Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
6 December 2017
Charleston man sentenced to federal prison for gun crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced today to a year and a day in federal prison for a gun charge, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Leon Mitchell, III, 25, previously pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
In the early morning hours of March 8, 2016, a Charleston Police Department officer was patrolling in the area of Park Avenue and Simms Street in Charleston when he encountered Mitchell. The officer asked Mitchell if he had any weapons, and he replied that he did not. Shortly after this conversation, an unidentified woman ran screaming behind the officer. As the officer turned away to check on the sudden commotion, he heard the sound of metal hitting the ground. The officer looked back to the area where Mitchell was standing and saw what was later identified as a Sig Sauer, Model P220, .45 caliber semiautomatic handgun with the serial number scratched off. When the officer asked what was lying on the ground, Mitchell said it was his gun. In a search of Mitchell incident to arrest, the officer recovered approximately eight grams of marijuana and half a gram of heroin.
The investigation was conducted by the Charleston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Clint Carte is responsible for the prosecution. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking with existing local programs targeting gun crime.
- Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to Prison for Distributing Heroin That Led to Overdose in MonroeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DAQUONE JOHNSON, 25, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 13 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing heroin involved in an overdose death of a Monroe woman last year. Judge Thompson also ordered JOHNSON to perform 25 hours of community service while on supervised release.
This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 9, 2016, a 30-year-old female was found unresponsive at a residence in Monroe. Police and medical personnel responded to the scene and administered multiple doses of Narcan to the victim. The victim, who did not respond to the Narcan, was transported to the hospital where she was pronounced deceased. While administering aide to the victim, hospital staff located unopened heroin folds on the victim’s person. The substance within the folds later tested positive for heroin and fentanyl, and the Connecticut Office of the Medical Examiner has determined the victim’s cause of death to be acute heroin and fentanyl toxicity.
The investigation, which included witness interviews and analysis of calls and text messages to and from the victim’s phone, revealed that the victim ordered heroin from JOHNSON on the day of her death.
JOHNSON was arrested on June 13, 2016, after law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of heroin from him. On March 30, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of heroin.
JOHNSON, who is released on a $125,000 bond, was ordered to report to prison on February 8, 2018.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad, and the Monroe, Milford and Bridgeport Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.
Braddock Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Robbing Banks, Adult MartRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH- A former resident of Braddock, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh to 9 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, on his conviction of robbery and bank robbery, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Wallace Banks, age 35, formerly of Braddock, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the Court, on August 15, 2016, Banks robbed WesBanco Bank, located at 807 Middle Street, Pittsburgh, PA, of $880. In addition, on August 12, 2016, and again on August 16, 2016, Banks robbed Adult Mart, located at 346 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA, obtaining a total of $408. Finally, on August 15, 2016, Banks robbed Huntington Bank, located at 650 Smithfield Street, Pittsburgh, PA, of $2,067. As part of his sentence, Banks is required to pay restitution to the victims of his crimes.
Assistant United States Attorneys Troy Rivetti and Rachael L. Dizard prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Song commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pittsburgh Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Wallace Banks.
Attorney General Sessions Issues Memo Outlining Principles to Ensure That the Adjudication of Immigration Cases Serves the National InterestRead the Press Release
Today, as part of a continued effort to return the rule of law to America’s immigration system in order to serve national interest, Attorney General Jeff Sessions released a memo to the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) renewing the Justice Department’s commitment to timely and efficient adjudication of immigration cases. The memo expresses the Attorney General’s appreciation for the progress made since the beginning of the Trump Administration, encourages EOIR personnel to identify new efficiencies in their operations, and articulates five core principles that EOIR personnel should support and adhere to when adjudicating immigration cases.
The Justice Department’s commitment to the timely and efficient adjudication of immigration cases is the foundation of EOIR’s Caseload Reduction Plan—a series of common-sense reforms that aim to reduce the so-called “backlog” by realigning the agency towards completing cases, increasing both productivity and capacity, and changing policies that lead to inefficiencies and delay justice. EOIR is also committed to hiring additional immigration judges—with 50 brought on board since January 20, and another 60 additional who will be hired in the next six months—which, when combined with new efficiencies in the system, will ensure that EOIR’s mission of fairly, expeditiously, and uniformly administering the immigration laws is fulfilled.
EOIR released data on orders of removal, voluntary departures, and final decisions for the first 10 months of the Trump Administration.
The data released for Feb. 1, 2017 – Nov. 30, 2017 is as follows:
- Total Orders of Removal [1]: 87,063
- Up 30 percent over the same time last year
- Total Orders of Removal and Voluntary Departures [2]: 100,180
- Up 34 percent over the same time last year
- Total Final Decisions [3]: 127,570
- Up by roughly 18,200 decisions (16.6 percent) over the same time last year
The Department of Justice will continue to review internal practices, procedures, and technology in order to identify ways in which it can further enhance Immigration Judges’ productivity without compromising due process.
“The state of our nation’s immigration court system has major implications on national security, public safety, and labor markets. With today’s memo, the Attorney General reaffirms his commitment to the rule of law and to the timely and proper adjudication of immigration court cases,” said Executive Office for Immigration Review Acting Director James McHenry. “EOIR has already begun to see the effects of this commitment, and—with the same dedication from EOIR staff, attorneys, and judges—can further work toward realizing our goal of cutting the pending caseload in half by 2020.”
[1] An “order of removal” by an Immigration Judge allows in the removal of an illegal alien from the United States by the Department of Homeland Security.
[2] Under an order of “voluntary departure”, an illegal alien agrees to voluntarily depart the United States by a certain date. If the illegal alien does not depart, the order automatically converts to an order of removal.
[3] A “final decision” is one that ends the proceeding at the Immigration Judge level such that the case is no longer pending.
- Total Orders of Removal [1]: 87,063
Attorney General Jeff Sessions Announces James A. Crowell IV as Acting Director for the Executive Office for U.S. AttorneysRead the Press Release
Attorney General Jeff Sessions today announced that James A. Crowell IV has been named Acting Director for the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA).
“Jim Crowell is an exceptional career prosecutor, who has served with distinction in a variety of leadership roles in the Department of Justice,” said Attorney General Sessions. “Jim has been an outstanding public servant and principled leader. I am grateful he has agreed to take on this responsibility, and I look forward to continuing to work with him and the U.S. Attorneys as we continue our efforts to deter crime, promote the rule of law, and ensure equal justice for everyone.”
Prior to this appointment, James Crowell served as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Attorney General, Associate Deputy Attorney General, and Acting Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General. Before joining the Deputy Attorney General's office, Crowell was the Criminal Chief in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, where he began as an Assistant United States Attorney. As Criminal Chief, Crowell oversaw the work of over 85 Assistant U.S. Attorneys involved in criminal prosecutions, including national security, violent crime, fraud and corruption, cybercrime, narcotics, asset forfeiture, and money laundering, as well as the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, Project Safe Child, Project Safe Neighborhoods, and related anti-crime programs. Crowell also served as the Chief of the Southern Division.
James Crowell is the recipient of numerous law enforcement awards, including all three of the Department of Defense’s highest civilian awards, recognizing his effort to combat contract fraud and corruption involving military contracts.4 Sentenced for Roles in Local Meat Market Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Four Houston area men have been sentenced for their involvement in a string of robberies of La Michoacana establishments that occurred during the Christmas 2015 season, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez. Billie Hawkins, and Laroderick Martin, both 21, Jirron Curtis, 22, and Marcus Malbro, 19, pleaded guilty at varying times between November 2016 and May 2017 to aiding and abetting two robberies and one count of either discharging or brandishing a firearm.
Today, U.S. District Judge Gray Miller ordered Hawkins to serve a total of 330 months in federal prison - 210 months for the two robberies and 120 months for discharging a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence which will be served consecutively. In imposing the sentence, Judge Miller considered Hawkins role as a leader in the robberies. Curtis and Martin received 60 and 50 months, respectively, for the robbery convictions, in addition to consecutive sentences of 120 months for discharging a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence for a total of 180 and 170 months in prison. Malbro was ordered to serve a 154-month term of imprisonment, which includes 70 months for the two robberies and a consecutive 84 months for brandishing a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence. In handing down the sentences, Judge Miller considered the roles in the offense, the facts that firearms were used and the way the victims were treated. Each will also serve three years of supervised release following completion of their prison terms and were further ordered to pay restitution to La Michoacana Meat Markets and Barri Financial Group.
The men robbed Houston Area La Michocana Meat Markets, to include the Barri Financial Group Kiosks within the store, from Dec. 21, 2015, though Dec. 30, 2015. In each robbery, they were armed, masked and often fired shots as they entered the store. The defendants usually scouted the stores prior to the robbery to ensure there were no guards or security. They would typically drive a stolen vehicle to commit the robbery and then meet a co-conspirator to depart in a “switch” vehicle.
All have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; FBI; Houston Police Department and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Celia Moyer is prosecuting the case.
28 Arrested in Nationwide Gun and Drug Sting OperationRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Over 300 law enforcement agents and officers executed a coordinated takedown today, arresting 28 individuals for their respective roles in selling drugs while armed or other firearm related criminal acts.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began Operation Tin Panda in the Spring of 2017. In collaboration with the DEA, U.S. Postal Inspector’s Service, U.S. Marshal's Service, the Prince William County Police Department, Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, Fairfax County Police Department, Alexandria Police Department, Stafford County Sherriff’s Office, Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, King George County Sheriff’s Office, Prince George’s County Police Department, Maryland, Metropolitan Police Department, and the District of Columbia, law enforcement investigators and prosecutors from this office began jointly investigating area Blood gangs involved in violent crime and other criminal activity in Northern Virginia. Multiple criminal acts were tied to gang and drug activity, including, but not limited to, homicide, malicious wounding, robbery, shootings, and drug and firearms distribution. During the course of this investigation, more than 30 individuals throughout Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, and California, who were illegally selling firearms and controlled substances or were involved in other criminal acts, have been arrested.
Prior to search warrants executed today, Operation Tin Panda resulted in the recovery of over 71 firearms and approximately 1,292 grams of cocaine base, 4,408 grams of cocaine, 23,838 grams of marijuana, 2,152 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 815 grams of heroin, and 36,075 grams of THC. During search warrants executed today, law enforcement seized more firearms, heroin, and other controlled substances.
Twenty-two of the 28 were arrested on federal firearms and drug charges, while the remaining six were arrested on state charges. Please see the included table which lists the name, age, hometown, and respective charge(s) that each federal defendant faces.
Name, Age
Hometown
Charge(s)
Tarvell Vandiver, 29
Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base
Jerry McAllister, 42
Laurel, Maryland
Conspiracy to Distribute 100 grams or more of heroin
Rashourn Niles, 37
Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine
Chennor Bah, 30
Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine
Nasiru Carew, 35
Dale City
Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana
Nathaniel Bruce Cobbold, 27
Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana
Jamar Cox, 30
Hyattsville, Maryland
Use and Carry of Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime
Robert Evans, 27
Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute THC
Deion Wright, 25
Alexandria
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime
Kelvin Bennett, 27
Washington, D.C.
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime
Cydrick Delrosario, 58
Springfield
Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine
Raheem Kelly, 39
Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 28 grams or more of Cocaine Base
Tayvon Patterson, 24
Elkridge, Maryland
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime
Tavon Bailey, 27
District Heights, MD
Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Alpha Kamara, 20
Woodbridge
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime
Tavon Ferguson, 24
Triangle
Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Samantha Winter, 22
Culpepper
False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm
Kaitlin McCabe, 19
Woodbridge
Possession and Unlawful Transfer of a Firearm
Marcus Andrei Harris, 27
Washington, D.C.
Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine, Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime
Teodoro Gonzales, 37
Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 5 Grams or more of Methamphetamine, Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
Orean Anthony Hayden, 29
Alexandria
Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime
Frederick Preston Gaarsoe Turner, 36
Woodbridge
Conspiracy to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Distribute
Bryan Matthews, 19
Alexandria
Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime
Brandon Edler, 23
Fredericksburg
Conspiracy to Distribute 28 grams or more of Cocaine Base
Anthony Lozada, 18
Woodbridge
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking
Ezana Demisse, 25
Alexandria
Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to Drug Trafficking
Michael Lederer, 31
Woodbridge
Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person
Cory Patterson, 34
Fredericksburg
Conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, Use and Carry of a Firearm During and in Relation to Drug Trafficking
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after the federal arrests were made and criminal complaints were unsealed. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carina A. Cuellar and Colleen E. Garcia are prosecuting the case.
The case was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Operation Tin Panda. 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. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:17-mj-547 and 1:17-mj-554.
19 Individuals Indicted for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On November 14, 2017, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment against 19 defendants charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, announced Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Today DEA agents and officers of the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD) executed the arrest warrants as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. Eleven defendants were arrested today in Puerto Rico, and one of them in the U.S. mainland.
The object of the conspiracy was to distribute controlled substances at the El Cemí and El Yukiyu Public Housing Project located within the Municipality of Luquillo, Puerto Rico, since 2008. This organization would conduct transactions and engage in actions to further its drug trafficking activities in different municipalities of Puerto Rico, including San Juan, Carolina, Naguabo, Arroyo, Caguas, Juncos, Las Piedras, Ceiba, and Canovanas. The members of the organization would transport drugs, weapons, and money to different towns, in cars equipped with hidden compartments designed for that purpose. During the deliveries, other co-conspirators would escort the cars while carrying firearms to protect the cargo.
The indictment also alleges that the members of the organization would transport cocaine from Puerto Rico to the continental United States, through the Luis Muñoz-Marin International Airport, using "mules" who would carry the drugs within the luggage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar S. Rivera-Giraud is in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted the defendants face a minimum sentence of no less than 10 years and up to life for counts under 21 U.S.C. §§841(a)(1), 846 and 860, and 18 U.S.C. §2, and a minimum sentence of no less than 5 years up to life for counts under 18 U.S.C. §924(c). Indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.
5 December 2017
Woman Pleads Guilty to Tax Refund Scheme and ID TheftRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News woman pleaded guilty today to filing false tax returns and identity theft.
According to court documents, Neivda Hicks, 33, prepared and filed tax returns for others in exchange for payment from 2013 through 2016. During that period, Hicks filed returns on behalf of at least 53 individuals. In addition to the information that these individuals provided, Hicks included in the returns materially false information designed to reduce the amount of tax due and owing and fraudulently increase the amount of the resulting tax refunds. Among other information, Hicks falsely claimed that the individuals for whom she prepared and filed returns had incurred qualifying education expenses, as well as business profits and losses through falsely claimed periods of self-employment. Hicks also falsely identified members of her own family and inmates who were then incarcerated with her husband in local jails as dependents of those for whom she prepared and filed returns. Hicks failed to identify herself as a paid return preparer on the returns she filed on behalf of others, giving all such returns the appearance of having been prepared and filed by the individuals named therein. Hicks included similarly false information in her own returns for tax years 2012 through 2015. In total, Hicks filed at least 32 materially false income tax returns on behalf of herself and others. Through these returns, Hicks requested over $200,000 in federal income tax refunds. Of this amount, over $150,000 derived from the materially false information Hicks had included in the associated returns.
Hicks pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting the filing of false tax returns and aggravated identity theft. She faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison, along with a mandatory consecutive two-year penalty, when sentenced on March 1, 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, and Kimberly Lappin, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin C. Gratton is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website for the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:17-cr-83.
Winsted Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMES CAVE, 46, of Winsted, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer in New Haven to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for federal firearm offenses.
According to court documents and statement made in court, in 2014 and early 2015, CAVE obtained a Norinco semi-automatic rifle, a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handgun, and a Shooters Arms .45 caliber handgun, all of which he transported into Connecticut and sold to another individual.
On April 4, 2015, CAVE sold a Smith & Wesson .357 caliber handgun to an individual who was cooperating with law enforcement. Investigators subsequently determined that the handgun had been stolen from a residence in Connecticut.
On April 7, 2015, CAVE met an undercover ATF agent at a location in Torrington and sold him a Webley .455 caliber revolver in exchange for $700 in cash. This firearm also had been stolen from a residence in Connecticut.
CAVE was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on April 30, 2015. On November 5, 2015, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, and one count of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license.
CAVE had sustained a felony conviction in Connecticut state court in October 2003.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Torrington Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.
Wheeling man indicted on drug chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Deandre L. Davis, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Wheeling on drug charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Davis, age 27, was indicted on one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base,” three counts of “Distribution of Cocaine Base within 1,000 Feet of a Protected Location,” and one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base within 1,000 Feet of a Protected Location.” Davis is accused of possessing, distributing, and selling cocaine in Ohio County in July 2017.
Davis faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for Count 1, and up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000 for each of the remaining counts. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen L. Vogrin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives and Firearms and the Ohio Valley Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HITDA-funding initiative, are investigating.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.Wheeling man indicted on drug chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Timothy E. Billups, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was indicted today by a federal grand jury on drug charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Billups, age 25, was indicted on one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base within 1,000 Feet of a Protected Location” and one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base.” Billups is accused of possessing cocaine, and selling cocaine near the Jensen playground in June 2017 in Ohio County.
Billups faces up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000 for Count 1 and up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for Count 2. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen L. Vogrin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.West Des Moines Store Owner Charged with Attempted Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – Robert Kuhn, 48, the owner of Wayback Records in West Des
Moines, Iowa, was indicted in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa on
November 28, 2017, for attempted production of child pornography. The charge is punishable by between 15 and 30 years’ incarceration in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, up to life of supervised release, restitution, forfeiture, and the requirement to comply with the Sex Offender
Registry.On December 5, 2017, Kuhn was ordered detained pending trial. During a related state court proceeding, it was revealed that the incident occurred in August 2017, when a minor employee of Kuhn’s discovered a hidden video camera placed by him in the bathroom where he had sent her to undress and try on clothing sold by the store. During the detention hearing, it was disclosed that law enforcement also discovered videos of other females disrobing on the camera when it was recovered by law enforcement.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security-HSI is investigating the matter, and requests any people who have used the changing room / rest room at the store and believe they may have been surreptitiously recorded disrobing, or otherwise victimized, to call Special Agent Aaron
Simon at (515) 323-2425.The charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
West Bath Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Distributing Heroin and FentanylRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Mickey Gilley, 35, of West Bath, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District by Chief Judge Nancy Torresen to 14 years in prison and three years of supervised release for distributing heroin and fentanyl. Gilley pleaded guilty on August 1, 2017.
Court records reveal that on September 20, 2016, the defendant distributed heroin and fentanyl to a former girlfriend. At the time of the distribution, the defendant was prohibited from having contact with her due to bail conditions imposed in a felony domestic violence case. After the defendant discovered she was non-responsive, he failed to call emergency personnel because, as he admitted, he feared being arrested for violating his bail conditions. The former girlfriend died as a result of using the drugs furnished by the defendant.
In imposing sentence, Chief Judge Torresen noted that the defendant chose his own liberty over the life of his former girlfriend.
U.S. Attorney Frank said: "This case combines two of the biggest challenges facing Maine – the illegal distribution of opiates and domestic violence. Heroin and fentanyl are deadly poisons that are killing Mainers in record numbers. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine is working closely with the Office of the Maine Attorney General to make the investigation and prosecution of these cases a priority. The investigation and prosecution of cases involving domestic violence has long been, and will continue to be a priority, as well.”
The investigation was conducted by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Sagadahoc and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Offices, and the Maine State Police.
Wellsville Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051Buffalo, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Derek Fagan, 33, of Wellsville, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to conspiracy to manufacture, possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan T. Cullinane, who is handling the case, stated that between January of 2011 and October 25, 2012, the defendant conspired to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine. In order to avoid restrictions on the purchase of pseudoephedrine, an important chemical in the methamphetamine manufacturing process, Fagan engaged in the practice of “smurfing” (buying small quantities) at local pharmacies.
The conviction is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division; the New York State Police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team (CNET), under the direction of Lieutenant Kevin Reyes and Major David Krause; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict, New York Region; the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, under the direction of Cattaraugus County Sheriff Timothy Whitcomb; the Wellsville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy O’Grady; U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge Steven Oldman; and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, under the direction of Captain John Burke.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 22, 2018, before Judge Vilardo.
Webster County man pleads guilty for role in methamphetamine trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Webster County man who was part of a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Quinton Funk, 38, of Webster Springs, entered his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, which carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in federal prison.
Funk took part in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy that transported significant quantities of crystal methamphetamine from Atlanta and sold it in West Virginia. Funk admitted that on January 4, 2017, he traveled to Atlanta with codefendants Jamie Harmon and Carl “Yogi” Clark to obtain over 500 grams of methamphetamine. He further admitted to bringing the drugs back to West Virginia and selling that methamphetamine. Later that month, Funk was arrested with approximately $28,000 in cash in his backpack, and a loaded Glock 22, .40 caliber pistol in his possession. That same day, officers with the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team executed a search warrant at a hotel room where Funk was staying and found over 130 grams of methamphetamine, scales, baggies, and a gun. In February 2017, law enforcement arrested him again after he provided Christopher Carte, another codefendant, an ounce of methamphetamine to distribute. Officers recovered another $2,700 in cash from Funk when he was arrested. As part of his plea agreement, Funk also admitted to all the drug and gun crimes he was charged with in the indictment.
Funk faces at least 10 years and up to life in federal prison when he is sentenced on March 1, 2018.
Two defendants involved in this methamphetamine conspiracy have been sentenced to federal prison. Christopher Carte, of St. Albans, was sentenced to three years in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Holly Doub, of South Charleston, was sentenced to five days in federal prison for aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine.
Clark and Harmon both pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and each faces up to 20 years in federal prison when they are sentenced on December 18, 2017. Clark and Harmon have admitted they possessed approximately four kilograms of methamphetamine during the course of the conspiracy.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorneys Haley Bunn and Eric P. Bacaj are responsible for the prosecutions. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin is presiding over the case.
These cases are being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of illegal drugs, including methamphetamine. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of illegal drugs in communities across the Southern District.
- Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews
Waterbury Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Charge Stemming from Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JEREMY WAVER, 31, of Waterbury, was waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer to distributing controlled substances.
This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 2, 2017, Ansonia Police and emergency medical personnel responded to a report of an overdose death at an Ansonia residence. At the residence, responders encountered a deceased 23-year-old female. Investigators collected evidence including a hypodermic needle and several wax folds of a substance that was later determined to contain furanyl fentanyl. Investigators also seized the victim’s iPhone.
The investigation revealed that, on April 1, the victim and another individual purchased heroin from WAVER in Waterbury.
WAVER was arrested in Waterbury on May 4. At the time of his arrest, WAVER possessed more than 100 wax folds of substances that contained heroin, U-47700 (a synthetic opioid), and fentanyl. In addition, WAVER possessed a quantity of crack cocaine. Many of the folds were stamped with the same image found on the folds recovered at the scene of the victim’s overdose death.
WAVER pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, controlled substances, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for February 28, 2018.
WAVER’s criminal history includes numerous drug convictions.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the Ansonia Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Laraia.
Two Men in Kansas Indicted on Charges of Lying to Become Naturalized CitizensRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – Two men who been living in Kansas were indicted today in separate cases on charges of lying in order to become naturalized citizens, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
Victor David Garcia Bebek, 45, a native of Peru who has been living in Wichita, was charged with one count of unlawfully obtaining naturalized U.S. citizenship. The indictment alleges Bebek failed to disclose on his application for naturalization that he committed crimes while in the United States, including voter fraud.
In April, Bebek pleaded guilty in Sedgwick County District Court to three counts of voting without being qualified. He voted in a 2012 special election, the 2012 general election, and the 2014 general election, according to Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach. Kobach said his office learned of the voting fraud after Bebek became a naturalized citizen in February 2017.
Terry Kang, 48, a native of India who has been living in Overland Park, is charged with one count of unlawfully obtaining naturalized U.S. citizenship. The indictment alleges he failed to disclose on his application for naturalization that the government previously had initiated proceedings to remove him from the United States. In addition, the indictment alleges he made false statements to the government.
If convicted Bebek and Kang face up to 10 years in federal prison, a fine up to $250,000 and revocation of their naturalized citizenship. The Fraud Detection & National Security section of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (DHS) investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Phyllis Lanning, 60, Coffeyville, Kan., is charged with one count of mail fraud. The crime is alleged to have occurred from 2003 to 2017 in Montgomery County, Kan.
The indictment alleges that while she worked for Condon National Bank in Coffeyville, Kan., she created and mailed falsified documents in order to conceal the fact she stole $150,000 from an account.
If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.
Staci Jo Campbell, 37, Wichita, Kan., and Chet Andell Loudermilk, 46, Wichita, Kan., are charged with one count of possession of stolen mail. The crime is alleged to have occurred in June 2016, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, they face up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.
Joshua D. Catlin, 23, Florence, Kan., is charged with one count of theft of mail. The indictment alleges that while driving as a contract mail delivery person, he stole cash and gift cards and destroyed mail. The crime is alleged to have occurred in March 2017.
If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Postal Service investigated. AUSA Alan Metzger is prosecuting.
Luis Antonio Mendez-Perez, 40, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, and one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of a felony and deported. He was found in 2017 in Sedgwick County.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Ricardo Daniel Ruiz, 19, El Paso, Texas, is charged with one count of possession of more than 14 pounds of cocaine. The crime is alleged to have occurred Nov. 23, 2017, in Elkhart County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $4 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division Attends Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) MeetingsRead the Press Release
A delegation from the U.S. DOJ Antitrust Division, including Deputy Assistant Attorney General Roger Alford, is attending meetings of the OECD Competition Committee in Paris this week.
The OECD Competition Committee, which includes 35 member countries and the European Union, as well as non-member participants, experts and other invitees, brings together leaders of the world’s major competition authorities for a dialogue on competition policy issues, including best practices and standards, and promotes market-oriented reforms.
Among the panels scheduled for this week’s meeting are the extraterritorial reach of remedies in antitrust cases, the role of safe harbors and presumptions in antitrust law, and emerging issues related to common ownership by institutional investors. The U.S. submissions on these topics, as well as the submissions by other OECD members, are available on the OECD Competition Committee’s website at http://www.oecd.org/daf/competition/roundtables.htm.
The Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency Reach Agreement with Husqvarna to Resolve Production Line Test Reporting ViolationsRead the Press Release
Swedish company Husqvarna AB and its U.S. affiliate, Husqvarna Consumer Outdoor Products N.A., Inc., have agreed to pay a $2.85 million civil penalty to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act, the Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today.
The agreement is a result of Husqvarna’s failure to provide EPA with complete and accurate emissions testing information relating to engines used in handheld lawn, garden and forestry equipment manufactured during the 2011-2013 period. Today’s agreement, filed with the Federal District Court in the District of Columbia, requires Husqvarna to pay a $2.85 million civil penalty.
As a result of EPA’s investigation, Husqvarna agreed to reduce its emission credit balance by approximately 1,700 tons and improve quality assurance measures related to manufacturing, testing and reporting emissions from outdoor power products, such as trimmers, leaf blowers, and chainsaws. Consumers and professional users of these products, which are sold under various brand names, will benefit from reductions in emissions from products the company sells in the future.
“This settlement demonstrates the Department’s commitment to enforcing federal clean air laws,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Working with our partners at EPA, we will continue to uphold the integrity of emissions testing programs to ensure clean air for the American people.”
“As a result of this investigation, Husqvarna’s products will produce less air pollution, which means cleaner air for consumers and American communities,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “EPA is committed to both making sure internal combustion engines perform as designed and holding accountable manufacturers who fail to properly test or report how much air pollution those engines emit.”
Engines sold in the United States must meet applicable emission standards for hydrocarbon and oxides of nitrogen, both ozone precursors. To demonstrate compliance with these standards, manufacturers must perform “production line testing” on a select number of engines from each “engine family” to verify that engines within the engine family as a whole meet the applicable emission standards. Manufacturers must then report certain information to EPA about their production line testing.
During an audit of Husqvarna’s production line testing reports conducted by EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality and a subsequent investigation by EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, EPA found pervasive errors in the way Husqvarna was determining the minimum number of engines to test and the way Husqvarna was determining whether engine families were meeting the applicable emission standards. In all, EPA determined that Husqvarna submitted incomplete and inaccurate production line testing reports for 119 separate engine families.
Husqvarna is the largest manufacturer of handheld engines and equipment for the U.S. market. Husqvarna manufactures and tests its handheld lawn, garden and forestry equipment in Huskvarna, Sweden and Nashville, Arkansas, and its United States headquarters is located in Charlotte, North Carolina.
For more information, go to https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/husqvarna-ab-and-husqvarna-consumer-outdoor-products-na-inc-clean-air-act-settlement.
Terre Haute Federal Correctional Officer faces multiple bribery and permitting escape chargesRead the Press Release
Alleged to have taken bribes to allow prisoners to escape the prison grounds,
have sex on prison property, and introduce contraband into prison
PRESS RELEASE
Terre Haute – United States Attorney Josh Minkler today announced federal criminal charges against a Bureau of Prisons (BOP) correctional officer involved in an elaborate scheme to allow inmates to leave the grounds, have sexual relations on the grounds, and bring contraband into the prison in exchange for cash and other items. Leon Perry III, age 41, Linton, was arrested today and faces charges that include, conspiracy for an officer to permit escape, conspiracy to bribe public officials, officer permitting escape, public official accepting a bribe and providing contraband in a prison.
“Mr. Perry put the safety and welfare of the inmates, correctional officers, the institution and the entire Terre Haute community in jeopardy by allowing this to occur,” said Minkler. “He allowed greed and power to betray the confidence we place in prison officials.”
The Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) is a medium-security prison for men operated by the Bureau of Prisons. Adjacent to the FCI is a minimum-security satellite camp, with no perimeter fencing commonly referred to as the Camp. Inmates at the Camp are generally permitted to roam the grounds but are forbidden from leaving without prior approval.
During the time referenced in the indictment, Perry worked as the Reservation Patrol Officer at the Federal Prison Camp, whose responsibilities included patrolling the prison grounds to prevent and stop any escape attempts. This included challenging unauthorized vehicles or persons who are on the grounds and maintaining overall security of the facility. Perry has served as a correctional officer at the BOP for approximately 10 years.
It is alleged that Perry agreed to be at a different part of the facility grounds when inmates left the facility and went with women to hotels in the nearby Terre Haute, Indiana area. In exchange for the agreement, Perry accepted cash bribes. It is further alleged that Perry accepted bribes, including cash and prescription medication, to allow prisoners to have sex with unauthorized visitors on prison grounds. It is also alleged that Perry accepted bribes in exchange for allowing contraband into the Camp; including cellular telephones, controlled substances, and alcohol.
"Corruption by law enforcement officers in any facet of their work won't be tolerated," said W. Jay Abbott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Indianapolis Division. "The illegal actions by the few corrupt officers undermine the public's confidence in the majority of law enforcement officers who are trustworthy public servants."
“Greed and corruption have no place in our criminal justice system,” stated Special Agent in Charge John F. Oleskowicz of the DOJ Office of the Inspector General’s Chicago Field Office. “We want to thank our law enforcement partners for their assistance in ensuring that correctional officers who abuse their position are vigorously investigated and prosecuted.”
This case was investigate by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General and the BOP Special Investigative Services.
According to Assistant United States Attorney Kyle M. Sawa who is prosecuting this case for the government, Perry faces up to 15 years imprisonment if convicted on all counts.
An indictment is merely a charge and not evidence of guilt. All defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty in federal court.
###
Syracuse Woman Sentenced to 60 Years on Child Exploitation ConvictionsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Emily Oberst, age 25, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to 60 years in prison for her sexual exploitation of children, announced Acting United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Special Agent in Charge Vadim D. Thomas of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Albany Field Office. Oberst, who pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to sexually exploit children and 11 counts of child exploitation, will also be on a lifetime term of supervised release and must register as a sex offender following her release from prison.
“The substantial sentence imposed today reflects the enormity of the defendant’s appalling sexual exploitation of an infant and a toddler. We will continue to use all available tools to hold child predators accountable so that all children can be safe from such abominable abuse,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Grant C. Jaquith.
“Ms. Oberst committed shocking and unspeakable crimes against the most innocent among us. Today’s sentencing ensures that she will receive justice for her heinous crimes,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Vadim D. Thomas.
During her April 2017 guilty plea, Oberst admitted that she took sexually explicit images of two girls, an infant and a 4-year old, and sent those images to her co-defendant Jason Kopp. Jason Kopp previously pled guilty to a 28-count indictment charging conspiracy to sexually exploit children, child sexual exploitation, and other child pornography offenses. On September 13, 2016, he was sentenced to serve 235 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the Albany Field Office of the FBI (Syracuse Resident Agency), the New York State Police and the Metropolitan Police Department-Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force (Washington Field Office), and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa Fletcher and Robert Levine.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
State Corrections Officer Sentenced for Smuggling Drugs and Cell Phones into the J.T. Vaughn Correctional CenterRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Thomas N. Boyce, Jr., age 51, of Dover, Delaware, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Andrews to 36 months incarceration. Boyce previously had pled guilty to three counts of conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right. Boyce is scheduled to surrender on January 2, 2018.
According to statements made at sentencing and in documents filed in court, Boyce served as Corrections Officer (“CO”) at the J.T. Vaughn Correctional Center (“JTVCC”) for twenty years, until 2015. In 2013 and 2014, Sergeant Boyce smuggled drugs, to include heroin, and cell phones to 16 different JTVCC inmates in return for money. Boyce did so knowing those inmates were using the smuggled cell phones to orchestrate the smuggling of drugs and more phones into JTVCC.
Following the sentencing, Acting U.S. Attorney Weiss, stated, “The defendant was charged with keeping JTVCC safe. Instead, he committed an abuse of trust that made the prison manifestly less safe - where his charge was to protect the inmates and his colleagues, the defendant’s prison smuggling endangered them. My office is committed to investigating and prosecuting corrupt prison employees. Today’s sentence should serve as a deterrent for correction officers who would smuggle contraband into a prison.”
“Few things threaten our society more than public servants who betray their oath for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the FBI's Baltimore Division. “The FBI in Delaware, along with our state and federal partners, are sending a strong message today that we will not tolerate corruption in the prison system which tarnishes the good work of the dedicated and committed correctional employees.”
This matter resulted from a joint investigation conducted by the FBI and the Delaware Department of Correction. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edmond Falgowski.
Stamford Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Cocaine ChargeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RICHARD ROTANTE, 57, of Stamford, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 18, 2017, Stamford Police arrested ROTANTE on the basis of three sales of cocaine that ROTANTE had made to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. On that date, a search of ROTANTE’s person, residence and two of his vehicles revealed approximately 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, items used to process and package narcotics, and $68,923 in cash.
Chief Judge Hall scheduled sentencing for February 28, 2018, at which time ROTANTE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. ROTANTE is released on a $150,000 bond pending sentencing.
ROTANTE has a previous federal conviction for distributing cocaine. On April 25, 2007, he was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, eight months of home confinement, and a fine of $3,500.
This matter is being investigated by the Stamford Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Stamford State’s Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Karwan.
Special Counsel’s Office Statement of Expenditures: May 17, 2017 – Sept. 30, 2017Read the Press Release
Please find the link to the Special Counsel’s Office Statement of Expenditures, May 17, 2017 to September 30, 2017 here. This statement has also been provided to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and the House Committee on the Judiciary.
As required by regulation, the Special Counsel, with the assistance of the Department’s Justice Management Division, developed a proposed budget, which was then reviewed and approved by the Deputy Attorney General. The Statement reflects the Special Counsel’s spending within the approved budget. Consistent with past practice, the Statement showing actual spending is being made public today.
The Justice Management Division will conduct a similar review every six months. The next Statement of Expenditures will be released after March 31, 2018.Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Alandis Patterson, a/k/a “Vino,” age 33, of Greenville, South Carolina was sentenced in federal court in Greenville for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by means of force and threats of force, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. § 1594(c). United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks of Charleston sentenced Patterson to 240 months imprisonment, followed by a Life term of supervised release, and $50,000 in restitution to the victim.
Evidence presented at the change of plea and sentencing hearings established that Patterson exploited an 18 year old girl, getting her hooked on cocaine and heroin, and beating her on an almost a daily basis to force her to have sex with numerous “Johns” a night from 2013 through the late fall of 2015. Patterson would beat the victim when he believed she wanted to leave, when she did not make enough money, or if he believed she was taking any of the money because 100% of the prostitution proceeds went to him. While Patterson did not use heroin himself, rather he used the drug to control the victim, making her “into a slave” for him. Patterson discussed the tactic with another pimp, explaining that girls were easier to control when they were addicted to drugs. The victim was finally able to break free from the defendant when he went to jail for a short time on unrelated charges, and she was able to withdraw from heroin. When the defendant got out of jail, shortly thereafter, she told him that she was leaving him for the last time. On that day, Patterson beat and choked the victim so severely she had to be treated in the hospital for bruises and swelling to her head and body and a possible concussion.
Ms. Drake stated, “The first step to eradicating human trafficking is to hold the traffickers accountable. While the defendant in this case threatened the victim by telling her his name, ‘VINO,’ stood for ‘Vengeance Is Never Over,’ the sentence in this case sends a clear message to the contrary: ‘the Violence Is Now Over.’ Those who traffic in sex need to take notice that our office, along with our federal and state law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute all those who operate in this destructive field.”
The case was investigated by agents of the FBI, ATF, City of Spartanburg Police Department, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, and Charleston County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Lea Schoen and Carrie Fisher Sherard of the Greenville office prosecuted the case.
#####
Senior Member of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Sell Heroin in New JerseyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A senior member of a large-scale drug trafficking organization was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for distributing heroin in Ocean and Monmouth Counties and elsewhere in New Jersey, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Robert Britt, a/k/a “True,” 45, of Asbury Park, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to an indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute heroin. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
Between March and May 2014, 21 other individuals, including numerous members of the drug trafficking organization, were charged in two separate criminal complaints with conspiring to distribute heroin and other related offenses. The complaint referred to the drug trafficking organization as the “Britt-Young DTO,” after two of its leading members, Britt and Rufus Young, a/k/a “Equan,” a/k/a “E-Money,” a/k/a “Kintock.”
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Between July 2010 and March 2014, Britt conspired with others to distribute heroin in Ocean and Monmouth counties as part of the Britt-Young DTO. During his plea hearing, Britt admitted that he distributed between one and three kilograms of heroin in furtherance of the conspiracy and that he served as a manager or supervisor of the conspiracy.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Britt to five years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI Red Bank Resident Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Grippo and Brendan Day of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
Defense Counsel: Alyssa A. Cimino Esq., Fairfield, New Jersey
Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Attempting to Possess Designer DrugRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 60 months imprisonment followed by three years supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on John Calabro, 24, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, in and around May 2015, Calabro attempted to possess with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of ethylone, a Schedule I controlled substance.
Assistant United States Attorney Katherine A. King prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Song commended Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Calabro.
Oroville Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Receiving Child Pornography from the Dark WebRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jason Sebastian Sparks, 29, of Oroville, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 14 years in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
U.S. Attorney Talbert stated: “This sentence sends a strong message to those who try to remain anonymous while committing child exploitation crimes on the Internet that no matter what techniques they use, they risk being caught and prosecuted. Law enforcement is continually developing new ways to detect such criminals and bring them to justice. My office is committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society and to working with our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners to prosecute those involved with the exploitation of children.”
“Victims of child pornography aren’t just pixels on a screen,” said Sean Ragan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “They are real children subject to horrific abuse. The internet may provide users with a veil of anonymity, but the FBI and our partners will overcome challenges to track down offenders and bring justice to innocent victims.”
According to court documents, this case arose from an FBI undercover investigation into Playpen, a highly sophisticated, hidden website dedicated to the advertisement and distribution of child pornography that operated on the Tor network from August 2014 until March 2015. The Tor network offers users anonymity by concealing the actual Internet Protocol (IP) address of its users. In February 2015, the FBI seized the computer server hosting Playpen from a webhosting facility in North Carolina. Pursuant to a federal court order in the Eastern District of Virginia, the website operated under FBI supervision for a two-week period, during which the FBI collected information to identify users of Playpen.
Playpen had more than 150,000 members who created and viewed tens of thousands of postings related to the sexual abuse of children. Images and videos shared through the site were highly categorized according to victim age and gender, as well as the type of sexual abuse depicted in the various images. The site also included discussion forums that included tips for grooming children and avoiding detection by law enforcement.
During its investigation, the FBI determined that a user connected to an IP address operating at Sparks’ Oroville residence had accessed Playpen for approximately three hours and 13 minutes over a two-day period in March 2015. Investigators subsequently searched Sparks’ residence and seized a computer that Sparks used to download child pornography from the Tor network. In a statement to investigators, Sparks admitted to accessing Playpen and to using the Tor network to download child pornography. Sparks also admitted that he had previously sexually abused an approximately six-year-old child on five occasions.
As a result of the FBI’s operation, at least 350 U.S.-based individuals have been arrested nationwide, 25 producers of child pornography have been prosecuted, 51 alleged hands-on abusers have been prosecuted and 55 American children who were subjected to sexual abuse have been identified or rescued.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Shelley Weger is prosecuting the case.
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.
Oregon Man Receives 24-Month Federal Prison Sentence for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore. – On Tuesday, December 5, 2017, U.S. District Court Judge Ann L. Aiken sentenced Michael Schmidt to 24 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. Schmidt had previously pleaded guilty to a single charge of failing to register as a sex offender on September 6, 2017.
According to court documents, Schmidt was convicted of first-degree rape and kidnapping on October 10, 1997 in Lane County, Oregon and was required to register as a sex offender for life. He fled the state during his post-prison supervision, failing to complete a sex offender treatment program. Schmidt was located, arrested, and indicted for failing to register as a sex offender in the Northern District of Indiana. His case was later transferred to the District of Oregon.
“Sex offender registration serves the dual purpose of protecting the community from violent criminals and helping sexual offenders successfully avoid recidivism,” said Billy J. Williams, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Deliberately avoiding registration is a serious crime and will be punished accordingly.”
The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and prosecuted by Jeffrey S. Sweet, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Stacey R. Speith, Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana.
One Physician and Three Nurse Practitioners Charged for Participating in the Operation of a Montgomery “Pill Mill”Read the Press Release
Montgomery, Ala. – On Tuesday, December 5, 2017, four individuals were arrested after being indicted by a federal grand jury for their role in operating a “pill mill,” out of a Montgomery, Alabama medical office, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. A “pill mill” is a medical clinic that is dispensing controlled substances inappropriately, unlawfully, and for non-medical reasons.
Those four individuals were: (1) Lillian Akwuba, 38, a nurse practitioner residing in Montgomery; (2) Julio Delgado, 55, a physician residing in Homewood, Alabama; (3) Steven Cox, 62, a nurse practitioner residing in Tallassee, Alabama; and (4) Elizabeth Cronier, 69, a nurse practitioner residing in Montgomery.
The indictment alleges that each defendant worked at Family Practice, located at 4143 Atlanta Highway in Montgomery with Dr. Gilberto Sanchez, previously a Montgomery physician, who owned Family Practice. Last week, Dr. Sanchez pleaded guilty in federal court to drug distribution, health care fraud, and money laundering charges.
The indictment in this case alleges that the defendants conspired with Dr. Sanchez to unnecessarily and illegitimately prescribe controlled substances to the patients of Family Practice. Additionally, the indictment charges the defendants with committing health care fraud by causing insurance companies to be billed for unnecessary office visits. The only purpose of those visits were to refill unnecessary medications. Lastly, the indictment alleges that Akwuba conspired with Dr. Sanchez to launder money.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment on the drug conspiracy and distribution counts. They face maximum sentences of 10 years imprisonment on the health care fraud counts. Akwuba faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment on the money laundering counts. All defendants also could be assessed substantial fines and other monetary penalties.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad, the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, and the United States Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. The Montgomery County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners, the Montgomery, Alabama Police Department, and the Opelika, Alabama Police Department assisted with this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan S. Ross and R. Rand Neeley are prosecuting the case.
North Tonawanda Woman Indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute Synthetic DrugsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051Buffalo, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Brenda Mansour, 20, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of introducing into interstate commerce a misbranded food before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. The charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan T. Cullinane, who is handing the case, stated that in May of 2015, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance inspectors encountered the defendant at Mario’s, a store located at 2304 Pine Avenue in Niagara Falls, during a routine inspection of the store’s tobacco and cigarette inventory. The inspectors recovered 331 packages of suspected synthetic cannabinoids, which were labeled either “Geeked Up,” “Scooby Snax (Watermelon),” “Scooby Snax (Bluberry),” “Scooby Snax (Green Apple),” “Xtreme Aroma Therapy (Strawberry),” “Xtreme Aroma Therapy (Brandy),” or “Joker.” The inspectors turned over the packages to Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations for further analysis. HSI confirmed that Mansour offered for retail sale packages containing a green vegetable matter laced with chemicals not authorized for human consumption, including AB-FUBINACA and XLR-11, both of which are Schedule I controlled substances. The defendant sold these packages knowing that customers intended to inhale, ingest, or burn the contents contained in the packages.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Kevin Kelly, and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, under the direction of Commissioner Jerry Boone.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 4, 2018, at 12:30 p.m. before Judge Arcara.
North Carolina Woman Pleads Guilty to Tax ChargeRead the Press Release
Roanoke, VIRGINIA – A woman who participated in a fraudulent cosmetics sales scheme was sentenced this afternoon on federal tax charges, United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle announced.
Charon Ray, a.k.a. “Charon Crowely,” 47, of High Point, North Carolina, was sentenced today to three years’ probation, nine months of which must be spent on home confinement. In addition, Ray was ordered to pay a fine of $40,000. She previously pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false tax return.
According to evidence presented during the guilty plea hearing, Ray operated an online cosmetic sales business out of her residence during the years 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Ray obtained cosmetics from a disposal company and then repurposed them for sale through electronic sales channels such as eBay. The Internal Revenue Service examined Ray’s financial records for the relevant time period. There is a substantial known tax loss that RAY caused, $455,109, by not reporting $1,625,389 of income received by selling used and returned cosmetic products.
As part of her plea agreement in this case, in 2017 Ray filed amended tax returns for each of tax years 2009 through 2014, included in returns were payment of taxes and other amounts due. The defendant paid $590,019 for the tax periods 2009 through 2014.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant United States Attorney Charlene R. Day prosecuted the case for the United States.
Nashville Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Federal Crimes After Shooting at Metro Police OfficersRead the Press Release
Antonio L. Bender,19, of Nashville, Tenn., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to federal firearms charges and obstruction of justice, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran of the Middle District of Tennessee. These charges resulted from an incident on March 27, 2017, where Bender shot at two Metropolitan Nashville Police Department officers who were responding to a report of shots being fired.
Bender was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 10, 2017, on charges of being an unlawful drug user in possession of two firearms; possession of a stolen firearm; and obstruction of justice by deleting relevant social media posts with intent to impede a federal investigation. He pleaded guilty to all charges and will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger on March 26, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Don Cochran commended the MNPD officers and stated, “These officers were doing their duty to investigate violent crime which has plagued this community when they were shot at by this defendant. They displayed appropriate restraint in not returning fire due to their training and their awareness of the innocent bystanders in the area. In keeping with our zero-tolerance policy regarding violence against law enforcement officers, we will seek an appropriately severe sentence against this illegally armed violent gang member.”
According to the statement of facts presented at the plea hearing, Bender is a Rollin’ 60s Crips gang member and was released from juvenile custody in October 2016. On March 27, 2017, MNPD officers were responding to a report of shots being fired in the area of the J.C. Napier and Tony Sudekum public housing developments. As they were patrolling, two officers heard more gunfire and got out of their patrol car to investigate. While on foot, they heard four to five more shots before seeing Bender, who was armed with two pistols, which were equipped with a laser and a flashlight. Bender raised the pistols towards the officers, fired once, and then fled on foot. The officers did not return fire because there were bystanders behind Bender, and they could not fire without endangering them.
The officers chased Bender, who surrendered a short distance away, after discarding the two pistols, a Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic and a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber semi-automatic, which had previously been reported stolen.
Also according to the statement of facts, Bender is an unlawful drug user and he had taken both pistols from an unknown man selling firearms a few weeks earlier. He was involved in a shooting earlier in the day on March 27, 2017, in which he shot a person who had sold one of his associates some fake cocaine. Multiple other shots struck and heavily damaged an occupied car nearby.
Bender faces a maximum of ten years in prison on each of the firearms charges, and a maximum of 20 years in prison for obstruction of justice.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sunny A.M. Koshy is prosecuting the case.
Mission Woman Found Not Guilty of Bank Fraud and ForgeryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Mission, South Dakota, woman was acquitted of Bank Fraud and Forgery as a result of a federal jury trial in Pierre, South Dakota, on November 30, 2017.
Kaitlyn Erickson, age 21, was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 15, 2017.
The charge stemmed from an alleged incident that occurred in January 2017, in Mission.
The investigation was conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
Mexican citizen sentenced to 33 months in prison for illegally reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Mexican citizen was sentenced last week to 33 months in prison for reentering the United States illegally after being previously removed.
Marco Grijalva-Lopez, 34, of Mexico, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien. According to the August 9, 2017 guilty plea, Bossier City police arrested the defendant for shoplifting on April 14, 2017. After further investigation, law enforcement agents discovered that Grijalva-Lopez had two prior convictions for assault of a family member in Harris County, Texas. He was removed on May 30, 2015 and banned for life from entering the United States.
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Bossier City Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. prosecuted the case.
Mexican citizen pleads guilty to illegally reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a man from Mexico pleaded guilty to reentering the United States after being deported.
Tomas Tavera-Morales, 31, of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carol Whitehurst to one count of illegal reentry of a previously deported alien. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell. According to the guilty plea, the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office contacted Homeland Security Investigations on August 21, 2017 for assistance surveilling a possible illegal alien. Law enforcement agents later observed Tavera-Morales walking behind a residence near Third and Eastern avenues in Crowley. Agents contacted him, and he identified himself using a different name. After his arrest, he admitted that he lied about his name, and that he had been previously deported.
Tavera-Morales faces up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set sentencing for March 18, 2018.
Homeland Security Investigations and Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo is prosecuting the case.
Medical Doctor Found Guilty of Illegally Writing Prescriptions for Controlled Substances, including Highly Addictive OpioidsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A doctor who operated a medical clinic in Lynwood has been found guilty of drug-trafficking charges after a federal jury found that he issued prescriptions for powerful narcotics and sedatives without a medical purpose for mostly young “patients” who sometimes traveled more than 100 miles to get prescriptions.
Dr. Edward Ridgill, 65, who has residences in Whittier and Newbury Park, was found guilty late yesterday afternoon of 26 felony counts of illegally distributing controlled substances.
The evidence presented during a one-week trial showed that Ridgill illegally prescribed the opioid painkiller hydrocodone, which is often sold under the brand name Norco; alprazolam, best known by the brand name Xanax; and carisoprodol, a muscle relaxer often sold under the brand name Soma.
Prosecutors presented evidence at trial from a California database that tracks prescriptions and “confirms [Ridgill]’s predatory prescribing,” according to court documents that describe young “patients” traveling from Victorville, Palmdale and Desert Hot Springs to obtain prescriptions.
The jury heard that, in 2014 alone, Ridgill wrote nearly 9,000 prescriptions, and 95 percent of those prescriptions were for hydrocodone, alprazolam and carisoprodol, typically for the maximum strength. “The combination of these three drugs is the most sought-after drug cocktail on the black market, and one for which there is no legitimate medical purpose,” prosecutors said in a court filing.
Jurors in the case heard testimony about undercover DEA operatives who received prescriptions from Ridgill in exchange for cash. According to court documents, the testimony showed that Ridgill’s “initial physical exams were cursory, and far from the fulsome type of exam required to justify prescribing high doses of controlled substances.”
Law enforcement authorities executed federal search warrants on Ridgill’s residences and medical office in March 2015. At that time, authorities recovered multiple pre-written prescriptions for controlled substances, as well as cash found lining patient files and stuffed in the drawers containing those files, which prosecutors argued demonstrated that Ridgill operated a cash-for-drugs business.
The jury deliberated for about 30 minutes before finding Ridgill guilty of 26 counts of distributing controlled substances outside the course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose. Specifically, Ridgill was convicted of 13 counts of distributing hydrocodone, nine counts of distributing alprazolam, and four counts of distributing carisoprodol.
Ridgill is scheduled to be sentenced on March 19 by United States District Judge S. James Otero. As a result of yesterday’s verdicts, Ridgill faces decades in federal prison, including up to 20 years in prison for six of the counts related to distributing hydrocodone.
The investigation into Ridgill was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad, HIDTA (the Los Angeles High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area), the Los Angeles Police Department, the Torrance Police Department and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
The prosecution of Ridgill is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Catharine A. Richmond and Catherine S. Ahn of the General Crimes Section.
Man Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm by a Felon Charge Related to Shooting in TarboroRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court, Senior United States District Judge Malcolm J. Howard sentenced RAMEIK DESEN ANDERSON, 23, to 96 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
ANDERSON was named in a 1-count Indictment filed on June 15, 2017. On September 11, 2017, ANDERSON subsequently pled guilty to one-count of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Felon.
The evidence developed during the investigation showed that on Wednesday, January 4, 2017, at 5:30 a.m., ANDERSON fired multiple rounds from a 9mm handgun at an occupied residence in Tarboro, North Carolina. Shortly after fleeing the residence, ANDERSON was observed by an officer with Tarboro Police Department (TPD) running a red light and traveling at a high rate of speed away from the area. The officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle; however, ANDERSON refused to stop, and a vehicle pursuit ensued with the officer operating his lights and siren. ANDERSON lost control of the vehicle and crashed the vehicle into a ditch. ANDERSON then jumped out of the vehicle and fled on foot. ANDERSON was eventually apprehended and arrested after utilizing a K-9 and several officers to assist in searching the nearby wooded area.
There were three other occupants in the vehicle at the time of the vehicle crash. All three occupants were interviewed at the crash site and were consistent with their statements that ANDERSON was driving the vehicle and that they were fleeing the scene of a shooting. Each occupant stated that ANDERSON pulled into the residence, exited the vehicle, and began firing multiple rounds into the home. A search of the vehicle recovered a 9mm handgun (with an obliterated serial number and later determined to be stolen), and a .38 caliber handgun. Both firearms were loaded with live ammunition. The 9mm was jammed with a spent round lodged into the ejection port of the firearm. Additionally, a spent bullet casing was found on the driver’s side floorboard.
Officers responded to the shooting scene and recovered 11 spent rounds and one unspent 9mm round from the roadway in front of the home. The homeowner and seven other individuals were in the home at the time of shooting. None of the occupants were injured.
This case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative which encourages federal, state, and local agencies to cooperate in a unified “team effort” against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders who continually plague their communities.
The Tarboro Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the criminal investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney Peggah B. Wilson handled the prosecution of this case for the government.
Man Sentenced for Hobbs Act Robbery in FayettevilleRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III sentenced ROGER TYRONE JACKSON, 46, of Sanford to 113 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release. He also agreed to make restitution in the amount of $1,400.00.
JACKSON was named in a 2-count Indictment filed on August 14, 2017. On August 21, 2017, JACKSON subsequently pled guilty to one-count of Hobbs Act Robbery.
The evidence presented to the Court showed that JACKSON robbed the Food Lion grocery store on Bragg Boulevard in Fayetteville on August 14, 2016. Store video surveillance revealed JACKSON entered the store just prior to its closing and crawled on his hands and knees, often conducting combat rolls, to avoid being seen by store employees. JACKSON hid in the rear of the store until the store closed and the store’s customer service representative went into the office to count the till. He then slowly moved to the front of the store, walking and crawling, and crouched behind the customer service counter to wait for the customer service representative to return to place the till in the store’s safe. Upon the customer service representative’s return, JACKSON pointed a handgun at her and said, “Shush, put the money in a bag.” The handgun JACKSON used during the robbery was later determined to be a BB gun. The customer service representative backed away from the money, and JACKSON took that money, as well as money from the open safe. JACKSON fled the store on foot with $1,400.
This case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative which encourages federal, state, and local agencies to cooperate in a unified “team effort” against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders who continually plague their communities.
The Fayetteville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted the criminal investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney James J. Kurosad handled the prosecution of this case for the government.
Man Sentenced to over 6 1/2 Years in Prison for Committing Two Armed Robberies One Week ApartRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today to 67 months in prison and three years supervised release in connection with two armed robberies committed one week apart, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada.
Walid H. Abdulla, 65, pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery and one count of interference with commerce by robbery. United States District Judge Howard D. McKibben presided over the sentencing hearing.
According to the plea agreement, Abdulla admitted that he committed two armed robberies in the Las Vegas Valley. On Jan. 30, 2017, he approached a clerk at a CVS Pharmacy at 8116 S. Las Vegas Blvd. with his gaming ticket from the pharmacy’s slot machine area and demanded the money from the cash register. He showed the clerk what appeared to be a semi-automatic handgun in his waistband and told the clerk to put the money inside a bag, stating, “you won’t get hurt if you just hurry.” Abdulla fled with $1,210 in cash. Abdulla further admitted that on February 6, he entered a Nevada State Bank at 3780 E. Flamingo and presented a robbery note demanding money from the vault. He showed the bank teller what appeared to be a semi-automatic handgun and fled with $5,000 in cash. Victims later identified Abdulla as the robber, he was observed by video surveillance at each robbery, and a forensic examination identified his fingerprint on the slot machine he used at the CVS.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kilby Macfadden.
###
Man Pleads Guilty to Smuggling TigerRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanie K. Pierson (619) 546-7976 or
Michelle Wasserman (619) 546-8431
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – December 5, 2017
SAN DIEGO – Luis Valencia pleaded guilty in federal court today to smuggling a tiger cub into the United States from Mexico in the front passenger side of his car while driving through the San Ysidro Port of Entry on August 23, 2017.
In pleading guilty, Valencia admitted that on August 18, 2017, he contacted an individual in Mexico to make arrangements to obtain the tiger cub and bring it into the United States. The following day he received a photograph of a tiger cub from the individual in Mexico with a piece of paper in the photograph, upon which was written the defendant’s full name and the date of August 20, 2017.
On August 22, 2017, Valencia said he received a message from the individual in Mexico indicating that the tiger cub would be arriving at the Aeromexico cargo area of the Tijuana airport that evening. On August 23, 2017, at approximately 1:30 am, Valencia admitted that he entered the United States from Mexico driving a 2017 Camaro with no license plates. At the time of entry, as the defendant was aware, underneath the legs of his front seat passenger in the Camaro was a six-week old Bengal tiger cub. Valencia acknowledged that neither he nor his passenger declared the tiger cub as merchandise entering from Mexico upon their entry into the United States, although he was aware that it should have been declared. The defendant admitted that he intended to conceal the presence of the tiger cub and deceive the inspectors in order to bring the tiger cub into the United States, and further acknowledged that he brought the tiger cub into the United States for a commercial purpose.
All tiger species (Panthera tigris), including Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, and are listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, an international agreement to which both the United States and Mexico are signatories. Valencia admitted that neither he nor any of his co-conspirators had received permission from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to import a tiger cub into the United States from Mexico.
Valencia is scheduled to be sentenced before U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Battaglia on February February 20, 2018, at 9:00 am. Co-defendant Eriberto Paniagua is set for trial on January 9, 2018, at 9:00 a.m.
“We have laws in place to protect endangered species, and smuggling a tiger in the front seat of a car puts both the tiger and the public in jeopardy,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Braverman. “We will hold violators accountable.”
“Today’s guilty plea demonstrates Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) commitment to hold those involved in wildlife trafficking accountable,” said David Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of HSI in San Diego. “HSI Special Agents are committed to working together with U.S. Fish & Wildlife and other law enforcement partners to investigate and arrest those who do not abide by their legal obligations to seek permission from U.S. authorities to import endangered species such as the tiger cub in this case, who was ultimately rescued from this trafficking ring.”
“One of the highest priorities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement is to investigate individuals involved in the unlawful commercial trafficking and smuggling of protected animals here and around the world,” said Fish and Wildlife Special Agent in Charge Jill Birchell. “Tigers are one of the most imperiled species on the planet, and this investigation demonstrates that anyone attempting to unlawfully exploit these majestic creatures will be apprehended and held accountable."
DEFENDANT Criminal Case No. 17cr2856-AJB
Luis Valencia Age: 18 Perris, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy, 18 U.S.C. § 371
Maximum penalty: 5 years’ prison, fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss caused by the offense, restitution, forfeiture of proceeds generated from the offense, five years of supervised release.
AGENCIES
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Criminal Investigations
Homeland Security Investigations
Lugoff Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding N.Y. Retirement SystemRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Joseph F. Grossmann, age 68, of Lugoff, South Carolina, pled guilty to Bank Larceny, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, § 2113(b), and was sentenced to probation for three years, including one year of home confinement. Grossmann was also ordered to pay $130,624 in restitution to the New York State Employees’ Retirement System. Magistrate Judge Paige J. Gossett presided at the hearing.
Evidence presented during the change of plea established that between 2010 and 2015, Grossmann collected retirement benefits for his sister, a former New York state employee, even though she had died. In total, he received approximately $130,624 over five years, none of which he was entitled to.
The case was originally prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York. The case was transferred to South Carolina to accommodate the defendant’s health and living circumstances. Assistant United States Attorney Winston David Holliday, Jr., of the Columbia office handled today’s guilty plea and sentencing.
#####
Kyle Man Indicted for Aggravated Sexual Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Kyle, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Abusive Sexual Contact.
Frankie Standing Bear, age 31, was indicted on November 22, 2017. Standing Bear appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on November 29, 2017, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is life imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charges relate to Standing Bear engaging in a sexual act with a child who had not attained the age of 12 between March 1, 2016, and September 15, 2017, at Kyle.
The charges are merely accusations and Standing Bear is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen is prosecuting the case.
Standing Bear was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has been set for February 6, 2018.
Kinston Man Sentenced for Federal Robbery ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III sentenced KEENAN GERRON DRAKE, 25, of Kinston, NC to 54 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
DRAKE was named in a 14-count Indictment filed on February 28, 2017. On May 22, 2017, DRAKE subsequently pled guilty to two-counts of Interference with Commerce by Robbery and Aiding and Abetting.
Between August 24, 2015, and May 15, 2016, a series of armed robberies occurred in the Eastern District of North Carolina and elsewhere. A total of seven robberies were conducted by various participants including DRAKE. He robbed the Family Dollar in Faison, NC and the U.S. Cellular in Kenansville, NC. On December 19, 2015, Arnold (previously sentenced) drove Nobles (awaiting sentencing) and Drake to the robbery site. While the cashier was turned away, one of the men placed a pistol on the counter and demanded the money. The cashier gave Nobles and DRAKE the money from the cash register and was instructed to face the wall. The cashier was then told if she turned around, she would be shot. Nobles and DRAKE fled the store with $62.84.
On December 20, 2015, after being driven by Arnold, Nobles and DRAKE entered the U.S. Cellular store. After some conversation, one of the defendants walked to the door and locked it. The clerk accessed the safe and handed Nobles or DRAKE the bank bags and was then instructed to tell them how to open the cash drawer. The clerk complied, and Nobles or DRAKE took the money out of the cash drawer, while the other assailant instructed the clerk to lie down. The store suffered a loss of $1,825.86.
This case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative which encourages federal, state, and local agencies to cooperate in a unified “team effort” against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders who continually plague their communities.
The Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office, the Kenansville Police Department, the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office, the Snow Hill Police Department, the Kinston Police Department, the New Bern Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the criminal investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette handled the prosecution of this case for the government.
Justice Department and ATF Begin Regulatory Process to Determine Whether Bump Stocks Are ProhibitedRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced today that it has begun the process of promulgating a federal regulation interpreting the definition of “machinegun” under federal law to clarify whether certain bump stock devices fall within that definition.
"The Department of Justice has the duty to enforce our laws, protect our rights, and keep the American people safe," Attorney General Sessions said. "Possessing firearm parts that are used exclusively in converting a weapon into a machine gun is illegal, except for certain limited circumstances. Today we begin the process of determining whether or not bump stocks are covered by this prohibition. We will go through the regulatory process that is required by law and we will be attentive to input from the public. This Department is serious about firearms offenses, as shown by the dramatic increase in firearms prosecutions this year. The regulatory clarification we begin today will help us to continue to protect the American people by carrying out the laws duly enacted by our representatives in Congress."
ATF has taken the initial step in this regulatory process by drafting an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) and submitting it to the Office of Management and Budget. The ANPRM will provide the public and industry the opportunity to submit formal comments to ATF about bump stocks to inform ATF’s decision regarding further steps in the rulemaking process. The federal rulemaking process follows procedures required by the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). ATF and the Department will proceed in accordance with this process as quickly as possible.
The National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA) and Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA) strictly regulate the possession and transfer of machineguns, making it unlawful for any person to possess a machinegun that was not lawfully possessed prior to the statute’s effective date. Manufacturers and inventors may voluntarily submit devices to ATF for a “classification,” that is, a determination as to whether the device is considered a firearm or machinegun under federal law. If a device is not classified as a firearm or machinegun, it is deemed to be a part or accessory that is not subject to regulation by ATF.
Jose Inez Garcia-Zarate to Face Federal Firearm Charges in the Northern District of CaliforniaRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury indicted Jose Inez Garcia-Zarate today for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and for being an illegally present alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced United States Attorney General Jefferson B. Sessions; United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch from the Northern District of California; and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Jill Snyder.
According to the indictment, on July 1, 2015, Garcia-Zarate, a citizen of Mexico who reportedly is 47 years old, possessed a semi-automatic pistol and multiple rounds of ammunition in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) (felon in possession of a firearm) and 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5) (unlawfully present alien in possession of a firearm).
An indictment merely alleges that a crime has been committed and Garcia-Zarate, like all defendants, is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Garcia-Zarate currently is in state custody on other charges. If convicted of either violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), Garcia-Zarate faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant United States Attorneys Hallie Hoffman and Shiao Lee are prosecuting this case. This case is the result of an investigation by the ATF.
Jose Inez Garcia-Zarate to Face Federal Firearm Charges in the Northern District of CaliforniaRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury indicted Jose Inez Garcia-Zarate today for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and for being an illegally present alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced United States Attorney General Jefferson B. Sessions; United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch from the Northern District of California; and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Jill Snyder.
According to the indictment, on July 1, 2015, Garcia-Zarate, a citizen of Mexico who reportedly is 47 years old, possessed a semi-automatic pistol and multiple rounds of ammunition in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) (felon in possession of a firearm) and 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5) (unlawfully present alien in possession of a firearm).
An indictment merely alleges that a crime has been committed and Garcia-Zarate, like all defendants, is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Garcia-Zarate currently is in state custody on other charges. If convicted of either violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), Garcia-Zarate faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant United States Attorneys Hallie Hoffman and Shiao Lee are prosecuting this case. This case is the result of an investigation by the ATF.
Jacksonville Resident Indicted for Alleged Preparation of False Federal Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A grand jury today indicted a Jacksonville, Ill., man for allegedly aiding and assisting in the preparation of false income tax returns. The indictment alleges that West Mpetshi (ma-pet-shē), 36, of the 500 block of Beecher Ave., added false deductions and credits to income tax returns he prepared in 2015 and 2016.
The U.S. Clerk of the Court will issue a summons to Mpetshi to appear in federal court in Springfield for arraignment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris, and was investigated by the IRS, Criminal Investigation.
If convicted, each of the four counts charged carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Indictment Charges Springfield Man with Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and Possession with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - A grand jury today returned an indictment that charges Jeremy Outland, of Springfield, Ill., with conspiracy to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin in the Springfield area from November 2016 to November 2017. In addition, Outland is charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute.
Outland, 39, of the 800 block of S. Martin Luther King Drive, was previously arrested and charged by federal criminal complaint on Dec. 1. According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, Outland allegedly made regular trips to Chicago to pick up heroin which he then sold in the Springfield area.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Tom Schanzle-Haskins ordered that Outland remain detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The DEA; Springfield Police Department, Pro-Active Crimes Unit; Illinois State Police; and, the Decatur Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the statutory penalty for conspiracy to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin is five years to 40 years in prison; for possession with intent to distribute heroin the penalty is up to 20 years in prison.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.