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Thursday 5 October 2017
St. Joseph Man Indicted for Illegal Firearm Following Standoff with OfficersRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a St. Joseph, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for illegally possessing a firearm following a 11-hour standoff with law enforcement officers.
Terrance T. Brown, 40, of St. Joseph, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Brown on Sept. 18, 2017.
The indictment alleges that Brown, having been convicted of a felony, was in possession of a Ruger 9mm pistol on Sept. 13, 2017.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Brown was arrested following a 11-hour standoff at his residence on Sept. 13, 2017. Officers with the St. Joseph Police Department and the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department established a perimeter around the residence. After several minutes, three individuals (including a juvenile) came out of the residence, but Brown – who was armed with a handgun – remained inside. Officers with the Special Response Team used portable cameras to locate Brown in the attic of the residence. Eventually, Brown surrendered to officers and was arrested as he left the residence. The loaded Ruger 9mm pistol with an extended magazine was found during a search of the attic. Officers also found an empty box of Smith & Wesson .40-caliber ammunition.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Brown has a prior federal conviction in the District of Kansas for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Brown has two prior felony convictions for robbery in Wyandotte County, Kan., as well as prior felony convictions for aggravated assault and criminal possession of a firearm. Brown is currently under supervision by Missouri Probation and Parole for felony drug possession in Jackson County, Mo.
Larson cautioned that the charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Morgan. It was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Joseph, Mo., Police Department and the Buchanan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
St. Albans man sentenced to nine years in federal prison for methamphetamine crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A St. Albans man was sentenced today to nine years in federal prison for a drug crime, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Jeremiah Joe Johnson, 40, previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Johnson admitted that on April 30, 2017, he traveled to Charleston from Atlanta with approximately 1.3 kilograms of methamphetamine. Agents with the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team were monitoring Johnson’s travels using a GPS tracker and surveillance. Johnson also admitted that he stopped at the Bigley Avenue Go-Mart in Charleston, where an officer saw a passenger with Johnson attempt to hide a meth pipe from view. A drug dog on the scene gave a positive indication for the presence of narcotics, and a subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered the methamphetamine in a bag in the back seat. Johnson additionally admitted that he had obtained the drugs from a source in Georgia, and that he intended to distribute the drugs. Johnson further admitted to several other encounters with law enforcement while he was in possession of dealer amounts of methamphetamine.
The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team, the West Virginia State Police, and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney R. Gregory McVey is in charge of the prosecution. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence.
This case was 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.
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Springfield Man Charged with Distributing Child Pornography through Online Chat GroupRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Springfield, Mo., man who managed an online chat group to share child pornography was arrested and charged in federal court today.
Anthony Cotter, 30, of Springfield, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo. Cotter remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017.
Today’s complaint alleges that Cotter received and distributed child pornography over the Internet between March 13 and Oct. 5, 2017.
According to an affidavit filed in support of today’s criminal complaint, Cotter was a group administrator for a very active online chat group of 50 members who shared images and videos of child pornography with each other. Cotter also told investigators that he had been sexually abusing a minor female and taking photographs of her in various states of nudity.
The investigation began on March 9, 2017, when federal agents assisted the New York State Police with a child exploitation investigation that resulted in the arrest and prosecution of a member of Cotter’s chat group. Investigators reviewed communications that occurred in the group, including Cotter’s involvement as he monitored other users and warned them to follow the rules of the chat group. Cotter actively encouraged other users to post child pornography, the affidavit says, and posted several video files to the chat room himself.
According to the affidavit, members of the chat group were receiving and distributing videos and images of child pornography that depicted children from infants to approximately 12 years old. The images and videos depicted various types of sexual abuse to the children perpetrated by adult males and adult females; some of the images and videos depicted bondage and bestiality involving the sexual abuse of children under the age of 12.
Investigators also identified Cotter as the source of a Skype account that was being used to distribute images and videos of child pornography, the affidavit says. Multiple cyber tips related to the account were received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Officers executed a search warrant at Cotter’s residence earlier today, and arrested Cotter.
Larson cautioned that the charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crime Task Force.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Seven Previously Deported Aliens Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that seven previously deported aliens were indicted separately on October 4, 2017, by a federal grand jury with illegal re-entry into the United States by a previously deported alien.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Jose Alvarez-Lemus, age 37, of Honduras, was previously deported from the United States to Honduras in June 2008. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after June 2008, and was found in the United States in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Placido Hernandez-Hernandez, age 47, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in September 1997. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after September 1997, and was found in the United States in York County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Sulpicio Bello-Guerrero, age 64, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in December 2008. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after December 2008, and was found in the United States in York County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Calixto Roblero-Ortiz, age 34, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in April 2009 and May 2010. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after May 2010, and was found in the United States in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Sigifredo Sandoval-Arteaga, age 43, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in August 2013. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after August 2013, and was found in the United States in York County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Wilmar Renoj-Chan, age 40, of Guatemala, was previously deported from the United States to Guatemala in April 2011. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after April 2011, and was found in the United States in Franklin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Under federal law, Alvarez-Lemus, Hernandez-Hernandez, Bello-Guerrero, Roblero-Ortiz, Sandoval-Arteaga, and Renoj-Chan face a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
Luis Saldana-Figueroa, age 33, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico on three occasions, March 2011, September 2013, and January 2014. He is alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States sometime after January 2014, and was found in the United States in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers. In January 2013, he was convicted in the Middle District of Pennsylvania of illegal reentry by a previously deported alien, an offense which subjects him to enhanced penalties in the current case.
Because of Saldana-Figueroa’s previous conviction, under federal law he faces a maximum penalty of ten years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
These cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian G. McDonnell is prosecuting the cases.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Sentencings for September 29 - October 5, 2017Read the Press Release
Ryan Christopher Fagan, 36, of Sheridan, Wyoming, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson on October 5, 2017, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Fagan was arrested in Platte County, Wyoming. He received 41 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $250.00 in restitution and a $100.00 special assessment. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.
Miguel Martinez-Morales, 35, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson on October 5, 2017, for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the United States. Martinez-Morales was arrested in Campbell County, Wyoming. He received time served, plus ten days, was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment, and is subject to deportation upon release from custody. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Jose Alberto Acuna, 31, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson on October 3, 2017, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Acuna was arrested in Green River, Wyoming. He received 120 months of imprisonment, to be followed four years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $900.00 in restitution and a $100.00 special assessment. This case was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.
Dylan Thomas Blackburn, 20, of Riverton, Wyoming, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on October 3, 2017, for assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Blackburn was arrested in Lander, Wyoming. He received 21 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $11,862.63 in restitution and a $100.00 special assessment. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Ronald Detro Winder, 51, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson on October 2, 2017, for being a felon in possession of firearms. Winder was arrested in Gillette, Wyoming. He received 36 months of imprisonment, to be followed by two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $200.00 fine and a $100.00 special assessment This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Lennace Louis Miller, 28, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced by Chief Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal on October 2, 2017, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He received 51 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $200.00 fine and a $100.00 special assessment. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Crawford Daniel Oldman, 28, of Riverton, Wyoming, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on September 29, 2017, for assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Oldman was arrested in Lander, Wyoming. He received 18 months of imprisonment, to be followed by two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment. Restitution in this matter will be determined at a later date. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Salvadoran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Salvadoran national pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to a federal immigration crime.
Salvador Portillo-Diaz, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Jan. 9, 2018.
Portillo-Diaz was previously deported on March 18, 2006, and again on May 24, 2011. Federal agents in Boston reencountered Portillo-Diaz in June 2017, at the Suffolk County House of Correction, and determined him to be illegally present in the United States.
Portillo-Diaz faces a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Sacramento Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Obtain Mail by FraudRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Norman Thompson, 36, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 46 months in prison and ordered to pay $38,086.75 in restitution for conspiring to obtain mail by fraud, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, from October 2016 through May 2017, Thompson conspired with his co-defendants, Joshua Yadon and Latomba Bishop, to obtain credit cards, checks, credit reports, and merchandise in other peoples’ names using the victims’ stolen personal identifying information. The conspirators then filed fraudulent mail forwarding requests and vacation holds with the U.S. Postal Service to divert those items from the victims’ true addresses into the conspirators’ possession.
This case was the product of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy J. Kelley prosecuted the case.
Charges are pending against Johsua Yadon and Latomba Bishop. The charges are only allegations; these individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Purported Psychic Pleads Guilty to Evading TaxesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A south Florida woman, who purported to be a psychic, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to impeding the Internal Revenue Service by hiding more than $3.5 million of income that she was paid by an elderly Martha’s Vineyard woman.
Sally Ann Johnson, a/k/a Angela Johnson, a/k/a Angelia Johnson, a/k/a Sally Reed, 41, pleaded guilty to attempting to interfere with the administration of the Internal Revenue laws. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Jan. 17, 2018.
Johnson owned and operated various businesses, including Flatiron Psychic, Psychic Match, Inc., and Psychic Spiritual Salon, Inc., all of which purported to offer “psychic readings,” “spiritual cleansing & strengthening,” and “meditation & healing.” From 2007 to 2014, Johnson was paid over $3.5 million by an elderly woman living on Martha’s Vineyard to purportedly perform spiritual cleansing and healing services to rid the woman of demons through repeated exorcisms. Rather than reporting her income to the IRS and paying taxes on it, Johnson took steps to conceal it. Specifically, Johnson used an alias and directed the woman to send payments to at least three different bank accounts with which Johnson was associated, including an account in another person’s name. Johnson then withdrew large portions of the woman’s payments from the accounts in cash. In addition, Johnson accrued substantial charges on a credit card held in the name of the elderly woman, who ultimately paid the credit card bills, thereby concealing from the IRS the true extent of Johnson’s income. Neither Johnson nor any of the businesses she operated filed a tax return or paid taxes on the income she received from the woman.
As part of a plea agreement with the government, Johnson agreed to repay $3,567,300 to the Martha’s Vineyard woman and to pay restitution to the IRS for the taxes she avoided from 2007 to 2014.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than three years in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss caused by the offense, and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement today. The Chilmark Police Department provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra S. Bower and Brian A. Pérez-Daple of Weinreb’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Providence Woman Sentenced for Role in Taunton Heroin RingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Providence, R.I., woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for her role in a Taunton-based heroin trafficking operation.
Kerem Mendez-Luz, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to five months in prison and three years of supervised release. In April 2017, Mendez-Luz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin.
After a lengthy investigation, Mendez-Luz and 11 co-conspirators were arrested and charged in July 2015 for their roles in a drug trafficking organization, led by Eddyberto Mejia Ramos, that sold heroin throughout the Taunton area. Mejia Ramos purchased large quantities of heroin from several wholesale suppliers, including Saul Sanchez Rolon. On at least three occasions, Mendez-Luz delivered heroin to, or collected drug proceeds from, Mejia-Ramos at the direction of Sanchez Rolon. Mejia Ramos and his mid-level associates then distributed the heroin to lower level distributors and customers.
Mendez-Luz is the last of the 12 defendants involved in the conspiracy to be sentenced. In August 2016, Mejia Ramos was sentenced to 90 months in prison; and in January 2017, Sanchez Rolon was sentenced to 108 months in prison.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Taunton Police Chief Edward J. Walsh; and Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ted Heinrich of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Prince George’s County Man Charged Federally for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885Greenbelt, Maryland – Jayron Khalil Foster, age 21, of Riverdale, Maryland, was charged by federal criminal complaint on April 26, 2017 with production of child pornography. The complaint was unsealed today.
The complaint was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Chief Henry P. Stawinksi III of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, between at least August 2016 through January 2017, Foster allegedly engaged in sexually explicit conduct with a 7-year-old female, in order to produce visual depictions documenting the abuse. In April 2017, Maryland State Police (MSP) began investigating ten Cyber tips that were sent to the MSP Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in reference to possible child pornography. On April 25, 2017, investigators executed a search warrant at Foster’s residence and seized a hard drive, which contained numerous images and videos depicting Foster engaged in sexually explicit conduct with the minor victim.
If convicted, Foster faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and up to 30 years in prison for each count of production of child pornography. Foster is currently detained in Prince George’s County on related state charges.
A complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "resources" tab on the left of the page.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended HSI, Maryland State Police, Prince George’s County Police Department, and Prince George’s County Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly O’Connell Hayes, who is prosecuting the federal case.
Prepared Remarks by Acting U.S. Attorney Corey Amundson Addressing Anti-Violent Crime EffortsRead the Press Release
INTRODUCTION
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS COREY AMUNDSON. I AM THE ACTING UNITED STATES ATTORNEY FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA. I SERVE AS THE CHIEF FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL IN THIS DISTRICT.
I AM JOINED TODAY BY SENIOR OFFICIALS WITH THE ATF, FBI, DEA, HSI, THE ORGANIZED CRIME AND GANG SECTION OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, THE U.S. MARSHAL’S SERVICE, THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE EAST BATON ROUGE SHERIFF’S OFFICE, THE LOUISIANA STATE POLICE, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE, AND THE CONSTABLE’S OFFICE.
WE ARE HERE TO DISCUSS (1) THE VIOLENT CRIME PROBLEM IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH AND (2) SPECIFIC ACTIONS WE ARE AND WILL BE TAKING TO ADDRESS IT.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR MANY ELECTED AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE, INCLUDING THE MAYOR, OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE GOVENOR, AND MANY OTHERS. I GREATLY APPRECIATE THEIR ENGAGEMENT, LEADERSHIP, SUPPORT, AND EFFORTS ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.
WE ARE ALL UNIFED BY THE COMMON GOAL OF A SAFE AND SECURE COMMUNITY FREE FROM VIOLENCE. WE ARE ALSO ALL DISTURBED TO LEARN THAT VIOLENT CRIME IS ON THE RISE IN BATON ROUGE.
VIOLENT CRIME PROBLEM
WHEN DISCUSSING VIOLENT CRIME, WE MUST FIRST KEEP IN MIND SOME CONTEXT. OVERALL, CRIME RATES IN BATON ROUGE REMAIN NEAR HISTORIC LOWS. IN THE PAST FOUR DECADES, WE HAVE WON GREAT VICTORIES AGAINST CRIME. THIS HAPPENED UNDER LEADERSHIP FROM BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES.
IN RESPONSE TO AN INCREASE IN OUR VIOLENT CRIME RATE, LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS CAME TOGETHER IN APPROXIMATELY 2012/2013 TO IMPLEMENT THE BATON ROUGE AREA VIOLENCE ELIMINATION PROJECT, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS BRAVE. WE SAW THE POSITIVE IMPACT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. VIOLENT CRIME DROPPED FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
IN THE PAST YEAR, THIS PROGRESS HAS STOPPED. GROUP VIOLENCE, DRUG TRAFFICKING, AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HAVE FUELED A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN HOMICIDES AND VIOLENCE. WHILE THOSE RATES REMAIN LOWER THAN BEFORE BRAVE, OUR CURRENT SITUATION IS UNACCEPTABLE.
THE STATISTICS ARE MORE THAN STATISTICS. THEY ARE REPRESENT REAL VICTIMS AND FAMILIES. TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO LIVE IN CONSTANT FEAR OF VIOLENCE BREAKING OUT AROUND THEM. TOO MANY DECENT AND HARD WORKING PEOPLE ARE LIVING AS HOSTAGES IN THEIR OWN HOMES. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. WE CANNOT AND WILL NOT SIT BACK AND ALLOW THIS INCREASE TO CONTINUE. EVERY MAN, WOMAN, AND CHILD IN THIS CITY DESERVES TO BE SAFE IN THEIR HOMES AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
STEPS TO ATTACK THE VIOLENT CRIME PROBLEM
BEFORE SAYING WHAT WE WILL BE DOING, LET ME FIRST SAY WHAT WE WON’T BE DOING. WE WON’T PANIC AND ASSUME EVERTHING BEING DONE IS WRONG. IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE THOSE THINGS THAT ARE WORKING.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THOSE ASPECTS OF BRAVE THAT HAVE PROVEN SUCCESSFUL. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO ABANDON SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIES BECAUSE OF ISSUES WHOLLY UNRELATED TO THE MERITS OF THOSE STRATEGIES.
WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE CRIME STRATEGIES UNIT AND THE VIOLENT CRIME UNIT, BOTH OF WHICH HAVE ENHANCED OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS TO SUCCESSFULLY IDENTIFY AND PURSUE THE MOST VIOLENT OFFENDERS.
NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT OTHER STEPS WE ARE AND WILL BE TAKING:
GROUP VIOLENCE, DRUG TRAFFICKING, AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ARE THE THREE MAIN DRIVERS OF HOMICIDE AND VIOLENT CRIME RATES IN OUR AREA. SO, WE ARE TAKING A COMBINATION OF ENFORCEMENT AND PREVENTION ACTIONS AIMED AT THOSE DRIVERS.
- CREATE A U.S. ATTORNEY-LED VIOLENT CRIMINAL ENTERPRISES STRIKE FORCE TO IDENTIFY AND ATTACK THE MOST VIOLENT GROUPS IN OUR AREA.
- ACCELERATE OUR ALREADY ENHANCED FOCUS ON FEDERAL GUN PROSECUTIONS.
- PURUSE DRUG TRAFFICKERS (NOT MERE USERS) USING MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES PROVIDED BY CONGRESS.
- FUND THE STATE’S PRISONER REENTRY PROGRAM
- FUND THE CITY’S BODY CAMERA INITIATIVE
- FUND LOCAL LAW ENFORCMENT AGENCIES WHO ARE FIGHTING VIOLENT CRIME
- FUND THE STATE CRIME LAB
- FUND DRUG TREATMENT
- FUND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS
- CREATE PROGRAMS TO ENHANCE COMMUNITY POLICING, DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS, AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY’S INVOLVEMENT IN ANTI-VIOLENCE EFFORTS.
FIRST, TO ATTACK THE GROUP BASED VIOLENT CRIME, WE ARE CREATING A VIOLENT CRIMINAL ENTERPRISES STRIKE FORCE LED BY OUR OFFICE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL THE AGENCIES REPRESNTED HERE TODAY, AS WELL AS THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE.
USING OUR COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE, THE STRIKE FORCE WILL IDENTIFY THE MOST VIOLENT GROUPS IN OUR AREA. A TEAM CONSISTING OF FEDERAL PROSECUTORS AND FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL AGENTS WILL THEN BE SOLELY DEDICATED TO EACH GROUP.
AS WE SPEAK, MORE THAN 50 MEMBERS OF THE STRIKE FORCE ARE IN ANOTHER ROOM UNDERGOING JOINT TRAINING. WE INTEND TO UTILIZE ANY AND ALL LEGAL MEANS AT OUR DISPOSAL TO PURSUE THESE GROUPS. WE WILL EMPLOY TRADECRAFT AND STRATEGIES SUCCESSFULLY USED BY FEDERAL PROSECUTORS IN OTHER CITIES WITH SIMILAR ISSUES. AND WE WILL DO THIS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ORGANIZED CRIME AND GANG SECTION OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. THE RESULTS WILL NOT COME OVERNIGHT. THIS IS A LONG-TERM EFFORT DESIGNED TO BRING MAXIMUM RESULTS OVER THE LONG HAUL.
WE INTEND TO SEEK IMMEDIATE DETENTION OF THOSE ARRESTED AND SEVERE SENTENCES FOR THOSE CONVICTED. THERE IS NO PAROLE IN THE FEDERAL SYSTEM AND SENTENCES CAN OFTEN SERVED IN FEDERAL PRISONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THE FIRST PRINCIPLE OF LAW ENFORCMENT IS DETERRENCE. THAT IS WHAT WE SEEK. FILLING PRISONS IS NOT OUR GOAL. OUR GOAL IS TO PREVENT CRIME. SO, IF WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT REDUCING VIOLENT CRIME, WE NEED TO KEEP VIOLENT OFFENDERS BEHIND BARS, SO THEY CANNOT DO ANY MORE HARM, AND SO OTHERS WILL BE DETERRED FROM FOLLOWING IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS.
SECOND, WE ARE ACCELERATING A PREVIOUSLY UNDISCLOSED FEDERAL GUN PROSECUTION INITIATIVE WITH ATF, BRPD, AND EBRSO CALLED OPERATION JOINT ENDEAVOR. THIS INITIATIVE HAS RESULTED IN THE PROSECUTION OF APPROXIMATELY 50 DEFENDANTS, MANY WITH VIOLENT HISTORY, WITH SENTENCES UP TO 15 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON.
EARLIER TODAY, JUSTICE DEPARTMENT LEADERS IN WASHINGTON ANNOUNCED THAT PROJECT SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD – A LONGTIME FEDERAL GUN INITIATIVE – WILL AGAIN BE PRIORITZED IN RECOGNITION OF ITS POSITIVE IMPACT ON VIOLENT CRIME.
THIRD, TO ATTACK THE DRUG TRAFFICKING FUELING OUR HOMICIDE AND VIOLENT CRIMES RATES, WE WILL AGGRESSIVELY PURSUE TRAFFICKERS – THOSE WHO WRECK LIVES AND FEED OFF ADDICTION -- WITH THE MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES PROVIDED BY CONGRESS. I WANT TO EMPHASIS THAT I AM TALKING ABOUT TRAFFICKERS – NOT MERE USERS.
SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT WE SHOULD BE MORE PERMISSIVE AND TOLERANT ABOUT DRUG ABUSE. I THINK WE SHOULD BE MORE HONEST ABOUT THE CLEAR AND PRESENT THREAT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
OPIOID DRUGS, IN PARTICULAR, ARE CAUSING UNPRECEDENTED DESTRUCTION, WITH 90 AMERICAS DYING EVERY DAY FROM AN OPIOID-RELATED OVERDOSE. ABOUT 4 PEOPLE WILL OVERDOSE AND DIE WHILE WE SIT HERE THIS MORNING. WE MUST AND WILL AGGRESSIVELY PURSUE THOSE WHO TRAFFIC THIS POISION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING ALL THE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL EFFORTS ON THIS FRONT, INCLUDING SHERIFF GAUTREAUX’S DELTA DRUG TASK FORCE.
FOURTH, THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO FUND STATE AND LOCAL EFFORTS TO REDUCE VIOLENT CRIME. JUST LAST MONTH, THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AWARDED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO AGENCIES IN BATON ROUGE
- $750K FOR THE IMPLEMENTION OF BRPD’S BODY-WORN CAMERA POLICY
- $3.8 MILLION TO ASSIST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WHO RESPONDED TO THE AUGUST 2016 FLOODING
- $2.4 MILLION TO COMBAT SEXUAL ASSAULT AND ASSIST VICTIMS
- $91K TO RESPOND TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
- $2.8M FOR DATA COLLECTION, MANAGEMENT, AND ANALYSIS
- $1,050,000 FOR PRISONER REENTRY PROGRAMS
- $400k FOR DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS
- $400K FOR FORENSIC SCIENCE, INCLUDING DNA ANAYLSIS
FIFTH, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SELECTED BATON ROUGE AS ONE OF TWELVE CITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERSHIP. TOMORROW, MANY OF US HERE WILL BE MEETING WITH JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS TO FINALIZE PROGRAMS TO:
(1) MAXIMUM THE ABILITY OF RESOURCE-STRAPPED DEPARTMENTS TO IMPLEMENT COMMUNITY POLICING CONCEPTS.
(2) IMPROVE OUR COLLECTIVE ABILITY TO COLLECT, ANALYZE, AND SHARE DATA.
(3) INCREASE THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN VIOLENT CRIME PREVENTION.
CONCLUSION
WE WILL TRACK OUR EFFORTS AND ADJUST AS NEED. IF SOMETHING ISN’T WORKING, WE WILL SHIFT STRATEGIES. WHAT WE WILL NOT DO IS NOTHING.
WHILE THESE EFFORTS ARE ALL IMPORTANT, THEY ARE BUT ONE PART OF OUR BATTLE AGAINST VIOLENT CRIME. WE CANNOT DO THIS ALONE. WE ALL NEED TO BE IN THIS TOGETHER.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT PUTTING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN PRISON. IT IS ABOUT SAVING THEM.
EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS A ROLE TO PLAY. IT MAY BE TO SPEAK UP WHEN YOU WITNESS A CRIME. IT MAY BE TO SUPPORT, FINANCIALLY OR OTHERWISE, PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM. IT MAY BE TO ENGAGE WITH KIDS GOING DOWN THE WRONG PATH – INCLUDING YOUR OWN.
SO, BEFORE ASKING WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING, WE SHOULD ASK OURSELVES WHAT MORE WE CAN BE DOING. HOW CAN WE MAKE THINGS BETTER? I AM OPTIMISTIC THAT IF WE CAN DO THIS, WE WILL SUCCEED AND THAT SAFER DAYS LIE AHEAD.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND GOD BLESS OUR GREAT CITY AND PARISH.
WE WILL NOW BRIEFLY TAKE SOME LIMITED QUESTIONS.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced in Shooting Death of ManRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Pine Ridge man convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter and Discharge of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence was sentenced by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Thomas Joseph Brewer, age 26, was sentenced on October 3, 2017, to 8 years and 1 month of imprisonment on the manslaughter conviction, and 10 years on the firearm conviction, to run consecutively, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $7,680.13 in restitution.
Brewer was charged on December 20, 2016. The conviction stems from Brewer killing a man by shooting him in the abdomen with a 9mm handgun, after the man confronted him about driving recklessly in front of his house in Pine Ridge in November 2016.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Brewer was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Phoenix Man Indicted for Possessing Meth to DistributeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Phoenix, Ariz., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today after being arrested at a local bus station with nearly five kilograms of methamphetamine in his duffle bag.
Jose A. Escajeda, 21, of Phoenix, was charged with possessing methamphetamine to distribute in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Escajeda on Sept. 12, 2017.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, law enforcement officers contacted Escajeda at a Kansas City, Mo., bus terminal on Sept. 11, 2017. He told officers he was traveling to Minneapolis, Minn., and showed them his bus ticket.
Officers utilized a K-9 for a sniff check of Escajeda’s duffle bag, and the K-9 indicated a positive alert for the odor of narcotics. When officers searched Escajeda’s duffle bag, they found three individually wrapped bundles concealed under clothing inside the bag. The bundles contained a total of 10.2 pounds, or approximately 4,626.72 grams of methamphetamine.
Larson cautioned that the charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Morgan. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Omaha Nation Tribal Member Convicted of Aggravated Sexual AssaultRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Robert C. Stuart announced that George Grant, age 44 of Walthill, Nebraska, was convicted by a federal jury of one count of aggravated sexual abuse. Grant is facing up to fifteen years in prison. The case was heard before Chief United States District Court Judge Laurie Smith Camp.
Evidence introduced at trial established that on September 4, 2016, Grant sexually assaulted a female after driving her out to a secluded country road on the Omaha Nation Indian Reservation. Grant threatened to use force and, in fact, used force to commit the sexual assault. Sentencing is set for January 8, 2018.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Newport, Vermont and New York residents arrested on Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced today that Mickayla Peters, 19, of Newport, VT and Kenneth Seales, 40, of New York, were charged yesterday in United States District Court in Burlington with possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine. Peters is awaiting sentencing on a July 2017 federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and cocaine base. Peters and Seales appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge John Conroy and were ordered detained pending hearings next week.
On October 3, 2017, the Northeast Vermont Drug Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations arrested Peters, Seales and Tyler Before, 31, of Vermont, after Peters’s vehicle was stopped by Vermont State Police in Barnet, VT. A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of over 100 grams of heroin, 300 grams of cocaine and 2 grams of suspected fentanyl. Before faces state charges for heroin trafficking, transportation into the state, and cocaine possession. He was released on citation and is scheduled to appear in Caledonia County Court in December.
The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charge in the complaint against Peters and Seales is merely an accusation and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty.
If convicted, Peters and Seales face up to 20 years of imprisonment on the drug charge and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines.
Peters is represented by Michael Straub. Jean-Claude Charbonneau represents Seales. The prosecutor on the case is Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy Fuller.
New York Businessman Charged in Telemarketing-Related Fraud and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
A New York businessman was arrested today for overseeing a scheme to forge hundreds of thousands of counterfeit documents containing improperly obtained personal information, which he allegedly sold to his clients, who then allegedly provided this information to telemarketers.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Rohde of the Eastern District of New York, Special Agent in Charge Richard T. Thornton of the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office and FBI Assistant Director in Charge William F. Sweeney, Jr. of the New York Field Office made the announcement.
William Patrick Nanry, 55, of Pearl River, New York, was charged on Tuesday, October 3, in an indictment filed in the Eastern District of New York with one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, one count of mail fraud, one count of identity theft and one count of aggravated identity theft.
According to the indictment, Nanry operated a business selling “sweepstakes leads,” which are documents listing the phone numbers and personal information of individuals who have responded to mass mailings notifying recipients that they may have won, or were likely to win, expensive prizes and enormous cash payouts. Such information is highly valued by fraudulent telemarketers, who seek to identify individuals who may be susceptible to questionable pitches.
The indictment alleges that beginning in approximately 2009, Nanry acquired lists of names and contact information for hundreds of thousands of people—primarily senior citizens— and used this information to create fake sweepstakes leads, which he then sold to his clients as authentic. The indictment further alleges that Nanry directed a team of employees and associates to write the personal information of the victims onto the counterfeit sweepstakes forms, even though the victims had not agreed to this use, and even though many of the victims had never responded to a sweepstakes mailing. Nanry allegedly directed these employees and associates to vary their handwriting, to use a large number of pens in varying colors, and to take other actions to make the fake leads appear authentic. According to the indictment, the counterfeit sweepstakes leads were then sold to Nanry’s clients, who provided them to telemarketers, who then contacted the people named in the leads. Many of these fake sweepstakes leads allegedly ended up in the hands of telemarketers who attempted to defraud the victims. Some of the individuals who had their information misused by Nanry were ultimately defrauded by scam telemarketers.
Over the duration of the scheme, Nanry earned over $1.7 million by selling fake sweepstakes leads to his clients, the indictment alleges.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI is investigating this matter. Timothy A. Duree and Tracee Plowell of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 28 Years Imprisonment for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that MATTHEW PERE, age 33, of New Orleans, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to production of images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children.
U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced PERE to 336 months imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Additionally, PERE was ordered to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
According to court documents, PERE victimized eight females between the ages of 12 and 17 years-old he met via the internet and various social media applications. During a search at PERE’S residence, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized his cellular phone and laptop computer that contained images and videos of the victims, including numerous video chat conversations between PERE and the victims in which he recorded them engaging in sexually explicit conduct. After identifying the victims, agents determined that PERE met at least one of the minors and engaged in sexual activity with her, including forcibly choking her, which PERE recorded with his laptop computer. PERE met a second victim when she was approximately fourteen years-old via a messaging application. PERE successfully encouraged her to send him sexually explicit images and videos, and she complied. According to her statement to law enforcement officials, when she refused to continue sending sexually explicit material to PERE, he threatened to send the images she had already taken to her mother if she did not take additional, increasingly graphic sexually explicit images and videos of herself and send them to him.
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 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Ginsberg was in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Traffick CocaineRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOPPA JACKSON, age 35, of New Orleans, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of powder cocaine.
U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced JOPPA JACKSON to 78 months imprisonment, followed by 8 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
According to court documents, JOPPA JACKSON, along with codefendants CRAIG JAMES, LAZANDY DANIELS, and LEON JACKSON, JR., conspired to distribute cocaine in the New Orleans area. In 2015, JAMES, who is from Houston, traveled to New Orleans multiple times per month in order to deliver multi-kilogram quantities of powder cocaine to his local customers, including JOPPA JACKSON, DANIELS, and LEON JACKSON, JR. JOPPA JACKSON, DANIELS, and LEON JACKSON, JR. then sold the cocaine to users and other drug dealers in the New Orleans area.
JAMES was sentenced to 156 months imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. LEON JACKSON, JR. was sentenced to 70 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. DANIELS was convicted by a jury and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 19, 2017.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon S. Long and Theodore Carter are in charge of the prosecution.
Multi-Agency Investigation Targets Methamphetamine and Firearm Trafficking in Southeastern New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – In spring 2017, federal, state and local agencies joined forces to disrupt and dismantle a criminal organization that allegedly was trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and numerous firearms in southeastern New Mexico. Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney, Acting Special Agent in Charge Steve Borak of the El Paso Division of the DEA, Special Agent in Charge John J. Durastanti of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Acting Special Agent in Charge Jack P. Staton of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in El Paso, U.S. Marshal Conrad E. Candelaria, and Commander James McCormick of the HIDTA Region VI Pecos Valley Drug Task Force today announced the results of their investigative efforts, which included the filing of federal drug trafficking and firearms charges against 15 defendants.
The investigation, which was initiated by the DEA, ATF and the HIDTA Region VI Pecos Valley Drug Task Force, initially targeted a methamphetamine trafficking organization operating in southeastern New Mexico that allegedly was supplied by Daniel P. Bruton, 38, of Artesia, N.M., and Marcos A. Martinez, 30, of Roswell, N.M. The investigative team quickly expanded to include HSI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Border Patrol, the New Mexico State Police, the Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force, and the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office, and the investigative targets expanded to include other alleged drug traffickers in Eddy and Chaves Counties. The investigation was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, a Department of Justice program that combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations. During the investigation, which concluded with a major law enforcement operation yesterday, law enforcement authorities seized more than 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine and 44 firearms.
Based on the investigation, a federal grand jury returned five indictments on Oct. 5, 2017, charging 15 defendants with federal methamphetamine trafficking and firearms offenses. One of the indictments charges ten individuals, including Bruton and Martinez, who are alleged to be members of the criminal organization that was the original target of the investigation. That 34-count indictment alleges that Bruton, Martinez and their co-defendants conspired to violate the federal narcotics trafficking and firearms laws from May 2017 through Oct. 2017 in Eddy and Chaves Counties and elsewhere in New Mexico. The indictment includes 55 overt acts that discuss the conspiracy’s operations, including the quantities of methamphetamine – ranging from multiple ounces to five pounds – allegedly distributed by the defendants on a routine basis. It also describes the firearms – including assault rifles that allegedly were to be smuggled into Mexico – allegedly used by the defendants in relation to their drug trafficking activities.
In announcing the results of the investigation, Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney said, “This investigation was a coordinated effort to crackdown on drug trafficking in Eddy and Chaves Counties and to improve the quality of life for the good people who live there. It was part of our continuing statewide fight against drug trafficking and the violence that goes hand-in-hand with it. The federal, state and local law enforcement community remains committed to keeping New Mexico’s smaller communities safe from drug trafficking organizations that think they can go unnoticed operating in our smaller cities and towns.”
“Yesterday’s arrests show the value of information sharing and coordination with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to target criminal organizations that are responsible for the drug related violence in our communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Steve Borak of DEA’s El Paso Division. “By working together to reduce drug trafficking and use across the Nation, we are making our communities safer and our families stronger.”
“The results of this enforcement initiative exceeded our expectations. Our goal is simple: by working together with our law enforcement partners in targeting armed traffickers and trigger pullers keeping them from interacting with the good people of New Mexico," stated Special Agent in Charge John J. Durastanti of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “I wish to acknowledge the leadership of Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney and his office as these prosecutions move forward.”
Commander James McCormick of the HIDTA Region VI Pecos Valley Drug Task Force said, “This was a good cooperative investigation that will have a large impact on trafficking methamphetamine and gun violence in our community.”
Twelve of the 15 defendants charged in the five federal indictments are in custody, including seven who were arrested during a major law enforcement operation yesterday. Three defendants have yet to be arrested and are considered fugitives.
Martinez and Jason Cunningham, 37, of Carlsbad made their initial appearances in federal court in Las Cruces this morning. They remain in federal custody pending detention hearings, which are schedule for Oct. 11, 2017, in Las Cruces.
The following defendants made their initial appearances in federal court in Roswell this morning: Daniel P. Bruton, 38, of Artesia, N.M., Sergio Mario Chavez, 33, of Artesia, 33, Kenneth R. Dickerson, 56, of Carlsbad, Isela Hernandez, 25, of Roswell, Joshua A. Masters, 42, of Carlsbad, Timothy G. Tanner, 28, of Carlsbad, Jerry O. Twaddle, 37, of Carlsbad, Ethen G. Watts, 27, of Carlsbad, Linda M. Watts, 28, of Carlsbad, and Randi I. Young, 25, of Carlsbad. They remain in federal custody pending detention hearings, which are currently scheduled for Oct. 11, 2017, in Las Cruces.
Erick Miranda-Santos, 21, of Carlsbad, Robert C. Ponce, 42, of Artesia, and Chelcy Vasquez, 25, of Dexter, N.M., have yet to be arrested and are considered fugitives. Photographs of these defendants are attached and anyone with information on the whereabouts of these fugitives is asked to contact the DEA at 575-526-0700.
“HSI will continue to work jointly with our law enforcement partners in its mission to disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations that threaten public safety and national security,” said Jack P. Staton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI El Paso. “This enforcement operation exemplifies what that collaboration and team work can accomplish to make our communities safer.”
The U.S. Marshal for the District of New Mexico Conrad E. Candelaria said, “The apprehensions made yesterday illustrate the continued cooperation and vigilance of New Mexico’s law enforcement agencies at the federal, state, and local levels. There is no doubt that the apprehension of these individuals will prevent further acts of criminal behavior and reduce the harm to our citizens in Southeastern New Mexico.”
These cases were investigated by the DEA, ATF, HSI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Border Patrol, the New Mexico State Police, the HIDTA Region VI Pecos Valley Drug Task Force, the HIDTA Region VI Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force, and the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office. The following agencies participated in yesterday’s law enforcement operation in Carlsbad, Artesia and Roswell: the U.S. Bureau of Land Management Office of Law Enforcement & Security, the HIDTA Region VI Lea County Drug Task Force, the Lea County Sheriff’s Office, the Dona Ana County Metro Narcotics Task Force, the Artesia Police Department, the Carlsbad Police Department, the Hobbs Police Department, the Las Cruces Police Department, and the Roswell Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Clara N. Cobos and Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee L. Camacho of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office are prosecuting the cases filed as the result of the investigation.
The Pecos Valley Drug Task Force is comprised of officers from the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office, Carlsbad Police Department and Artesia Police Department and is part of the HIDTA Region VI Drug Task Force. The HIDTA Chaves County Metro Narcotics Task Force is comprised of investigators from the Roswell Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI and the Chaves County Sherriff’s Office. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program was created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. HIDTA is a program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) which provides assistance to federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States and seeks to reduce drug trafficking and production by facilitating coordinated law enforcement activities and information sharing.
Summary of the Federal Charges
Indictment in United States v. Daniel P. Bruton, et al., 17-CR-2690
Count 1 of the Indictment charges the ten defendants with participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted on this count, defendants Daniel P. Bruton, Marcos A. Martinez, Jerry. O. Twaddle, Ethen G. Watts, and Isela Hernandez each face a statutory penalty of a mandatory minimum of ten years and a maximum of life imprisonment and a $10 million fine. If convicted, defendants Kenneth R. Dickerson, Robert C. Ponce and Erick L. Miranda-Santos each face a statutory penalty of a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years of imprisonment and a $5 million fine. If convicted, defendants Linda M. Watts and Chelcy A. Vasquez each face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years of imprisonment and a $1 million fine.
Counts 2, 3 and 25 charge certain defendants with distributing a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. The maximum statutory penalty for a conviction on each of these counts is imprisonment for 20 years and a $1 million fine.
Counts 4 and 5 charge one of the defendants with distributing more than 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. The maximum statutory penalty for a conviction on each of these counts is a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years of imprisonment and a $5 million fine.
Counts 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 19, 22, 24, 28, 29 and 32 charge certain defendants with using communication facilities to facilitate drug trafficking crimes. The maximum statutory penalty for a conviction on each of these counts is imprisonment for four years and a $250,000 fine.
Counts 8, 16, 18, 23, and 26 charge certain defendants with possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. The statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is a mandatory minimum of ten years and a maximum of life imprisonment and a $10 million fine.
Counts 9 and 20 charge certain defendants with possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. The maximum statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for 20 years and a $1 million fine.
Counts 13 and 21 charge certain defendants with being felons in possession of firearms and ammunition. The maximum statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for ten years and a $250,000 fine.
Counts 15 and 31 charge certain defendants with possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. The statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is a mandatory minimum of ten years and a maximum of life imprisonment and a $10 million fine.
Count 27 charges one defendant with possession of a firearm during an in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for not less than five years, which must be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed and a $250,000 fine.
Count 30 charges certain defendants with distribution of more than 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. The statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is a mandatory minimum of ten years and a maximum of life imprisonment and a $10 million fine.
Count 33 charges one defendant with attempt to possess with intent to distribute a mixture and substance of methamphetamine. The maximum statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for 20 years and a $1 million fine.
Count 34 charges one defendant with receiving, concealing and facilitating the transportation of four AR-15 assault rifles from the United States. The maximum statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for ten years and a $250,000 fine.
Charges against Defendants
Daniel P. Bruton, 38, of Artesia, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 6, 8-10, 12, 15 and 24-27 of the indictment. Bruton was arrested on Oct. 4, 2017.
Marcos A. Martinez, 30, of Roswell, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 16, 22, 23, 28-30, 32 and 34 of the indictment. Martinez was arrested on Oct. 1, 2017.
Jerry O. Twaddle, 37, of Carlsbad, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 19, 28 and 31 of the indictment. Twaddle was transferred from state custody into federal custody on Oct. 5, 2017.
Ethen G. Watts, 27, of Carlsbad, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 2, 4-14 and 16-19 of the indictment. Ethen Watts was arrested on Oct. 4, 2017.
Kenneth R. Dickerson, 56, of Carlsbad, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 17 and 18 of the indictment. Dickerson was arrested on Oct. 4, 2017.
Robert C. Ponce, 42, of Carlsbad, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 11, 14, 20 and 21 of the indictment. Ponce has yet to be arrested and is considered a fugitive.
Erick L. Miranda-Santos, 21, of Artesia, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 22 and 23 of the indictment. Miranda-Santos has yet to be arrested and considered a fugitive.
Linda M. Watts, 28, of Carlsbad, N.M., is charged in Counts 1 through 3 of the indictment. Linda Watts was arrested on Oct. 4, 2017.
Isela Hernandez, 25, of Roswell, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 29 and 30 of the indictment. Hernandez was arrested on Oct. 4, 2017.
Chelcy A. Vasquez, 25, of Dexter, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 32 and 33 of the indictment. Vasquez has yet to be arrested and is considered a fugitive.
Indictment in United States v. Sergio Mario Chavez, 17-CR-2691
Sergio Mario Chavez, 33, of Artesia, N.M., is charged with possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine on July 18, 2017, in Eddy County, N.M. The statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for is a mandatory minimum of ten years and a maximum of life imprisonment and a $10 million fine. Chavez was arrested on Oct. 4, 2017.
Indictment in United States v. Jason R. Cunningham, 17-CR-2692
Jason R. Cunningham, 37, of Carlsbad, is charged with distributing a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine on Sept. 27, 2016, in Eddy County, N.M. The maximum statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for 20 years and a $1 million fine. Cunningham was arrested on Oct. 4, 2017.
Indictment in United States v. Joshua A. Masters, et al., 17-CR-2693
Joshua A. Masters, 42, and Randi I. Young, 25, both of Carlsbad, N.M., are charged with distributing methamphetamine on March 8, 2017, in Eddy County, N.M. Masters also is charged with distributing methamphetamine on Jan. 26, 2017, in Eddy County, N.M. The maximum statutory penalty for a conviction on this count is imprisonment for 20 years and a $1 million fine. Masters was arrested on Oct. 4, 2017, and Young was transferred from state custody to federal custody on Oct. 5, 2017.
Indictment in United States v. Timothy G. Tanner, 17-CR-2695
Timothy G. Tanner, 28, of Carlsbad, N.M., is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and with possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number on June 2, 2016, and possession of more than five grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute on Aug. 4, 2016, in Eddy County, N.M. Tanner was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of his prior convictions on drug trafficking and evidence tampering offenses. The maximum statutory penalty for a conviction on the firearms charges is imprisonment for ten years and a $250,000 fine. The statutory penalty for a conviction on the methamphetamine trafficking charge is imprisonment for a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years and a $5 million fine. Tanner is currently in state custody and will be transferred into federal custody to face the federal charges against him.
Charges in indictments and criminal complaints are only accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bruton et al IndictmentMortgage Company President Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Ginnie MaeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The president and founder of a Falmouth mortgage company pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with defrauding the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae) out of approximately $2.5 million.
Robert Pena, 68, of Falmouth, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and six counts of wire fraud. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for Jan. 5, 2018.
Pena was president and founder of the now-defunct mortgage company, Mortgage Security Inc. (MSI), which contracted with Ginnie Mae, a government-run corporation charged with making housing more affordable by injecting capital into the U.S. housing market. Ginnie Mae guarantees the timely payment of principal and interest to investors in bonds backed by government-sponsored mortgage loans, such as those offered by the Federal Housing Administration and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
MSI contracted with Ginnie Mae to pool eligible residential mortgage loans and then sell Ginnie Mae-backed mortgage bonds to investors. MSI was responsible for servicing the loans in the pools it created, including collecting principal and interest payments from borrowers, as well as loan payoffs, and placing those funds into accounts held in trust by Ginnie Mae, which would ultimately pass them along to investors. Among other things, Ginnie Mae required issuers like MSI to provide regular reports concerning the status of the loans in the pools.
Beginning in 2011, Pena began diverting money that borrowers were sending to MSI. Specifically, Pena deposited high-dollar, loan-payoff checks into bank accounts unknown to Ginnie Mae and then used those funds for personal and business expenses. Pena also diverted borrowers’ escrow funds and mortgage-insurance premiums for his own use. In total, Pena took approximately $2.5 million, which Ginnie Mae then had to pay to the investors whose investments it had guaranteed. Pena also attempted to cover up his scheme by providing false reports to Ginnie Mae about the status of the loans MSI was servicing.
The charging statues provide for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Regional Office; and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General; and the Falmouth Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian LaMacchia of Weinreb’s Civil Division is prosecuting the case.
Monongalia County woman and Marion County man plead guilty to drug distribution chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Westover, West Virginia woman and a Fairmont, West Virginia man have admitted to drug distribution charges, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen announced.
Anna May Martin, age 32, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Use of Communication Facility.” Martin admitted to using a phone to distribute and assist in a conspiracy to distribute oxycodone. The crime occurred in Monongalia County in March 2017.
Thomas Keener, II, age 22, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Use of Communication Facility.” Keener admitted to using a phone to distribute and assist in a conspiracy to distribute oxycodone in Monongalia County in February 2017.
Martin and Keener each face up to four years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Middlesex County, New Jersey, Man Charged with Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A North Brunswick, New Jersey, man who transmitted an image of child sexual abuse to an undercover agent was arrested today and charged with distributing child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Richard Scalea, 59, was arrested by agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force and charged by criminal complaint with one count of distributing child pornography. He made his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven C. Mannion in Newark federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Aug. 31, 2017, Scalea communicated with an undercover law enforcement officer via an online incest chat room. In that chat, Scalea claimed to have sexually abused a minor child who was known to him. Scalea then distributed an image of child pornography to the undercover law enforcement officer. Today, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Scalea’s residence and seized computer devices containing multiple images of child sexual abuse.
Anyone with information regarding possible victims of this activity is urged to contact the FBI in Newark at 973-792-3000.
The charge of distributing child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Murphy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: David Holman Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defenders, Newark
Middleman Who Lied About Being an Agent of a Foreign Official Sentenced to 3 ½ Years in Prison for Role in Foreign Bribery Scheme Involving $800 Million International Real Estate DealRead the Press Release
The middleman in a foreign bribery scheme who falsely held himself out as an agent of a foreign official was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for each count, to run concurrently, for his role in a scheme to bribe a foreign official in the Middle East to land a real estate deal, and to defrauding his co-schemers.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim of the Southern District of New York and Assistant Director in Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. of the FBI’s New York Field Office made the announcement.
Malcom Harris, 53, of New York City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos of the Southern District of New York. Harris pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering on June 21.
According to admissions made in connection with Harris’s plea, Harris participated in a corrupt scheme to pay bribes to a foreign official in a country in the Middle East in order to facilitate the sale by South Korean construction company Keangnam Enterprises Co., Ltd., (Keangnam) of a commercial building known as Landmark 72 in Hanoi, Vietnam, to the Middle Eastern country’s sovereign wealth fund. According to the indictment, the building sale was valued at $800 million, and purported bribe would total $2.5 million.
In connection with his guilty plea, Harris admitted that, from on or about March 2013 to on or about March 2015, he wrongfully obtained $500,000 from his co-defendants by falsely holding himself out as an agent of a foreign official in text messages and emails. Harris admitted directing the $500,000 to be deposited into an account in the name of Muse Creative Consulting, but which Harris actually controlled. Thereafter, Harris used the illegally obtained money to engage in transactions exceeding $10,000, he admitted.
Harris was charged in a December 2016 indictment along with codefendants Joo Hyun Bahn aka Dennis Bahn (Bahn) and Ban Ki Sang (Ban). According to the indictment, during this time, Ban was a senior executive at Keangnam, and allegedly convinced Keangnam to hire his son Bahn, who worked as a broker at a commercial real estate firm in Manhattan, to secure an investor for Landmark 72.
Bahn and Ban are awaiting trial. The charges and allegations contained in an indictment are only accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI’s International Corruption Squad in New York City investigated the case. In 2015, the FBI formed International Corruption Squads across the country to address national and international implications of foreign corruption. Trial Attorney Dennis R. Kihm of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. Noble of the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance in this matter.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/foreign-corrupt-practices-act.
Mexican national pleads guilty to immigration crimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Mexican national pleaded guilty today to an immigration crime, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Victor Guevara-De La Paz, 35, entered his guilty plea to illegally reentering the United States.
Agents of the Department of Homeland Security identified Guevara-De La Paz through surveillance and learned that he was residing in Lewisburg. On May 24, 2017, agents stopped Guevara-De La Paz and confirmed his identity during the traffic stop. Agents also learned through fingerprint comparison that Guevara-De La Paz had twice been removed from the United States. On both occasions, after being removed, Guevara-De La Paz then illegally reentered the United States. Furthermore, Guevara-De La Paz had not formally applied for permission to legally enter the United States.
Guevara-De La Paz faces up to two years in federal prison when he is sentenced on January 24, 2018. He is also subject to removal proceedings at the conclusion of the case.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is in charge of the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Irene C. Berger.
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Media AdvisoryRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a recommitment to Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program first launched in 2001 designed to reduce violent crime across the country. Working with federal, state, and local partners through the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa has been prosecuting violent crime and the most serious offenders for the past sixteen years.
United States Attorney Peter Deegan, Jr. and Cedar Rapids Police Chief Wayne Jerman will be available on Friday, October 6, 2017, for interviews regarding Project Safe Neighborhoods in Cedar Rapids. To schedule an interview with Mr. Deegan or Chief Jerman, please contact Tony Morfitt at 319-363-6333.
Branch Chief Tim Duax and Sioux City Police Chief Rex Mueller will also be available on October 6, 2017, for interviews regarding Project Safe Neighborhoods in Sioux City. To schedule an interview with Mr. Duax please contact him at 712-255-6011. To schedule an interview with Chief Mueller, please contact him at 712-898-4572.
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Manchester Man Sentenced to 54 Months in Federal Prison for Distributing CrackRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANTHONY McKENZIE, 56, of Manchester, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello in Hartford to 54 months of imprisonment, followed by three years supervised release, for distributing crack cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from joint law enforcement investigation headed by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and the Hartford Police Department that targeted a drug trafficking organization operating in Hartford’s North End that was distributing crack and powder cocaine. The investigation revealed that David Gil-Grande, of Manchester, received shipments of cocaine, secreted in sealed coffee cans, from Puerto Rico. He then supplied the cocaine to Anthony Shelton, also known as “Pretty,” Gerard Brown, also known as “Goldie,” and others, who converted much of the cocaine into crack and distributed both forms of the drug in the area of Barbour Street in Hartford.
Shelton and Brown are McKENZIE’s sons. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, revealed that Shelton and Brown supplied distribution quantities of crack cocaine to McKENZIE, who then sold the drug to his own customers in the Manchester area.
Twenty individuals were charged and convicted as a result of the investigation.
McKENZIE was arrested on February 2, 2016. On December 22, 2016, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack cocaine”).
McKENZIE’s criminal history spans approximately 40 years and includes multiple convictions and periods of incarceration.
Gil-Grande, Shelton and Brown have pleaded guilty to related charges. On January 31, 2017, Gil-Grande was sentenced to 70 months of imprisonment. Shelton and Brown await sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. The Hartford Police Department’s Vice and Narcotics Division and the Drug Enforcement Administration have provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
Man Sentenced to 71 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a HandgunRead the Press Release
A man who fled the scene of a traffic stop while intoxicated and carrying a loaded pistol in his waistband was sentenced today to 71 months in federal prison.
Darryl Lee Williams, age 30, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 25, 2017, guilty plea to possessing a firearm as a felon and domestic violence misdemeanant.
At sentencing, United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade recounted how Williams fled from the police while under the influence of alcohol and marijuana. After apprehending Williams, officers found a loaded 9-millimeter pistol, marijuana, and a half-empty bottle of tequila on his person. Judge Reade also noted Williams’ extensive criminal history, including prior convictions for assaulting police officers.
Williams was sentenced to 71 months’ imprisonment and a special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Williams is being held in United States Marshals custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Marshal Service, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-25.
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Louis V. Franklin, Sr. Sworn in as United States Attorney for the Middle District of AlabamaRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Long-time federal prosecutor Louis V. Franklin, Sr., has taken the oath of office to become the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama. Mr. Franklin was nominated by President Donald Trump on June 15, 2017 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on September 14, 2017. He was sworn in at 11:30am today by Chief United States District Judge W. Keith Watkins.
“Having been with the U. S. Attorney’s Office for 26 years, I am fully aware of the extraordinary work this office does for the Middle District of Alabama,” stated Mr. Franklin. “I am honored to now serve as United States Attorney and I look forward to improving upon the great work the office is doing for the citizens of the Middle District.”
As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Franklin is the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the Middle District of Alabama which includes Montgomery, Auburn, and Dothan. The U.S Attorney’s Office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, firearms, and narcotics. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.
Mr. Franklin, a resident of Montgomery, Alabama, has served as a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama for 26 years, including 16 years as Chief of the Criminal Division. He served as an Assistant United States Attorney from 1990 to 1996 and from 1998 to 2001. From 1996 to 1998, Mr. Franklin was an associate at Sirote and Permutt, where he defended public and private organizations in State and Federal civil litigation. He began his career as a staff attorney at the Legal Services Corporation of Alabama from 1987 to 1990.
Mr. Franklin received his juris doctorate from Howard University School of Law in 1987, his bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama in 1981, and a master’s degree from Auburn University at Montgomery in 1983. He is a member of the Alabama State Bar.
Longmeadow Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Report over $2 Million Held in Foreign Bank AccountRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Longmeadow man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield to concealing from the Internal Revenue Service an Irish bank account he held with a balance of over $2 million.
Michael Fitzgerald, 50, pleaded guilty to one count of violating the foreign bank reporting requirements. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Jan. 3, 2018.
United States citizens and residents who have a financial interest in a foreign bank account with a value of more than $10,000 must file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts with the U.S. Department of the Treasury. From at least 2005 through 2012, Fitzgerald, the owner and operator of a local roofing company, held bank accounts with the Bank of Ireland in the Isle of Man. In 2012, those bank accounts held a combined balance of over $2.3 million.
The charge provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Fitzgerald has agreed to pay a penalty of $1,115,320, which represents 50 percent of the account balance. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla of Weinreb’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Long-Haul Trucker Pleads Guilty to Production and Transmission of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Lake Worth resident pled guilty yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge William Matthewman to production and transmission of child pornography.
Benjamin Greenberg, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), and Jeffrey Katz, Chief, Boynton Beach Police Department (BBPD), made the announcement.
Kevin Scott Mitchell, a/k/a “[email protected],” 62, of Lake Worth, pled guilty yesterday to the Indictment, which charged him with one count of production of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a) and (e), and one count of transmission of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1). During the plea hearing, the facts relayed were that Mitchell had sex with the 16-year-old victim since January 2016 at a hotel in Boynton Beach, Florida. He took photographs and videos during the sexual encounters, when his trucking route brought him to South Florida.
In May 2017, the victim, then 17, reported the sexual abuse to law enforcement when Mitchell emailed a threat to release the photos to the victim’s friends and family. When Mitchell later texted to the victim, undercover detectives from the Boynton Beach Police Department responded as the victim. Mitchell proceeded to send child pornography of the victim to the detective. He was apprehended several days later in upstate New York. Found in his possession were digital devices that contained child pornography of the victim.
Mr. Greenburg commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI and BBPD. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Schiller.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Justice Department Awards $500,000 Grant to Suffolk County Police for Violent Gang and Gun Crime Reduction ProgramRead the Press Release
CENTRAL ISLIP, NY – Today, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that as part of several Department of Justice actions to reduce the rising tide of violent crime in America, the Suffolk County Police Department has been awarded a $500,000 grant through the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative to reduce gun and gang-related violence in high crime areas. The grant will support enforcement strategies targeting individuals responsible for a disproportionate amount of violent crime as identified through evidence-based research and analysis, and expand community outreach programs for at-risk youth.
The awarding of the grant was announced by Jeff Sessions, United States Attorney General, Bridget M. Rohde, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Timothy D. Sini, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD).
“The Department of Justice today announces the foundation of our plan to reduce crime: prioritizing Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that has been proven to work,” stated Attorney General Sessions. “Let me be clear – Project Safe Neighborhoods is not just one policy idea among many. This is the centerpiece of our crime reduction strategy. Taking what we have learned since the program began in 2001, we have updated it and enhanced it, emphasizing the role of our U.S. Attorneys, the promise of new technologies, and above all, partnership with local communities. With these changes, I believe that this program will be more effective than ever and help us fulfill our mission to make America safer.”
“The Project Safe Neighborhoods grant will strengthen the Suffolk County Police Department’s efforts to identify, arrest and prosecute those offenders responsible for doing the most harm in communities plagued by gang-related violence, as well as support prevention programs for youths who are at risk for gang recruitment,” stated Acting United States Attorney Rohde. “This Office is committed to helping communities develop resiliency against gang recruitment so as to diminish gangs, their number and strength, as well as to continuing our prosecutive efforts directed at those who choose the wrong path and engage in gang violence.”
“The Suffolk County Police Department and its law enforcement partners have implemented an extremely aggressive strategy to eradicate MS-13 from our communities,” stated SCPD Commissioner Sini. “This grant will further those efforts. On behalf of Suffolk County, I want to thank the Department of Justice for its continued partnership.”
Crime analysis has identified several street gangs, including MS-13, Bloods, and Crips, which have been responsible for gang and gun crime in “hot spot” communities in Suffolk County. The PSN project has three objectives: utilize “hot spot” policing to coordinate and narrow the focus of intervention strategies in communities identified by the SCPD Criminal Intelligence section including Wyandanch, North Amityville, Central Islip, Brentwood and Huntington Station; target the small number of persons responsible for a disproportionate amount of violent crime; and provide alternatives to gang and criminal activity through mentoring and truancy programs, including the Brentwood Youth Recovery Initiative that was started in response to the murders of Brentwood High School students Nisa Mickens and Kayla Cuevas on September 13, 2016 allegedly by MS-13 gang members.
Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs and providing additional tools to these programs. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York has partnered with the district attorney’s offices in Queens, Brooklyn, Richmond and Nassau Counties to reduce and prevent gun violence.
The grant is part of a recommitment to PSN announced today by Attorney General Sessions in a memo directing United States Attorneys to implement an enhanced violent crime reduction program that incorporates the lessons learned since the initiative was launched in 2001.
The Attorney General also announced the following Department of Justice initiatives to help reduce violent crime nationwide:
- Additional Assistant United States Attorney Positions to Focus on Violent Crime –The Department is allocating 40 prosecutors to approximately 20 United States Attorney’s Offices to focus on violent crime reduction.
- More Cops on the Streets (COPS Hiring Grants) – As part of our continuing commitment to crime prevention efforts, increased community policing, and the preservation of vital law enforcement jobs, the Department will be awarding approximately $98 million in FY 2017 COPS Hiring Grants to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies.
- Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force’s (OCDETF) National Gang Strategic Initiative –The National Gang Strategic Initiative promotes creative enforcement strategies and best practices that will assist in developing investigations of violent criminal groups and gangs into enterprise-level OCDETF prosecutions. Under this initiative, OCDETF provides “seed money” to locally-focused gang investigations, giving state, local, and tribal investigators and prosecutors the resources and tools needed to identify connections between lower-level gangs and national-level drug trafficking organizations.
- Critical Training and Technical Assistance to State and Local Partners –The Department has a vast array of training and technical assistance resources available to state, local and tribal law enforcement, victims groups, and others. To ensure that agencies in need of assistance are able to find the training and materials they need, Office of Justice Programs will make available a Violence Reduction Response Center to serve as a “hot line” to connect people to these resources.
- Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGIC) – The Department has provided grant funding to support a comprehensive approach to identifying the most violent offenders in a jurisdiction, using new technologies such as gunshot detection systems combined with gun crime intelligence from NIBIN, eTrace, and investigative efforts. These FY 2017 grants were awarded to Phoenix, AZ, and Kansas City, MO.
- Expand ATF’s NIBIN Urgent Trace Program – The Department will expand ATF’s NIBIN Urgent Trace Program nationwide by the end of the year. Through this program, any firearm submitted for tracing that is associated with a NIBIN “hit” (which means it can be linked to a shooting incident) will be designated an “urgent” trace and the requestor will get information back about the firearm’s first retail purchaser within 24 hours, instead of five to six business days.
Justice Department Announces Reinvigoration of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Other Actions to Reduce Rising Tide of Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
Today, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced several Department of Justice actions to reduce the rising tide of violent crime in America. Foremost of those actions is the reinvigoration of “Project Safe Neighborhoods,” a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
In announcing this recommitment to Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Attorney General issued a memo directing United States Attorneys to implement an enhanced violent crime reduction program that incorporates the lessons learned since Project Safe Neighborhoods launched in 2001.
In a statement on the program, the Attorney General said:
"According to the FBI, the violent crime rate has risen by nearly seven percent over the past two years, and the homicide rate has risen by more than 20 percent. We cannot be complacent or hope that this is just an anomaly: we have a duty to take action.
“Fortunately, we have a President who understands that and has directed his administration to reduce crime. The Department of Justice today announces the foundation of our plan to reduce crime: prioritizing Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that has been proven to work.
“Let me be clear – Project Safe Neighborhoods is not just one policy idea among many. This is the centerpiece of our crime reduction strategy.
“Taking what we have learned since the program began in 2001, we have updated it and enhanced it, emphasizing the role of our U.S. Attorneys, the promise of new technologies, and above all, partnership with local communities. With these changes, I believe that this program will be more effective than ever and help us fulfill our mission to make America safer."
The Attorney General also announced the following Department of Justice initiatives to help reduce violent crime:
-Additional Assistant United States Attorney Positions to Focus on Violent Crime – The Department is allocating 40 prosecutors to approximately 20 United States Attorney’s Offices to focus on violent crime reduction.
-More Cops on the Streets (COPS Hiring Grants) – As part of our continuing commitment to crime prevention efforts, increased community policing, and the preservation of vital law enforcement jobs, the Department will be awarding approximately $98 million in FY 2017 COPS Hiring Grants to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies.
-Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force’s (OCDETF) National Gang Strategic Initiative –The National Gang Strategic Initiative promotes creative enforcement strategies and best practices that will assist in developing investigations of violent criminal groups and gangs into enterprise-level OCDETF prosecutions. Under this initiative, OCDETF provides “seed money” to locally-focused gang investigations, giving state, local, and tribal investigators and prosecutors the resources and tools needed to identify connections between lower-level gangs and national-level drug trafficking organizations.
-Critical Training and Technical Assistance to State and Local Partners –The Department has a vast array of training and technical assistance resources available to state, local and tribal law enforcement, victims groups, and others. To ensure that agencies in need of assistance are able to find the training and materials they need, OJP will make available a Violence Reduction Response Center to serve as a “hot line” to connect people to these resources.
-Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGIC) – The Department has provided grant funding to support a comprehensive approach to identifying the most violent offenders in a jurisdiction, using new technologies such as gunshot detection systems combined with gun crime intelligence from NIBIN, eTrace, and investigative efforts. These FY 2017 grants were awarded to Phoenix, AZ, and Kansas City, MO.
-Expand ATF’s NIBIN Urgent Trace Program – The Department will expand ATF’s NIBIN Urgent Trace Program nationwide by the end of the year. Through this program, any firearm submitted for tracing that is associated with a NIBIN “hit” (which means it can be linked to a shooting incident) will be designated an “urgent” trace and the requestor will get information back about the firearm’s first retail purchaser within 24 hours, instead of 5 to 6 business days.
Jackson Woman Sentenced to Prison for Tax Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Alsher Williams 39, of Jackson, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to defraud the United States by aiding and assisting in the filing of false tax returns, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Harold Brittain and IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Jerome McDuffie. Williams was also ordered to pay $128,112.22 in restitution.
Williams and other co-conspirators caused the presentation of false claims to the IRS by preparing and submitting false U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns, Forms 1040, for tax years 2009 through 2012, using stolen identities. Approximately 90 refunds totaling $128,112.22 were deposited into a bank account controlled by Williams. The conspiracy included 865 false claims totaling over $1 million in fraud. Co-conspirators Tiffany Brown, Shonda Williams, and Larry Crawford were convicted and sentenced earlier this year.
Special Agent in Charge Jerome R. McDuffie of IRS Criminal Investigation stated: "Today, Alsher Williams suffered the consequences of being a willing co-conspirator in the identity theft and tax crimes committed by Tiffany Brown, Shonda Williams, and Larry Crawford. Identity Theft is a continuing investigative priority for the Special Agents of IRS-CI. No matter what role an individual plays in a tax-related identity theft scheme, know that we will pursue their prosecution to the fullest extent of the law, and will seek to hold them accountable for the violations they have committed against the taxpayers we are sworn to protect."
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Helen Wall.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate Domestic Violence for 2011 Murder of His WifeRead the Press Release
James Clay Waller, II, age 45, pled guilty today to one felony count of Interstate Domestic Violence. He appeared before United States District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig.
At the plea, Waller admitted he had on numerous occasions threatened his wife, Jacque Sue Waller, that if she divorced him, she would be signing her death warrant. On May 31, 2011, the day before he and Jacque were to meet with her divorce attorney, Waller dug a grave on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River near Devil’s Island in which to bury his wife. He then spent the night with his girlfriend in Illinois. The next day, June 1, 2011, he traveled from Illinois to Cape Girardeau to attend the meeting with her attorney. When Waller traveled in interstate commerce from Illinois to Missouri that day, he admitted that did so with the intent to kill his wife.
Following their meeting with the divorce attorney, Jacque Waller went to the defendant’s residence located in Jackson, Missouri. Inside the residence, Waller strangled and beat Jacque to death. Waller then transported her body across the Mississippi River by boat and buried her in the grave he had dug the day before.
As part of the plea agreement, if accepted by the court, Waller will receive a sentence of 420 months imprisonment in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Sentencing has been set for January 16, 2018.
In the plea agreement, Waller agreed to forfeit any proceeds received or to ever be received from any contract relating to a depiction of his crime in a movie, book, newspaper, magazine, radio or television production, including a manuscript authored by the defendant entitled “If You Take My Kids, I’ll Kill You?’: The Public Confession of Missouri’s Most Notorious Wife Killers”.
This case has been investigated by a host of law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cape Girardeau County Major Case Squad, the Jackson City Police Department, the Cape Girardeau City Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Department.
The federal prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Larry H. Ferrell.
Insurance Broker Employee from Bergen County, New Jersey, Charged with Stealing $900,000 from EmployerRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A former accounting specialist in the Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, office of an insurance broker was arrested today and charged with allegedly defrauding her employer of approximately $900,000, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Violeta McGough, 55, of Bergenfield, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of wire fraud. U.S. Postal Inspectors and criminal investigators with the U.S. Attorney’s Office arrested McGough at her home this morning. She is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven C. Mannion in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2008 through October 2015, McGough allegedly made numerous fraudulent accounting entries to steal funds that her employer – identified as “Victim-Company 1” in the complaint – collected as insurance premiums. The premiums were for policies underwritten and issued by Victim-Company 1 on behalf of a United Kingdom-based insurance syndicate that actually held the risk. As part of her employment duties, McGough tracked premiums collected by Victim-Company 1 and its monthly payments to the syndicate.
McGough repeatedly used her access to Victim-Company 1’s books to divert a portion of those payments to her personal use. McGough disguised the stolen funds as reimbursed premiums for cancelled policies. She caused Victim-Company 1 to generate checks payable to a person identified in the complaint as “Individual 1,” who suppossedly worked for a premium financing company, but did not actually work there. McGough personally deposited the checks into Individual 1’s bank account and the bulk of the funds were transmitted back to McGough’s bank account.
The single wire fraud count is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited postal inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge James V. Buthorn, and criminal investigators from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Feder of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty
Indiana, Pa., Bank Manager Pleads Guilty to Embezzling from EmployerRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Indiana, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of embezzling from a federally insured bank, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
Madeline Isenberg, 37, of Indiana, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one count before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from in or around February 2012 until in or around August 2015, Isenberg, while employed as an Assistant Manager for First Commonwealth Bank, embezzled approximately $88,000.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for Thursday, February 22, 2018. The law provides for a total sentence of thirty years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Lee J. Karl is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Madeline Isenberg.
Hazleton Realtor Sentenced to over Four Years’ Imprisonment for Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ignacio Beato, age 46, of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge James M. Munley to 51 months’ imprisonment, followed by three months supervised release for conspiracy to engage in monetary transactions through a financial institution, with funds that were the proceeds of wire fraud.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Beato, who was a licensed realtor, falsely represented to potential purchasers that he was authorized to sell vacant conventional and Federal Housing Administration insured mortgaged properties in Hazleton, when in fact, he did not have such authority. Between December 2013 and March 2015, Beato accepted $751,082 from individuals who believed they were purchasing properties. Beato then fraudulently converted that money to his own personal use.
Judge Munley ordered Beato to pay restitution in the amount of $65,000. The reduced restitution amount was due to a number of factors including the fact that some victims were not able to be located and others have filed civil lawsuits attempting to regain their funds. The Internal Revenue Service also previously forfeited $35,000 from Beato’s bank accounts.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, the Housing and Urban Development Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Homeland Security, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case.
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Hartford Crack Dealer Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DEMEECO SAMPSON, also known as “Meeco,” 32, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing crack cocaine. Judge Thompson also ordered SAMPSON to perform 100 hours of community service.
This matter stems from a joint investigation by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and the Hartford Police Vice, Intelligence and Narcotics Unit into gang-related narcotics trafficking in Hartford’s North End. SAMPSON and others targeted during the investigation were affiliated with groups and gangs who have been involved in acts of violence. The investigation revealed that SAMPSON and others sold crack cocaine in the area of Edgewood Street and Albany Avenue. In June and July 2015, law enforcement made controlled purchases of crack from SAMPSON and his associates.
SAMPSON has been detained since his arrest on December 2, 2015. On January 25, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine base (“crack cocaine”).
SAMPSON’s criminal history includes multiple state felony convictions.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
Harrison County man admits to firearm chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Clarksburg, West Virginia man has admitted to a firearm charge, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen announced.
Jason Garcia Cano, age 42, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Cano, having been previously convicted of a felony in the 426th District Court in Bell County, Texas, admitted to possessing a .22 caliber revolver in Harrison County in October 2016.
Cano faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Greater Harrison Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention Receives Grant to Combat Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced several Department of Justice actions to reduce the rising tide of violent crime in America. Foremost of those actions is the reinvigoration of “Project Safe Neighborhoods,” a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
In announcing this recommitment to Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Attorney General issued a memo directing United States Attorneys to implement an enhanced violent crime reduction program that incorporates the lessons learned since Project Safe Neighborhoods launched in 2001.
As part of the Project Safe Neighborhood initiative, the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention has received a $478,013 grant to implement a gun crime reduction plan in Prince George’s County. The County’s Project Safe Neighborhood program strategically develops a plan of action to provide clear direction for apprehension, prosecution, and intervention of gun offenders as well as the prevention and suppression of gun crime.
Prince George’s County Project Safe Neighborhood program involves partners from the State Attorney’s Office for Prince George’s County, Maryland Parole and Probation, Prince George’s County Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the University of Maryland's Institute for Governmental Service and Research to effectively address gun crime at every level of the criminal and judicial system. The County’s Project Safe Neighborhood approach works with established strategies of crime control and prevention such as Project EXILE, Violent Repeat Offenders list, Maryland Gun Center initiative and the Gun Offender Registry to name a few.
In a statement on the program, the Attorney General said:
"According to the FBI, the violent crime rate has risen by nearly seven percent over the past two years, and the homicide rate has risen by more than 20 percent. We cannot be complacent or hope that this is just an anomaly: we have a duty to take action. Fortunately, we have a President who understands that and has directed his administration to reduce crime. The Department of Justice today announces the foundation of our plan to reduce crime: prioritizing Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that has been proven to work. Let me be clear – Project Safe Neighborhoods is not just one policy idea among many. This is the centerpiece of our crime reduction strategy. Taking what we have learned since the program began in 2001, we have updated it and enhanced it, emphasizing the role of our U.S. Attorneys, the promise of new technologies, and above all, partnership with local communities. With these changes, I believe that this program will be more effective than ever and help us fulfill our mission to make America safer."
The Attorney General also announced the following Department of Justice initiatives to help reduce violent crime:
-Additional Assistant United States Attorney Positions to Focus on Violent Crime – The Department is allocating 40 prosecutors to approximately 20 United States Attorney’s Offices to focus on violent crime reduction.
-More Cops on the Streets (COPS Hiring Grants) – As part of our continuing commitment to crime prevention efforts, increased community policing, and the preservation of vital law enforcement jobs, the Department will be awarding approximately $98 million in FY 2017 COPS Hiring Grants to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies.
-Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force’s (OCDETF) National Gang Strategic Initiative –The National Gang Strategic Initiative promotes creative enforcement strategies and best practices that will assist in developing investigations of violent criminal groups and gangs into enterprise-level OCDETF prosecutions. Under this initiative, OCDETF provides “seed money” to locally-focused gang investigations, giving state, local, and tribal investigators and prosecutors the resources and tools needed to identify connections between lower-level gangs and national-level drug trafficking organizations.
-Critical Training and Technical Assistance to State and Local Partners –The Department has a vast array of training and technical assistance resources available to state, local and tribal law enforcement, victims groups, and others. To ensure that agencies in need of assistance are able to find the training and materials they need, OJP will make available a Violence Reduction Response Center to serve as a “hot line” to connect people to these resources.
-Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGIC) – The Department has provided grant funding to support a comprehensive approach to identifying the most violent offenders in a jurisdiction, using new technologies such as gunshot detection systems combined with gun crime intelligence from NIBIN, eTrace, and investigative efforts. These FY 2017 grants were awarded to Phoenix, AZ, and Kansas City, MO.
-Expand ATF’s NIBIN Urgent Trace Program – The Department will expand ATF’s NIBIN Urgent Trace Program nationwide by the end of the year. Through this program, any firearm submitted for tracing that is associated with a NIBIN “hit” (which means it can be linked to a shooting incident) will be designated an “urgent” trace and the requestor will get information back about the firearm’s first retail purchaser within 24 hours, instead of 5 to 6 business days.
Gang Member Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for 2011 MurderRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TREVOR MURPHY, also known as “Snookie,” 29, of West Haven, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 360 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for murdering Joseph Zargo on December 23, 2011.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in January 2014, ATF and the New Haven Police Department began “Operation Red Side” through a series of controlled narcotics purchases and firearms seizures. The investigation revealed that members and associates of the Red Side Guerilla Brims (“RSGB”), a sect of the Bloods street gang based in New Haven, were engaged in narcotics trafficking and related acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, assaults and armed robberies. In addition to distributing crack cocaine and other narcotics in and around New Haven, the investigation indicated that members and associates of the RSGB, under the direction of Jeffrey Benton and others, transported the drugs to Bangor, Maine, and sold them in Bangor and its surrounding communities. The RSGB also traded narcotics for firearms, brought the firearms back to New Haven and distributed them to gang members.
MURPHY was a member of RSGB. According to court documents and statements made in court, MURPHY ordered a quantity of ecstasy from Joseph Zargo as part of a plan to rob him of drugs and cash. Just after midnight on December 23, 2011, MURPHY met Zargo on Houston Street in New Haven. After MURPHY took ecstasy pills from Zargo, MURPHY pulled out a firearm. When Zargo reached into his pocket, MURPHY shot Zargo once in the chest. Zargo died later that morning.
MURPHY has been detained since his arrest on September 30, 2015. On February 8, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery, and one count of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
As a result of this investigation, 21 members and associates of the RSGB were convicted of federal charges in Connecticut and Maine. The investigation has resolved seven murder cases, four attempted murders and four armed robberies that occurred in 2011 and 2012.
On October 4, 2017, Benton was sentenced to 480 months of imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Daly noted that federal prisoners are required to serve at least 85 percent of their sentenced term of imprisonment and are not eligible for parole.
This investigation has been conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the New Haven Police Department, the Connecticut Department of Correction, the Connecticut State Police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Hamden Police Department. The New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office also provided critical assistance in the investigation.
An instrumental component of the investigation has been the work of the Connecticut State Crime Laboratory in utilizing the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to analyze ballistics evidence.
This matter is being prosecuted in the District of Connecticut by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Spector, Peter Markle and Jocelyn Kaoutzanis. A related case in the District of Maine is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Casey.
Fugitive Arrested in Large Molly Distribution and Money Laundering CaseRead the Press Release
A fugitive, wanted on federal drug trafficking and money laundering charges for over two years, was arrested and is scheduled to have his initial appearance tomorrow in U.S. Magistrate Court in Miami, Florida.
Benjamin Greenberg, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, Adolphus P. Wright, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, Rodolfo Llanes, Chief, Miami Police Department (MPD), and Amos Rojas, Jr., United States Marshal, U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), made the announcement.
According to the Superseding Indictment, from about November 2011 through September 25, 2015, Josue Morales Figueroa, 35, of Miami, was involved in conspiracies to import and to distribute ethylone and methylone, which are among numerous chemicals used to make the drug commonly referred to as “molly,” as well as a conspiracy involving the unlawful transmission of monetary instruments to China.
A total of eleven defendants were charged in the Superseding Indictment, and all but Morales had been arrested, pled guilty, and been sentenced.
Mr. Greenberg commended the investigation efforts of the ICE-HSI, DEA, MPD and USMS. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Marton Gyires and Andy Camacho.
An indictment is merely an allegation and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Fraudster Involved in International Bribery Scheme Relating to Korean Company’s Attempted Sale of $800 Million Skyscraper in Vietnam Sentenced to 42 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Kenneth A. Blanco, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, announced that MALCOLM HARRIS was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos to 42 months in prison for wire fraud and money laundering charges arising from his role as a middleman in a corrupt scheme to pay millions of dollars in bribes to a foreign official (“Foreign Official-1”) of a country in the Middle East (“Country-1”). The bribes were intended to facilitate the sale by South Korean construction company Keangnam Enterprises Co., Ltd. (“Keangnam”) of a 72-story commercial building known as Landmark 72 in Hanoi, Vietnam, to Country-1’s sovereign wealth fund (the “Fund”) for $800 million. Instead of paying an initial $500,000 bribe to Foreign Official-1 as he had promised, HARRIS simply pocketed the money and spent it on himself.
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “Malcolm Harris schemed to bribe a foreign official, then double-crossed his alleged co-conspirators by pocketing the half-million dollars intended to be bribes. Harris’s international bribery and fraud scheme centered around a Korean construction company’s attempt to sell a 72-story skyscraper in Vietnam through corruption. This sentence and the prosecution of Harris and his co-conspirators, Joo Hyun Bahn, and Ban Ki Sang should send a message that if you bring international corruption to New York, you may very well find yourself in a Manhattan federal court being sentenced to significant time in a federal prison.”
According to the Indictment to which HARRIS pled guilty, statements made during the plea and sentencing proceedings, and statements made at other court proceedings:
From in or about March 2013 through in or about May 2015, HARRIS’s co-defendants Joo Hyun Bahn, a/k/a “Dennis Bahn” (“Bahn”), and his father Ban Ki Sang (“Ban”) engaged in an international conspiracy to bribe Foreign Official-1 in connection with the attempted $800 million sale of a building complex in Hanoi, Vietnam, known as Landmark 72. During this time, Ban was a senior executive at Keangnam, a South Korean construction company that built and owned Landmark 72. Ban convinced Keangnam to hire his son Bahn, who worked as a broker at a commercial real estate firm in Manhattan, to secure an investor for Landmark 72.
Instead of obtaining financing through legitimate channels, Bahn and Ban engaged in a corrupt scheme to pay $2.5 million in bribes to Foreign Official-1, through HARRIS, who held himself out as an agent of Foreign Official-1, to induce Foreign Official-1 to use his influence to convince the Fund to acquire Landmark 72 for approximately $800 million. In furtherance of the scheme, HARRIS sent Bahn numerous emails purportedly sent by Foreign Official-1 and bearing Foreign Official-1’s name. In or about April 2014, following communications with HARRIS, Bahn and Ban agreed to pay, through HARRIS, a $500,000 upfront bribe and a $2 million bribe upon the close of the sale of Landmark 72 to Foreign Official-1 on behalf of Keangnam.
Unbeknownst to Bahn or Ban, however, HARRIS did not have the claimed relationship with Foreign Official-1 and did not intend to pay the bribe money to Foreign Official-1. Instead, HARRIS simply stole the $500,000 upfront bribe arranged by Bahn and Ban, which HARRIS then spent on lavish personal expenses, including rent for a luxury penthouse apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
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In addition to the prison sentence, HARRIS, 53, of New York, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay forfeiture of $500,000 and restitution of $760,148.57 to victims.
Trial in Bahn’s case is scheduled to begin on February 5, 2018, before Judge Ramos. Ban is a fugitive believed to be residing in South Korea. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until convicted beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the International Corruption Squad of the FBI’s New York Field Office. Mr. Kim also thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for its ongoing assistance in this case.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel S. Noble and Trial Attorney Dennis R. Kihm of the Fraud Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division are in charge of the prosecution.
Four Men Charged in DOD Bribery and Kickback ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two companion indictments were unsealed today charging four men with participating in a bribery and kickback conspiracy involving a contract for the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General (DOD OIG).
According to allegations in the indictments, William S. Wilson, 52, of Florida, paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks to Timothy R. Donelson, 56, of Georgia, and Ronald A. Capallia, Jr., 37, of Alabama, in return for Donelson and Capallia providing favorable treatment to Wilson’s companies in connection with prime government contracts. At the time of the kickbacks, Donelson and Capallia were employed by a telecommunications company that had been awarded a prime contract to provide an array of voice and data services to the DOD OIG and other federal agencies. In return for the kickbacks, Donelson and Capallia provided favorable treatment to Wilson’s companies, including Donelson’s award of a subcontract to one of Wilson’s companies to provide information-technology related support services to the DOD OIG, notwithstanding that Wilson’s company focused on construction and construction management, and had no relevant expertise in information technology. Capallia similarly caused his employer repeatedly to order items such as computer software and hardware and routine office moving services from Wilson’s construction company despite the lack of any legitimate business or economic reason to do so.
The indictment further alleges that Wilson paid tens of thousands of dollars in bribes to Matthew Kekoa LumHo, 42, of Fairfax Station, then employed at the DOD OIG, in return for LumHo taking official acts that benefitted Wilson’s companies. According to the indictment, these actions included LumHo placing numerous fraudulent orders through the prime contract awarded to the telecommunications company employing Donelson and Capallia, thereby causing a continued flow of revenue from that telecommunications company to Wilson’s company as its subcontractor.
As set forth in the indictment, LumHo, along with Wilson and Capallia, repeatedly caused the DOD IG to issue fraudulent service orders that were used to conceal that the co-conspirators were arranging for Wilson’s company to buy standard, commercially available items such as computer software, hardware, and accessories, and routine office moving services, significantly inflating the price, and then falsely billing the government as through it had been supplied with various professional services. As the indictment alleges, by doing so, the co-conspirators enabled Wilson’s company to reap substantial profits from transactions where there was no legitimate business or economic reason to involve Wilson’s company, and where Wilson’s company provided virtually no value to the United States.
According to the indictment, Wilson paid the bribes and kickbacks in several forms, including hundreds of thousands of dollars paid from Wilson’s companies to a side business owned by Donelson that were masked through fake invoices for non-existent work, hundreds of thousands of dollars in supposed payroll payments to Capallia’s spouse, who was nominally placed on the payroll at Wilson’s company despite doing virtually no work, and tens of thousands of dollars of supposed payroll payments to a relative of LumHo, for a job that LumHo’s relative never actually held. Wilson further paid bribes and kickbacks by paying for part of the purchase price of two vehicles bought by Donelson, by buying two vehicles outright for Capallia, paying for more than $60,000 worth of Caribbean cruises, hotel accommodations, and flights for Capallia, his family members, friends, friends’ children, and on at least one occasion, babysitters to watch Capallia’s children on one of the cruises, and paid bribes to LumHo by supplying him with electronics and high-end photography equipment.
Each defendant has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. The companion indictments further charge Wilson, Capallia, and LumHo with False Claims Act violations, charge Wilson and LumHo respectively with bribery and acceptance of bribes, and charge LumHo and Donelson with false statements. The conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud charges each carry a maximum sentence of imprisonment of 20 years; the False Claims Act violations each carry a maximum sentence of imprisonment of 5 years; the bribery charges each carry a maximum sentence of imprisonment of 15 years; and the false statement charges each carry a maximum sentence of imprisonment of 5 years. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Robert E. Craig, Special Agent in Charge for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office, and Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after the indictment was unsealed. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Burke and Samantha Bateman are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:17-cr-222 and 1:17-cr-223.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Former State Judge Pleads Guilty to Dismissing Cases in Exchange for Personal Benefits and Tampering with a WitnessRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—A former Arkansas state judge pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and witness tampering for perpetrating a seven year-long fraud and bribery scheme in which he dismissed cases on his docket in exchange for personal benefits, and then bribed a witness in an attempt to obstruct an official investigation into the scheme. Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
O. Joseph Boeckmann, 71, of Wynne, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of witness tampering. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Kristine G. Baker of the Eastern District of Arkansas. Boeckmann has been on home detention since his arrest in October 2016 and will remain on home detention until he is sentenced at a later date.
According to admissions made in connection with his plea, from 2009 to 2015, Boeckmann served as a district judge for the First Judicial Circuit of Arkansas. Boeckmann admitted to corruptly using his official position to dismiss traffic citations and misdemeanor criminal charges for young men in exchange for acts that he claimed were “community service,” but which actually benefited Boeckmann himself. Among other things, Boeckmann admitted that on some occasions he took official action to order these individuals to perform “community service” and used his access to these individuals during their purported “community service” to take photographs of them in compromising positions. In other cases, Boeckmann dismissed pending charges against defendants in exchange for sexually related conduct.
Boeckmann admitted that the corrupt use of his office defrauded the State of Arkansas and its citizens of their right to Boeckmann’s honest services and also defrauded various cities and counties in Arkansas, as well as the State of Arkansas and the Arkansas courts, of money and property that they should have received as fines or fees from the individuals whose cases were fraudulently dismissed.
In addition, Boeckmann admitted that during his scheme he instructed various individuals not to tell anyone about their “community service” sentences. After Boeckmann learned he was under investigation, Boeckmann also arranged to pay a witness to change his testimony. Specifically, Boeckmann admitted that in the fall of 2015, he learned of a witness who had provided information to the Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission (JDDC) regarding Boeckmann’s practice of imposing personally beneficial “community service” sentences. Boeckmann admitted that he directed another individual to pay the witness to write a letter recanting the information the witness gave to the JDDC. According to his admissions, Boeckmann did this in order to prevent that witness from providing truthful information about Boeckmann to law enforcement and to influence, delay, and prevent that witness’s testimony in an official proceeding.
The FBI investigated this case with assistance of the Arkansas State Police and the Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission. Trial Attorneys Peter Halpern, Jonathan Kravis, and Simon Cataldo of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section prosecuted the case, with assistance from Special Prosecutor Jack McQuary of the State of Arkansas Office of the Prosecutor Coordinator
To assist the media and the public, a glossary of federal judicial terms and procedures is available at http://www.justice.gov/usao/justice101.
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Former Irondequoit Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Cyber Stalking His Ex-GirlfriendRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051
ROCHESTER, N.Y.- Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that William Robert Rosica, 51, of Irondequoit NY, pleaded guilty to cyberstalking and computer intrusion before Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig R. Gestring, who is handling the case, stated that February 2016, and March 2017, the defendant, a former Irondequoit Police Officer, subjected the victim to a relentless campaign directed toward threatening and psychologically torturing his victim and injuring, harassing, and intimidating her. Rosica used direct, indirect, and digital surveillance in a focused campaign of online abuse, physical stalking, and harassment aimed at destroying the victim’s life.The defendant created multiple fictitious email accounts and sent hundreds of harassing emails and text messages to the victim, her family, and her employer. During this time, Rosica also directed and used other people to conduct physical surveillance of the victim and her family, which included people driving by the victim’s home and place of employment and reporting their observations back to Rosica who then used the information to harass the victim. The defendant improperly used his position as a police officer to access law enforcement databases and other restricted online systems in order to obtain information on the victim and her family. Other harassing behaviors included:
• anonymous emails and text messages directing and instructing the victim to commit suicide;
• unlawfully accessing and attempting to access the victim’s cellular phone online account and attempting to reset the victim’s password;
• unlawfully accessing and attempting to access the victim’s work email and voicemail accounts on several hundred occasions;
• unlawfully accessing and attempting to access the victims’s Walgreens Pharmacy and University of Rochester MyChart health care account on multiple occasions; and
• unlawfully accessing and attempting to access the victim’s Time Warner Cable online account on multiple occasions. Rosica also unlawfully accessed the Time Warner Cable account of the victim’s family.Following his arrest, the defendant made materially false statements to FBI Agents. In addition, the investigation identified several other victims who were subjected to similar physical and digital harassment over several years before he started stalking the victim. As part of the investigation, the FBI conducted extensive electronic and physical surveillance during which they identified Rosica driving by the victim’s home on multiple occasions in various vehicles while attempting to disguise himself from detection. They also obtained footage of the defendant buying some of the items he used to harass the victim, including pay-as-you-go credit cards. Rosica was also captured on audio recordings and digital chats trying to access the victim’s online accounts. The defendant commenced his nearly year-long campaign to harass and torment the victim after she ended their three-year relationship in February 2016.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen, and New York State Police under the direction of Major Richard Allen.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 9, 2018, at 3:00 p.m. before Judge Geraci.
Former FCI Butner Correctional Officer Sentenced for Criminal Sexual Abuse of a WardRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, John Stuart Bruce, announced that today in federal court, United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced CALVIN TERRANCE DAVIS, 46, of Spring Lake, N.C., to 13 months of imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release.
DAVIS was named in a one-count Criminal Information on May 18, 2017. On June 15, 2017, he pled guilty to one count of Criminal Sexual Abuse of a Ward.
On May 19, 2016, a Bureau of Prison (BOP) inmate, housed at the Federal Correctional Institution in Butner, North Carolina (FCI Butner), informed staff that she had been sexually assaulted by Correctional Officer CALVIN TERRANCE DAVIS on May 18, 2016. According to the victim, DAVIS forced the victim to perform oral sex on him.
Investigators collected clothing that belonged to the victim and sent it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) lab for processing. A lab test confirmed that semen was present on the clothing, and a subsequent DNA test resulted in a positive match for DAVIS’s DNA.
The criminal investigation of this case was conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott A. Lemmon prosecuted the case for the government.
Former Charity President Sentenced for Embezzling MoneyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – John Thomas Burch, 75, of Alexandria, Virginia, was sentenced today to five months of incarceration, to be followed by five months of home detention, for embezzling at least $149,317 while he was the president of the National Vietnam Veterans Foundation, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Andrew Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Burch pled guilty in June 2017, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to wire fraud. He was sentenced by the Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson. Following his jail term, Burch will be placed on two years of supervised release, with the first five months of that on home detention. He also was ordered to pay $75,000 in a forfeiture money judgment.
According to a statement of offense submitted at the time of the plea, Burch was the president of the National Vietnam Veterans Foundation, Inc. (“NVVF”), a nonprofit organization incorporated in Washington, D.C., until 2016 when it was disbanded. NVVF solicited donations from the public, representing that their mission was “to provide help and support for American Veterans and their families through the generosity of the American people.” While the NVVF utilized some of its donated revenues to support the NVVF’s purported mission, Burch misappropriated portions of the donations to pay for food and lodging with no business purpose, and made repeated payments to women, who were personal acquaintances of Burch.
Burch had unilateral control over the NVVF’s “Emergency Assistance Program,” which accounted for tens of thousands of dollars of the NVVF’s operating expenses annually during the years 2012 to 2016. Burch represented to the NVVF’s Board of Directors the Emergency Assistance Program was a discretionary program that he ran as President of the NVVF, and that in fact, there was no oversight of Burch’s spending from the program in the distribution of smaller grants, generally between $100 to $300. In spite of Burch’s representation to NVVF employees and the Board of Directors that individual grants generally ran from $100 to $250 with the intent of providing only a one-time payment to recipients who were “usually Veteran family members with small children who are in chronic destitute circumstances,” Burch used the Emergency Assistance Program to give money to women who often were engaged in personal relationships with him. Burch also submitted expense reports claiming reimbursements for business lodging, travel, and meals, when in reality he spent the money on personal visits to clubs, restaurants, and hotels in Baltimore.
According to the government’s evidence, Burch spent at least $149,317 of the charity’s money on non-business related travel, clubs, restaurants, hotels, and women between the years 2012 and 2016.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Assistant Director in Charge Vale expressed appreciation for the work performed by those who investigated the case from the Washington Field Office of the FBI. They also acknowledged the efforts of those working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Christopher Toms and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman, who is assisting with forfeiture issues. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Virginia Cheatham, who prosecuted the case.
Former Bookkeeper Indicted for Embezzling Nearly $1.6 Million from New Jersey Cellular Solutions CompanyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen today announced an indictment charging Peter Goodchild, 54, of Philadelphia, PA, former bookkeeper for QwikSource LLC of Florham Park, NJ, with embezzling almost $1.6 million from QwikSource from at least 2005 through 2015. Goodchild is also charged with money laundering, aggravated identity theft, and filing false income tax returns during this period.
According to the indictment, the embezzlement scheme involved a variety of frauds. Goodchild opened a PayPal account using his employer’s name, transferred funds from QwikSource’s bank account to that PayPal account, from that PayPal account to another PayPal account belonging to his girlfriend, and from his girlfriend’s PayPal account to one or more of his personal bank accounts. Goodchild further concealed the embezzlement by making financial entries on files he maintained for QwikSource that increased the cost of goods sold by the same amount of the money he wired from QwikSource’s account to the PayPal accounts and his personal bank accounts.
Goodchild failed to pay taxes on his wealth. Between 2010 and 2015, he embezzled at least $854,800 and had unreported income of $231,100 in 2010, $215,100 in 2011, $83,600 in 2012, $125,000 in 2013, $152,000 in 2014, and $48,000 in 2015. His actions created a tax loss of approximately $240,648.
The indictment charges 48 counts of wire fraud, 10 counts of money laundering, six counts of filing a false income tax return, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Wire fraud and money laundering are punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Filing a false tax return is punishable by up to three years. Aggravated identity theft is punishable by a mandatory two years of prison that must follow any term imposed on the other counts. Additionally, Goodchild will be subject to restitution and/or forfeiture of money and substitute assets totaling $1,589,315.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anita Eve.
Former Arkansas State Judge Pleads Guilty to Dismissing Cases in Exchange for Personal Benefits and Tampering with a WitnessRead the Press Release
A former Arkansas State Judge pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and witness tampering for perpetrating a seven year-long fraud and bribery scheme in which he dismissed cases on his docket in exchange for personal benefits, and then bribed a witness in an attempt to obstruct an official investigation into the scheme. Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
O. Joseph Boeckmann, 71, of Wynne, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of witness tampering. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Kristine G. Baker of the Eastern District of Arkansas. Boeckmann has been on home detention since his arrest in October 2016 and will remain on home detention until he is sentenced at a later date.
According to admissions made in connection with his plea, from 2009 to 2015, Boeckmann served as a district judge for the First Judicial Circuit of Arkansas. Boeckmann admitted to corruptly using his official position to dismiss traffic citations and misdemeanor criminal charges for young men in exchange for acts that he claimed were “community service,” but which actually benefited Boeckmann himself. Among other things, Boeckmann admitted that on some occasions he took official action to order these individuals to perform “community service” and used his access to these individuals during their purported “community service” to take photographs of them in compromising positions. In other cases, Boeckmann dismissed pending charges against defendants in exchange for sexually related conduct.
Boeckmann admitted that the corrupt use of his office defrauded the State of Arkansas and its citizens of their right to Boeckmann’s honest services and also defrauded various cities and counties in Arkansas, as well as the State of Arkansas and the Arkansas courts, of money and property that they should have received as fines or fees from the individuals whose cases were fraudulently dismissed.
In addition, Boeckmann admitted that during his scheme he instructed various individuals not to tell anyone about their “community service” sentences. After Boeckmann learned he was under investigation, Boeckmann also arranged to pay a witness to change his testimony. Specifically, Boeckmann admitted that in the fall of 2015, he learned of a witness who had provided information to the Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission (JDDC) regarding Boeckmann’s practice of imposing personally beneficial “community service” sentences. Boeckmann admitted that he directed another individual to pay the witness to write a letter recanting the information the witness gave to the JDDC. According to his admissions, Boeckmann did this in order to prevent that witness from providing truthful information about Boeckmann to law enforcement and to influence, delay, and prevent that witness’s testimony in an official proceeding.
The FBI investigated this case with assistance of the Arkansas State Police and the Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission. Trial Attorneys Peter Halpern, Jonathan Kravis, and Simon Cataldo of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section prosecuted the case, with assistance from Special Prosecutor Jack McQuary of the State of Arkansas Office of the Prosecutor Coordinator.