintenance, repair and overhaul facility to be built in Plattsburgh, New York.
Jergensen and Ghosh asked Laurentian to invest $2.5 million as seed money for the project. They and Laurentian agreed that this money would remain in a Wells Fargo account and could not be moved without the authorization of Laurentian.
Laurentian, drawing on funds contributed by its board members and one outside investor, wired $2.5 million into the Wells Fargo account on December 3, 2010. Five days later, Jergensen and Ghosh began transferring the money out of the account without Laurentian’s authorization, and by March 18, 2011 they had transferred all of the $2.5 million out of the account.
Jergensen and Ghosh used Laurentian’s $2.5 million to pay Verdant’s expenses including employees and contractors, and to pay others, including payments totaling $1.75 million to a now-defunct wind turbine company that Ghosh was a minority owner of; transfers of $96,500 to Jergensen’s company Contour Composites, Inc. of Utah; a $55,000 “loan” to a friend; and payments totaling $14,500 to an Arizona man who was promising them access to union pension funds.
Having spent the money, and as part of their conspiracy, Jergensen and Ghosh then spent several years falsely assuring Laurentian and its investors that their money was safe and secure, with Jergensen going so far as to forge a memorandum of understanding that purported to show that Laurentian’s money was in a secured bank account at Wells Fargo. The victim investors included a retired United States Air Force colonel, a former New York City Deputy Mayor, a retired law firm partner, and several retired executives from the financial and airline industries.The evidence at trial also demonstrated that Jergensen and Ghosh misappropriated an additional $2.4 million in funds that other businesses had entrusted to them.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.
Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining Oxycodone then Distributing ItRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH-A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has pleaded in federal court to charges of Obtaining Controlled Substance by Fraud, and Distribution of Oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
Carl T. Wilson, age 50, of Pittsburgh, PA, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, from late 2015 to March 2017, Wilson knowingly, intentionally and unlawfully obtained a controlled substance, namely oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance, by misrepresentations, fraud and deception. Also, on March 27, 2017, Wilson knowingly, intentionally, and unlawfully possessed with intent to distribute and distributed oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance.
United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab scheduled sentencing for March 15, 2018 at 9a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 24 years, a fine of $1,250,000.00, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Carl T. Wilson.
Pimp Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking Minor Across United StatesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Florida man pleaded guilty today to sex trafficking a 16-year-old girl throughout the United States.
According to court documents, Andrew Lee Thompson II, aka “Slim,” 34, met the minor victim in Arizona and began sex trafficking her with his two co-defendants, Delberta McKenzie and Rachel Robillard. Thompson posted prostitution advertisements on the Internet, and from February through June 2017, he drove and flew the minor victim across the country for prostitution, including to Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. After the prostitution dates, he collected all the money.
While in Arlington, a security guard called police after seeing multiple men go in and out of two rooms at a hotel on Glebe Road. When law enforcement investigated, they found evidence of prostitution related activity in the hotel rooms and recovered the minor victim. After arresting Thompson, law enforcement found tattoos on his body bragging about his pimping activities, including on his arm and across his chest.
Thompson pleaded guilty to sex trafficking a minor. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on Feb. 9, 2018. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and M. Jay Farr, Chief of Arlington County Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen C. Cain is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:17-cr-168.
Owners of South Bay Business Charged with Visa Fraud Conspiracy and Related CrimesRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Jennifer Yang and her business partner Daniel Wu were charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and a number of related crimes in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain immigration benefits through the government’s “EB-5” visa program, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch; U.S. State Department, Diplomatic Security Service, San Francisco Field Office Special Agent in Charge Matthew Perlman; and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Spradlin. The superseding indictment alleges that Yang and Wu submitted to the government fraudulent documents that claimed applicants were creating new commercial enterprises when, in fact, the documents contained information about fake jobs and bogus investments.
The charges are set out in a superseding indictment filed October 12, 2017. As described in the superseding indictment, the EB-5 visa program is administered by the U.S. government through both the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security. The program enables foreigners and their immediate family members to obtain a path to Legal Permanent Residency (“LPR”) in the United States by investing in a commercial enterprise. The investment must amount to $1,000,000—or $500,000 if made in certain geographical areas with low employment rates. An applicant may be able to obtain full LPR status after two years, if the commercial enterprise complies with certain regulations, including the requirement to create 10 or more jobs.
According to the superseding indictment, Yang, 50, of Palo Alto, is a licensed member of Bar of the District of Columbia. She held herself out as a legal specialist for persons interested in applying for EB-5 visa benefits. Since 2007 and until 2016, the defendants filed EB-5 visa petitions for at least seven foreign investors who supplied Yang and Wu, 54, of Las Vegas, with at least four-million dollars for the stated purpose of investment into a commercial enterprise. Nevertheless, instead of making legitimate investments that created real jobs, the superseding indictment alleges the defendants created and submitted fraudulent records to deceive the government into issuing benefits on the basis of fake employees. In at least some cases, the information about the bogus employees was created using the personal identifying information of third-parties, without the third-party individuals’ knowledge. Further, the superseding indictment alleges the defendants created documents that misstated the true manner in which the investment monies were used, which in some cases was not for the new enterprises, but instead for the personal benefit of defendants. In this way, the superseding indictment alleges, defendants obtained benefits for clients based on jobs and businesses that did not, in fact, exist.
Yang and Wu both are charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to commit visa fraud, mail fraud, and aggravated identity theft, all in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371; three counts of visa fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1546(a); two counts of mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341; and two counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A. In addition, Yang is charged with two counts of money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants, including Yang and Wu, are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendants face the following maximum sentences:
DEFENDANT
STATUTE
CHARGE
MAXIMUM PENALTY
Yang and Wu
18 U.S.C. § 371
Conspiracy to Commit Visa Fraud, Mail Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and to Defraud the United States
Maximum term of imprisonment: 5 years
Maximum fine: $250,000
Maximum term of supervised release: 3 years
Restitution
Forfeiture
Yang and Wu
18 U.S.C. § 1546(a)
Visa Fraud
Maximum term of imprisonment: 10 years
Maximum fine: $250,000
Maximum term of supervised release: 3 years
Restitution
Forfeiture
Yang and Wu
18 U.S.C. § 1341
Mail Fraud
Maximum term of imprisonment: 20 years
Maximum fine: $250,000 Maximum term of supervised release: 3 years
Restitution
Forfeiture
Yang and Wu
18 U.S.C. § 1028A
Aggravated Identity Theft
Maximum term of imprisonment: 2 years (to run consecutive to any other underlying felony)
Maximum fine: $250,000
Maximum term of supervised release: 3 years
Yang
18 U.S.C. 1957
Money Laundering
Maximun prison sentence: 10 years
Maximum fine: $500,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater
Maximum term of supervised release: 3 years
Restitution
Both defendants made an initial appearance today before the Honorable Nathanael Cousins, United States Magistrate Judge, and pleaded not guilty to the charges. The defendants were released, each on a $500,000 bond. A hearing for review of the bond conditions was scheduled for November 1, 2017, at 1:30 pm before the Honorable Howard R. Lloyd, U.S. Magistrate Judge. In addition, a hearing before U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh is scheduled for December 20, 2017.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Lucey is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Laurie Worthen. The prosecution is the result of an investigation led by the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service’s representative to the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), overseen by the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations. The DBFTF is a multi-agency task force that coordinates investigations into fraudulent immigration documents. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Office of Fraud Detection and National Security also assisted with the investigation.
Ohio Man Indicted for Cheating NFL Players in $25,000 Charity ScamRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that an Ohio man who defrauded multiple NFL players – including a player for the Kansas City Chiefs – out of nearly $25,000 earmarked for charitable causes, has been indicted by a federal grand jury.
Camario A. Richardson, 38, of Maple Heights, Ohio, was charged in a five-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Sept. 13, 2017. That indictment was unsealed and made public upon Richardson’s arrest in Ohio on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017, and his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Ohio. Richardson is scheduled to appear at 1 p.m. on Oct. 30, 2017, in the Western District of Missouri for subsequent court proceedings.
The federal indictment charges Richardson with one count of mail fraud and four counts of wire fraud.
According to the indictment, Richardson claimed to have contacts with Nike and agreed to deliver Nike-branded merchandise to five NFL players. None of the victim players are identified by name in court documents.
Richardson allegedly told a Kansas City Chiefs player that he could provide 300 Nike-branded backpacks for a “Book Bag Giveaway” charitable event for children in need of a school backpack at the start of the 2016 school year. Richardson was paid $6,000 for the backpacks in April 2016, the indictment says, but failed to deliver them.
The indictment alleges that Richardson engaged in the same fraud scheme by taking thousands of dollars from the players of three other NFL teams, all as payment for backpacks those players planned to give away at similar charitable events. As a result of Richardson’s fraud scheme, the indictment says, all four victim players purchased backpacks from another source for their charitable events.
The indictment also alleges that Richardson engaged in a fraud scheme by taking money from another NFL player as payment for athletic shoes that he failed to provide.
In June 2016, Richardson allegedly took $6,480 from a Tampa Bay Buccaneers player and $6,480 from an Indianapolis Colts player, each of whom were promised 300 backpacks that Richardson failed to deliver, and $4,320 from a Cincinnati Bengals player who was promised 200 backpacks that Richardson failed to deliver. In March 2016, Richardson allegedly took $1,500 from a San Diego Chargers player for athletic shoes that Richardson failed to deliver. Richardson’s fraud scheme resulted in a total loss of approximately $24,780.
Larson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt.This case is being prosecuted by Criminal Division Chief Gene Porter. It was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department.
Nigerian Citizen Convicted of Defrauding U.S. Victims in Multi-Million Dollar SchemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 29-year-old Nigerian man who was residing in Houston has pleaded guilty to perpetuating a wire fraud scheme involving various Internet scams, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez. Idowa Olugbenga Temetan aka David Cole pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud.
From October 2013 until March 2014, Temetan used counterfeit passports to open bank accounts in the greater Houston area. The passports contained photographs of Temetan but utilized the alias of David Cole. He then worked with others to lure victims into sending money into these bank accounts. These funds were obtained through a variety of internet scams, including lottery scams and business investment scams. Checks or wire transfers were then sent from the victims’ bank accounts to accounts Temetan or others controlled. Temetan and his co-conspirators would then use the counterfeit passports to retrieve the fraudulently obtained funds.
Law enforcement has been able to trace at least $4 million to victims, some of whom who reside in Houston, that have been affected by this scheme. Temetan defrauded one victim of $3 million alone. After authorities identified this victim, they were able to trace the accounts into which the monies were being deposited.
Authorities arrested Temetan in Las Vegas, Nevada, while he was withdrawing cash from the account. Upon his arrest, law enforcement also obtained a fraudulent passport he was using under the name of David Cole.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake accepted the guilty plea and has set sentencing for Feb. 2, 2018. At that time, Temetan faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a possible $1 million maximum fine. Temetan is in custody pending that hearing.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie N. Searle is prosecuting the case.
New Jersey Man Charged with Alien SmugglingRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office and the United States Border Patrol Swanton Sector announce that Jose Moreira De Sousa, 51, a naturalized U.S. citizen who lives in Newark, N.J., appeared yesterday in United States District Court in Burlington on a charge that he transported two illegal aliens within the United States. U.S. Magistrate Judge John M. Conroy released the defendant on conditions pending his next court hearing in early November.
According to the criminal complaint that was filed yesterday, on the morning of October 17, a concerned citizen notified agents at the Beecher Falls Border Patrol station that a suspicious person driving an Audi with New Jersey license plates was stopped at a cabin on the U.S. –Canadian border. Agents identified the driver as Moreira De Sousa and determined that he had legally entered the United States from Canada earlier that day.
Agents surveilled Moreira De Sousa, who appeared to be alone, in the vicinity of the cabin and followed him to a local restaurant, where he bought coffee and muffins for three persons. He then returned to the cabin. Shortly thereafter, Moreira De Sousa and two other men emerged from the cabin and got into the defendant’s Audi. Agents followed the car as it drove away. When the vehicle pulled to the side of the road, agents approached and determined that Moreira De Sousa was a U.S. citizen and that the two occupants were Portuguese nationals who admitted to illegally walking across the border into the United States, with Moreira De Sousa’s assistance, a few hours before.
“This case highlights our ongoing partnership with the local community,” said U.S. Border Patrol Swanton Sector Chief Patrol Agent John Pfeifer. “Public safety is everyone’s responsibility, and in this case a concerned citizen observed suspicious activity and took the time to report it.”
The Office of the United States Attorney emphasizes that the charge in the complaint is merely an accusation, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty. If convicted, Moreira De Sousa faces up to five years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines.
The Swanton Sector Border Patrol is responsible for securing the land border between ports of entry in Vermont as well as New Hampshire and northeastern New York. The assistance of citizens is invaluable in helping the U.S. Border Patrol accomplish their border security mission and they welcome community members to help them keep our nation’s borders safe by reporting suspicious activity at 1-800-689-3362.
For more on CBP’s mission at our nation’s ports of entry with CBP officers and along U.S. borders with Border Patrol agents, please visit the Border Security section of the CBP website.
Moreira De Sousa was represented at the hearing by Federal Public Defender Michael Desautels. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.New Jersey Corrections Officer Charged with Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A corrections officer with the N.J. Department of Corrections was arrested and charged today with receiving images of child sexual abuse, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Stephen Salamak, 37, of Lodi, New Jersey, was arrested at his home by special agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and charged by complaint with one count of receiving child pornography. Salamak made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Dickson. He was released on $125,000 unsecured bond, with home confinement and electronic location monitoring.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Salamak used email to seek and obtain images of child sexual abuse, including images of prepubescent children.
The charge of receiving child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of ICE HSI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Debra Parker; and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal, with the investigation leading to today’s charge and arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Alfonzo Walsman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New Haven Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Loaded HandgunRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that TERENCE GARRETT, 46, of New Haven, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 46 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a loaded handgun.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement received information that GARRETT was selling heroin out a Shelton Avenue apartment, and that he was in possession of a firearm. On October 13, 2016, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of the apartment and seized a .25 caliber pistol loaded with five rounds of ammunition. Investigators also seized 12 bags of heroin and a digital scale. GARRETT was arrested at that time.
GARRETT’s criminal history includes 11 felony convictions, including two convictions for possessing a firearm without a permit, and two convictions for carrying a dangerous weapon.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
GARRETT has been detained since his arrest. On April 12, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a previously convicted felon.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and New Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Kaplan and Jennifer Laraia.
Moline Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison, Life Term of Supervision for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow today sentenced William Tyler Burrows, 33, of the 1800 block of 2nd Street, Moline, Ill., to serve 121 months in prison for receiving child pornography, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick Hansen, Central District of Illinois. Judge Darrow further ordered that Burrows remain on supervised release for life upon his release from prison.
On May 31, 2017, Burrows entered a plea of guilty for receiving three child pornography videos over the internet between July 11 and August 18, 2015.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith DeCarlo. The charges were investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Moline Police Department.
Minnesota Man Sentenced to More Than a Decade in Federal Prison for Possessing Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
A man found with nearly a pound of methamphetamine was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in federal prison.
Paul Daniel Greseth, age 32, from Wanamingo, Minnesota, received the prison term after a March 30, 2017, guilty plea to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea, Greseth admitted possessing over 50 grams of pure methamphetamine with the intent to distribute on January 22, 2017. On that date, Greseth traveled from Minnesota to Waterloo, Iowa, to meet with an individual he thought would buy some of the methamphetamine. While he was in Waterloo, law enforcement officers surrounded Greseth at a carwash. Officers told Greseth to put his hands up but he failed to follow their directions. An officer fired two shots at Greseth following his failure to follow the officers’ orders. Greseth was not hit and was subsequently arrested. Officers found over 428 grams of methamphetamine in Greseth’s possession. Greseth later stated that while surrounded at the carwash, he was attempting to rip open bags containing methamphetamine, hoping to vacuum up the methamphetamine before law enforcement could seize it.
Greseth was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States Chief District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Greseth was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Greseth is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Waterloo Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, West Union Police Department, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Sheriff’s Office, Tri-County Drug Task Force, and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-02008-001.
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Mingo County woman pleads guilty to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minorRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Mingo County woman pleaded guilty today to a sex trafficking crime involving a minor, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Misty Dawn Baisden, 40, of Delbarton, entered her guilty plea to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor.
Baisden admitted that in March 2017, she conspired with a codefendant on her cell phone to engage a minor in commercial sex. The communication involved photographs of a minor and the discussion of exchanging money, items, or other things of value for sexually explicit photographs or sexual activity. Baisden admitted that she understood from the entire conversation that her codefendant would be providing her with assistance in engaging in commercial sexual activity with a minor.
Baisden faces up to life in federal prison when she is sentenced on January 23, 2018. She will also be required to register as a sex offender.
The FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, the Ashland Police Department, and the Boyd County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is in charge of the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s 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.justice.gov/psc.
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Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Reentry of a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Robert C. Stuart announced that on Wednesday, October 18, 2017, Carlos Vidal-Mix, a.k.a. “Gato”, originally of Campeche, Mexico, was sentenced to 10 years (120 months) in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, and for reentry of a removed alien. Vidal-Mix had previously been removed from the U.S. to Mexico by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on April 21, 2014, in Rio Grande Valley, Texas. Following the prison term, he will again be removed to Mexico.
On October 17, 2016, the DEA arrested Vidal-Mix and two co-conspirators after they took delivery of 21 pounds of methamphetamine that had arrived for distribution in the Omaha metropolitan area.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration in Omaha.
Member of Taunton Drug Conspiracy Pleads Guilty to Distributing Heroin and FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former resident of Providence, R.I., pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston for his role in a heroin and fentanyl trafficking organization that operated in Taunton and Boston.
Jose Arias, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. In February 2017, Arias was arrested and charged along with 22 other co-defendants. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Jan. 23, 2018.
From mid-2016 through February 2017, federal law enforcement investigated two drug trafficking organizations operating in Taunton and Boston led by Jose Antonio Lugo-Guerrero, 32, a Dominican national operating in Boston, and Fernando Hernandez, 42, a Dominican national residing in Providence, R.I. Hernandez allegedly ran a heroin and fentanyl trafficking organization in Taunton, assisted by Arias, his son. The organization sold heroin and fentanyl to customers who re-distributed the drugs. It is alleged that Hernandez obtained drugs from a network of suppliers that included Lugo-Guerrero.
Lugo-Guerrero allegedly operated a drug trafficking organization in Fall River and Boston. It is further alleged that Lugo-Guerrero and his associates obtained a significant quantity of illegal drugs by robbing other drug traffickers.
Hernandez and Lugo-Guerrero each pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
The conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William Weinreb; Michael Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Fall River Police Chief Daniel S. Racine; New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro; Taunton Police Chief Edward James Walsh; Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans; and Bristol Country District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore B. Heinrich of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maine Man Charged with Resisting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Thomas G. Walker, 43, of Pemaquid, Maine, was indicted today in federal court in Boston on one count of resisting a federal officer.
According to the indictment, Walker resisted a Deputy United States Marshal on July 24, 2017, resulting in physical contact with the Deputy Marshal.
The charge provides for a sentence of no greater than eight years in prison, three years of supervised released and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; U.S. Marshal John Gibbons for the District of Massachusetts; and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Longview Man Found Guilty of Student Financial Aid Fraud During Federal TrialRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A 30-year-old Longview, Texas man has been convicted of federal violations for his role in a student financial aid fraud scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Robert Brisco was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 19, 2017, and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, four counts of mail fraud, and 16 counts of student financial aid fraud and aiding and abetting. Brisco was found guilty today by a jury on all counts. At sentencing, Brisco faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the conspiracy and for each mail fraud charge and 5 years in federal prison for each student financial aid fraud charge.
According to information presented in court, from June 2013 to September 2015, Brisco and others conspired to use wire communications and the mail to fraudulently obtain student financial aid funds through the Pell Grant Program and William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program.
Under federal statutes, Brisco faces up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
Brisco's mother, Gracie Brisco, 54, and his sister, Shanitra Frost Brisco, 34, both of Longview, pleaded guilty in July 2017, to student financial aid fraud and each face up to five years in federal prison at sentencing. Six other individuals have been charged in connection with the student aid fraud scheme. All have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
“Student financial aid fraud deprives deserving students of funds essential to their education,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “We are committed to prosecuting these crimes and appreciate our federal agents who work so tirelessly to ensure our economy is not crippled by these fraudulent activities.”
“OIG Special Agents aggressively pursue those who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of taxpayers,” said Neil Sanchez, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Southern Region. "I'm proud of the work of OIG Special Agents and our law enforcement partners for holding Brisco accountable and for protecting the integrity of Federal education dollars."
“This case represents the successful collaboration between the Secret Service, the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Education, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas,” said Special Agent in Charge William Noonan, U.S. Secret Service. “The Secret Service is committed to working with its federal partners in investigating these complex financial crimes.”
“The successful conviction in this case should serve as a lesson to all who would want to defraud the government of vital education funds,” said Thomas L. Noyes, Inspector in Charge, Fort Worth Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “I appreciate the U.S. Attorneys, Secret Service Agents, Agents from the Department of Education Office of Inspector General, and the Postal Inspectors whose hard work and diligence resulted in the guilty verdict.”
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Education - Office of Inspector General, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Longview Police Department, and the Kilgore College Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld and L. Frank Coan are prosecuting this case.
Longview Man Found Guilty of Student Financial Aid Fraud During Federal TrialRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A 30-year-old Longview, Texas man has been convicted of federal violations for his role in a student financial aid fraud scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Robert Brisco was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 19, 2017, and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, four counts of mail fraud, and 16 counts of student financial aid fraud and aiding and abetting. Brisco was found guilty today by a jury on all counts. At sentencing, Brisco faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the conspiracy and for each mail fraud charge and 5 years in federal prison for each student financial aid fraud charge.
According to information presented in court, from June 2013 to September 2015, Brisco and others conspired to use wire communications and the mail to fraudulently obtain student financial aid funds through the Pell Grant Program and William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program.
Under federal statutes, Brisco faces up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
Brisco's mother, Gracie Brisco, 54, and his sister, Shanitra Frost Brisco, 34, both of Longview, pleaded guilty in July 2017, to student financial aid fraud and each face up to five years in federal prison at sentencing. Six other individuals have been charged in connection with the student aid fraud scheme. All have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
“Student financial aid fraud deprives deserving students of funds essential to their education,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “We are committed to prosecuting these crimes and appreciate our federal agents who work so tirelessly to ensure our economy is not crippled by these fraudulent activities.”
“OIG Special Agents aggressively pursue those who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of taxpayers,” said Neil Sanchez, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Southern Region. "I'm proud of the work of OIG Special Agents and our law enforcement partners for holding Brisco accountable and for protecting the integrity of Federal education dollars."
“This case represents the successful collaboration between the Secret Service, the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Education, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas,” said Special Agent in Charge William Noonan, U.S. Secret Service. “The Secret Service is committed to working with its federal partners in investigating these complex financial crimes.”
“The successful conviction in this case should serve as a lesson to all who would want to defraud the government of vital education funds,” said Thomas L. Noyes, Inspector in Charge, Fort Worth Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “I appreciate the U.S. Attorneys, Secret Service Agents, Agents from the Department of Education Office of Inspector General, and the Postal Inspectors whose hard work and diligence resulted in the guilty verdict.”
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Education - Office of Inspector General, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Longview Police Department, and the Kilgore College Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld and L. Frank Coan are prosecuting this case.
Local Man Sentenced to 197 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine from Los Angeles to DaytonRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Aaron Brown, 34, of Dayton, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 197 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Timothy J. Plancon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), announced the sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black.
According to the Statement of Facts in this case, Brown recruited at least two individuals to assist him with trafficking cocaine by having the individuals drive from Dayton to Los Angeles, Calif. with cash. Brown would fly to Los Angeles and meet the individuals to obtain the cash. He then used the money to purchase cocaine and would conceal it in the vehicles of the individuals, who would then drive it back to Dayton.
Brown and the co-conspirators would meet up again in Dayton in order for Brown to obtain the cocaine and distribute it to local customers in the Dayton area.
Brown pleaded guilty in February 2016 to one count of conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the DEA, including DEA Las Vegas and Flagstaff, Nevada Highway Patrol and Navajo County Sheriff’s Office in Ariz., as well as Assistant United States Attorney Sheila G. Lafferty, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Lemoore Woman Indicted on Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment today against Nancy Lopez Perez, 42, of Lemoore, California, charging her with two counts of distributing methamphetamine and three counts of being a felon in possession of firearms, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Perez obtained and delivered multiple pounds of methamphetamine and five firearms, including an assault rifle, during three separate undercover transactions. Perez is prohibited by law from possessing firearms.
This case was the product of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Kings County Narcotic Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case. The mission of the OCDETF Program is to reduce the supply of illegal drugs in the United States and diminish the violence and other criminal activity associated with the drug trade. To accomplish this mission, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its federal law enforcement agency members, including the FBI and ATF.
If convicted of the drug offenses, Perez faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of ten years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. If convicted of the firearms offenses, Perez 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 defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lawrence, Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Ernesto L. Reyes, 26, of Lawrence, Massachusetts was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for possessing heroin and fentanyl with intent to distribute, announced Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Reyes committed a series of traffic violations while driving a motor vehicle on the evening of November 11, 2016, in Plaistow, New Hampshire. Reyes was stopped by a New Hampshire State Trooper. When Reyes exited the vehicle, the Trooper observed a package wrapped in green plastic wrap containing a powder that appeared to be heroin. The package was located on the floor along the left side of the driver’s seat. Subsequent testing confirmed that the package contained nearly 100 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl.
Reyes previously pleaded guilty on July 5, 2017.
“The United States Attorney’s Office works each day with our law enforcement partners to prevent fentanyl and heroin from being distributed in the Granite State,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “I thank our partners at the State Police for their work on this matter. Their actions prevented these deadly drugs from being sold in New Hampshire.”
The case was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police and was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen Burzycki.
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Large Scale Boise Methamphetamine Distributor Sentenced to over 16 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BOISE – James Peirsol, 53, of Boise, Idaho, was sentenced today to 200 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine throughout the Treasure Valley, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Edward J. Lodge also sentenced Peirsol to serve ten years of supervised release.
Peirsol pleaded guilty on July 6, 2017, to one count of distributing more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine. According to court records, Peirsol admitted to distributing 444.9 grams of actual methamphetamine to a confidential informant on February 25, 2016. On May 28, 2016, Peirsol distributed 493.2 grams of additional actual methamphetamine to a confidential informant. Peirsol had previously been convicted of three drug-related felonies and one felony domestic battery offense.
This case was the result of a joint investigation by Garden City Police Department, the Idaho State Police and the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), includes the cooperative law enforcement efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and U.S. Marshals Service. 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.
KC Woman Pleads Guilty to False Tax Return Related to $466,000 EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Kansas City, Mo., woman who embezzled from her family’s company has pleaded guilty in federal court to failing to pay taxes on at least $466,000.
Tammera Goodman, 56, of Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark on Monday, Oct. 16, 2017, to making false statements on a tax return.
Tammera worked as office manager for a business owned by her family, Restoration Remediation Resources Corporation d/b/a Rainbow International of Kansas City (Re-Corp). From 2011 to 2015, Goodman unlawfully used Re-Corp funds to pay at least seven personal credit cards, which she used exclusively for personal spending. She also wrote at least 26 fraudulent unauthorized Re-Corp checks to herself, and used unauthorized Re-Corp funds to pay her personal mortgage.
From 2011 to 2015, Goodman embezzled at least $466,274 from Re-Corp. She spent the money she embezzled on retail purchases, restaurants, cash, and vehicles, among other items. She did not declare the embezzled income on her federal or state income tax returns.
Goodman pleaded guilty to a specific charge of claiming $33,164 in income on her federal income tax return for tax year 2015. In reality, Goodman’s income for 2015 (including stolen money) was $151,236.
Under federal statutes, Goodman is subject to a sentence of up to three years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Missouri Department of Revenue Criminal Investigation Bureau.
Judge Sentences Drug Dealer to Maximum Sentence for Supervised Release ViolationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former Allegheny County resident has been sentenced in federal court to 36 months of incarceration for violating his Supervised Release by committing new crimes, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
United States District Judge Fischer imposed the sentence yesterday on Santana Wygant, age 40, formerly from McKeesport, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, Wygant had previously been convicted of federal drug charges for selling crack cocaine near a playground in West Virginia, and served 87 months in federal prison. While he was on federal supervision after being released from incarceration, Wygant committed multiple violations that included raping his former girlfriend, assaulting that woman, assaulting his infant child, and entering the victim’s home without permission. Wygant also was also found to have absconded from a halfway house, tested positive for marijuana use, failed to report to his probation officer and failed to attend drug treatment.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Fischer reviewed and considered that Wygant began his criminal career with an armed robbery offense as a juvenile and amassed numerous subsequent adult convictions.
Judge Fischer imposed the maximum sentence allowable by law, 36 months of incarceration, after considering factors that included the seriousness of the offenses and the need to protect the public from future acts of Wygant. The Judge also ordered that, following his release, Wygant spend the first six months in a halfway house, and that the United States Probation Office supervise him for five more years. Wygant faces the possibility of additional periods of incarceration if he violates the Court’s order by having any contact with the rape victim or the infant daughter he assaulted.
Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt of the Violent Crime Section prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Song commended the United States Probation Office for their efforts in this matter.
Jason Paul Schaefer Will Make Initial Appearance in Federal Court Today at 1:30 P.M.Read the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore. – Jason Paul Schaefer, 26, of Portland, Oregon, will appear in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Youlee Yim You today at 1:30 p.m. Schaefer is charged by Criminal Complaint with Assault on a Federal Officer and Using and Carrying an Explosive to
Commit a Federal Felony.
This morning, Judge You ordered that the Criminal Complaint be unsealed. A copy of the Criminal Complaint is attached. Due to the ongoing nature of the criminal proceedings, no additional information will be released at this time.
A Criminal Complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Indiana County Man Sentenced to Probation with Community Confinement for Social Security ScamRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Indiana, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 42 months probation with six months at a community confinement center on his conviction of theft of government property, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Carmen Donofrio, 63, of Indiana, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, from in and around July 2013, through in and around May 2015, Donofrio received approximately $16,577 in Supplemental Security Income to which he was not entitled because he had concealed a retirement account from the Social Security Administration.
Assistant United States Attorney Shardul S. Desai prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Song commended the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Donofrio.
Hurricane Harvey Ravaged Eastern District of Texas Establishes Disaster Fraud Task Force to Combat Fraud and AbuseRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – Acting United States Attorney Brit Featherston announced today that a Disaster Fraud Task Force has been created in the Eastern District of Texas comprised of local, state, and federal agencies to combat hurricane Harvey related disaster fraud activity.
The Justice Department established the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) following Hurricane Katrina and it is specifically designed to be ready for situations like Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria. The Center acts as a clearinghouse of information related to disaster relief fraud and has already received over 400 complaints of suspected fraudulent activity since Hurricanes Harvey and Irma struck the Gulf Coast in August and September.
Although the Eastern District of Texas has witnessed acts of heroism, compassion and generosity from its citizens and from across the nation, there are individuals and organizations that will use these tragic events to take advantage of those in need. Examples of illegal activity reported to the NCDF and law enforcement include:
- Impersonation of federal law enforcement officials;
- Identity theft;
- Fraudulent submission of claims to insurance companies and the federal government;
- Fraudulent activity related to solicitations for donations and charitable giving;
- Fraudulent activity related to individuals and organizations promising high investment returns from profits from recovery and cleanup efforts;
- Price gouging;
- Theft, looting, and other violent crime.
"Relief funds provide critical support and assistance for those whose lives were profoundly affected by Hurricane Harvey, and our citizens have the right to expect that those funds will be used to the greatest advantage,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “Anyone who illegally diverts those funds, or fraudulently profits from this disaster, should face a storm of their own creation and this task force exists to ensure that happens."
Members of the public who suspect fraud involving disaster relief efforts, or believe they have been the victim of fraud from a person or organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of disaster victims, should contact the National Disaster Fraud Hotline toll free at (866) 720-5721. The telephone line is staffed by a live operator 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also fax information to the Center at (225) 334-4707, or email it to [email protected] (link sends e-mail). Learn more about the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud at http://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud.
The Disaster Fraud Task Force for the Eastern District of Texas is comprised of the following agencies: the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas; Homeland Security Investigations; Environmental Protection Agency-OIG; Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Health & Human Services;-OIG; U.S. Internal Revenue Service-CID; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development-OIG; U.S. Small Business Administration-OIG; Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office; Orange County District Attorney’s Office; Beaumont Police Department; Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office; Orange County Sheriff’s Office; Orange Police Department; Hardin County Sheriff’s Office; Port Arthur Police Department; and the Social Security Administration-OIG.
Huntsville Nursing Home Pays the United States and the State of Texas $5 Million to Settle Claims Alleging Poor Quality of CareRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Health Services Management Inc. (HSM) has paid the United States $5 million to resolve claims that the company billed the Medicare and Medicaid programs for worthless services and for services that were never provided, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez. HSM is based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and owns and operates nursing homes throughout Texas and the United States. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only with no determination of liability.
The United States and Texas began the investigation following the filing of a qui tam, or whistleblower, lawsuit on Oct. 17, 2014. The whistleblower worked at Huntsville Health Care Center, a 92-bed nursing home and rehabilitation facility that HSM owned and operated. She claimed that during her employment, she witnessed patient abuse and neglect, inadequate care, physical and verbal abuse and denial of basic services, such as providing patients with food and water.
The investigation concluded that from Jan. 1, 2013, through Dec. 31, 2015, Huntsville Health Care Center billed for services that were not provided or which were so substandard and deficient that they were considered worthless and potentially harmful to specific Huntsville patients. The claims for payment to Medicare and Medicaid for those services were deemed to be fraudulent and submitted in violation of federal and state law.
“We take seriously the care of our most vulnerable citizens, the elderly and infirm,” said Martinez. “When providers accept federal funds for reimbursement, they have a duty and responsibility to provide the best care possible to the patient, especially when those patients are elderly and at times incapacitated. The United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Southern District of Texas will aggressively hold those accountable who fail to provide the care that is expected when the failure to do so results in harm to the patients and the treasury.”
“It's disturbing when a nursing home company accepts Medicare and Medicaid money to care for vulnerable nursing home residents and in return provides substandard care, as alleged in this case,” said Special Agent in Charge C.J. Porter of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General (DHHS-OIG). “We will continue to hold nursing homes accountable to give residents the quality health services, and living conditions, taxpayers pay them to provide.”
As part of the settlement, HSM also agreed to enter into a Corporate Integrity Agreement with DHHS-OIG.
Under the False Claims Act and the Texas Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act, a private party - known as a relator - can file an action on behalf of the United States and Texas and receive a portion of the recovery. In this case, the relator received $1 million.
The USAO, DHHS-OIG and the Texas Attorney General’s Office - Civil Medicaid Fraud Division conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Venezia handled the matter.