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Thursday 14 September 2017
Florida National Guardsman Sentenced to More Than 24 Years for Attempting to Entice A Minor for SexRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced John David Stahlman (35, Longwood) to 24 years and 4 months in federal prison for attempting to persuade, induce, and entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. A federal jury found him guilty on May 24, 2017.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, on November 10, 2016, Stahlman posted an advertisement on Craigslist seeking a “young ‘looking’ girl” for possible “physical pleasure.” An FBI agent acting in an undercover capacity responded to the advertisement and introduced himself as the single father of an 11-year-old child. During a two-and-a-half-month period, Stahlman made plans to meet and have sex with the “child,” and he eventually traveled to meet with the minor. Stahlman was subsequently arrested.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alejandro J. Salicrup and Karen Gable.
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 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 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.
Financial Consultant Pleads Guilty to Fraud, Theft of Pension FundsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – John M. Hairabet, Jr., 45, a former business associate and office manager of New England Anesthesiologists, Inc., and president of Anesthesia Management Consultants, LLC, pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence today to charges that he embezzled more than $700,000 dollars from bank accounts belonging to the medical firm and to an employee 401(k) pension fund.
Hairabet’s guilty plea to six counts of wire fraud, one count of pension fund theft and two counts of money laundering is announced by Acting United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch; Brian Deck, Resident Agent in Charge of the Providence Office of the U.S. Secret Service; Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation; and Susan A. Hensley, Regional Director, U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration.
Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Hairabet admitted to the court that between October 2007 and August 12, 2013, in his capacity as an independent contractor bookkeeper and office manager of New England Anesthesiologists, and through his management consulting firm, Anesthesia Management Consultants, he embezzled $587,218.36 from bank accounts belonging to New England Anesthesiologists. Hairabet also admitted that he embezzled $120,313 in employee elective deferrals that were to be deposited into an employee 401 (k) pension fund.
Hairabet is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30, 2017. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000; money laundering is punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount of criminally deprived property; pension theft is punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ronald R. Gendron and Richard W. Rose.
The matter was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration.
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Felon Who Threatened to Kill a Woman Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who threatened to kill a Cedar Rapids woman was sentenced September 13, 2017, to ten years in federal prison.
Darrell Junior Sims, age 29, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 21, 2017 jury verdict finding him guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The evidence at trial showed that during a phone call on January 27, 2017, Sims threatened to kill a female companion. When the woman asked what he planned to kill her with, Sims told her to look under her mattress. The woman looked under the mattress and found a loaded revolver and a loaded pistol. The woman contacted the United States Marshals Service, and two Deputy Marshals arrived and collected the firearms. While the deputies were collecting the firearms, Sims called the woman again. A deputy recorded the conversations, during which Sims accused the woman of allowing his guns to be stolen.
Sims was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. At the sentencing hearing, the judge found Sims obstructed justice during the case by sending a letter from jail to the woman’s father before trial. In the letter, Sims offered to compensate the woman’s father if the woman did not show up for trial. Sims was sentenced to the maximum sentence of imprisonment, 120 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a 2-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Sims is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-5-LTS.
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Federal Jury Convicts U.S. Customs Agent of Stealing Cash from Overseas Passenger at O’Hare Airport Screening StationRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury has convicted a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent of pocketing $5,000 in cash from an overseas passenger at a screening station of O’Hare International Airport.
SALVATORE PICARDI took the cash on Feb. 22, 2016, after the female passenger had arrived at O’Hare on a flight from China. The woman noticed her money was missing when the customs inspection ended and she was allowed to leave. As other officers began searching for the money, Picardi tried to avoid detection by stuffing the cash into a jacket belonging to the woman and claiming he had discovered it.
The jacket, however, had been searched multiple times before Picardi’s purported discovery.
Picardi, 38, of Park Ridge, was convicted of one count of embezzlement by a federal officer under color of law. The jury returned its verdict on Wednesday after a three-day trial in the Chicago courtroom of U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin.
The conviction was announced by Joel R. Levin, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Armando Lopez, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG) Chicago Field Office; and Aaron Poyer, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Office of Professional Responsibility (CBP-OPR).
The conviction is punishable by up to ten years in prison. Judge Durkin scheduled a sentencing hearing for Dec. 12, 2017, at 12:00 p.m.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laurie J. Barsella and Lindsay C. Jenkins.
Fairhaven Man Re-Sentenced for Federal Drug Crime as a Result of State Crime Lab ScandalRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fairhaven man was re-sentenced today in federal court in Boston as a result of a prior vacated conviction stemming from the state crime lab scandal.
David Simmons, 42, was re-sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In March 2016, Simmons was sentenced to 51 months in prison and three years of supervised release after a federal jury convicted him in October 2015 of one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
From approximately 2010 until 2014, Simmons was involved in an eight-person marijuana trafficking conspiracy led by Edward Boyer that shipped high-grade marijuana from Mendocino County California to Fall River, Mass., where it was sold through a network of distributors. Simmons received some of the shipments of marijuana in Fair Haven and delivered them to Boyer. Simmons, along with co-defendant Paul Pedreira, also established a marijuana growing operation at Simmons’ residence, and Boyer helped to coordinate the distribution of the crop.
The sentence of 51 months that Simmons received in March 2016 was based on his prior criminal history, which identified him as a career offender. However, a prior criminal conviction for distribution of a Class B substance was vacated by the Fall River District Court in May 2016, as it was one of the tens of thousands of cases tainted by the revelation that former state crime chemist Annie Dookhan tampered with evidence and fabricated test results. As a result of that vacated conviction, Simmons no longer qualifies as a career offender; therefore, the current sentence he is serving for marijuana conspiracy was reduced based on an updated prior criminal history – one that does not include a conviction for distributing a Class B substance.
In February 2016, Boyer was sentenced to 108 months in prison and four years of supervised release. Pedreira was sentenced to time served (53 days) and three years of supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Heinrich of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Edmonson County, Kentucky, Resident Charged with Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – An Edmonson County, Kentucky, resident was charged this week by grand jury indictment with sexual exploitation of children announced United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr.
Baird, 56, of Brownsville, Kentucky, was charged in a five-count Indictment with four counts of using a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of the conduct and one count of possessing child pornography that had been transported in interstate commerce by any means, including by computer. According to the Indictment, the activity took place between May of 2009 and May of 2015, in Edmonson County.
If convicted at trial, Baird faces a sentence of no less than 15 years and no more than 30 years for each of counts one through four, and no more than ten years in prison for count five. Further, the penalties include up to a life term of supervised release and a fine of up to $1,250,000.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless, and the investigation is being handled by the Department of Homeland Security and Edmonson County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Bowling Green Police Department.
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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."
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The indictment of a person by a Grand Jury is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty
baird_howard_charged_9-14-17.pdfEast Boston Man Sentenced for Illegal Firearm DealingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An East Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegal firearms dealing in the Orient Heights public housing projects in East Boston.
James Warner, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In April 2017, Warner pleaded guilty to engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Warner, who is prohibited from buying, selling and using firearms due to a prior criminal conviction, conspired with other individuals to sell a Hungary, .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol and a Davis Industries, Model D-32 caliber derringer in the Orient Heights Housing Development in East Boston.
The case arose from a federal investigation into a network of street gangs that created alliances to traffic weapons and drugs throughout Massachusetts and generate violence against rival gang members. As a result of the investigation, 53 defendants were indicted in June 2016 on federal firearms and drug charges, including defendants who are allegedly leaders, members, and associates of the 18th Street Gang, the East Side Money Gang and the Boylston Street Gang. se gangs operated primarily in the East Boston, Boston, Chelsea, Brockton, Malden, Revere and Everett areas. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized cocaine, cocaine base (crack), heroin, fentanyl, and over 70 firearms.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; John Gibbons, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Commissioner William Evans; Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes; and Brockton Police Chief John Crowley made the announcement today. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also acknowledges the assistance of the Suffolk and Middlesex County Sheriff Departments and the Malden, Revere and Everett Police Departments.
Dubuque Man Sentenced to Six Years’ Imprisonment for Unlawfully Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who was trafficking marijuana while unlawfully possessing a firearm was sentenced today to six years in federal prison.
Hombra Lavail Williams, age 40, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 29, 2017, guilty plea to possessing a firearm as a felon, unlawful drug user, and domestic violence misdemeanant.
At the sentencing hearing, the judge found that Williams’s possession of the .45-caliber handgun facilitated his marijuana trafficking. Williams had numerous previous criminal convictions, including domestic violence abuse, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, and possessing heroin with intent to distribute.
Williams was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Williams was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment and a special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Williams is being held in the United States Marshal’s 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 Dubuque Drug Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-1006-LTS.
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Dubuque Man Convicted of Selling Drugs That Killed One and Injured Two Others Sentenced to over 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who distributed heroin and a fentanyl analogue that caused an overdose death and two serious injuries was sentenced today to over 20 years in federal prison.
Antrell Desharron Lewis, age 24, of Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a four-day bench trial in February 2017. The Court returned a verdict on April 19, 2017, finding Lewis guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and furanylfentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injury, and one count of distributing heroin and furanylfentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injury.
The evidence at trial showed that Lewis sold heroin to multiple customers in the Dubuque, Iowa, area in 2015 and 2016. His customers knew him as “Lucky” or “Five Star.” In early March 2016, four men from Maquoketa, Iowa, drove to Dubuque to purchase heroin from Lewis. Lewis and another man met with one of the Maquoketa men, and Lewis sold him a substance Lewis represented to be heroin. The Maquoketa men then drove to an apartment in Dubuque, where two of them met with another man and distributed some of the purported heroin to him. The two men who did not enter the apartment simultaneously used and overdosed on the purported heroin while sitting in the car. Emergency responders arrived at the scene and saved their lives using Narcan, an opiate reversal agent. The man inside the apartment used the purported heroin after emergency responders left the area. He was found deceased of a drug overdose approximately 18 hours later.
Drugs seized from the car and from the apartment tested positive for heroin and a substance called furanylfentanyl. Furanylfentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid, and is an analogue of fentanyl. Under federal law, drugs that are similar to substances listed in the controlled substance schedules are considered “controlled substance analogues,” and it is illegal to distribute them just as it is to distribute substances such as cocaine, heroin, and marijuana.
Lewis was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Lewis was sentenced to 252 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $200 was imposed. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Lewis is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Marion Police Department; the Iowa City Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham and Special Assistant United States Attorney Drew Inman.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 16-CR-1045-LTS.
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Dallas Woman and Others Sentenced on Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Nineteen defendants who were convicted on federal felony offenses stemming from their roles in a drug distribution conspiracy have been sentenced, announced John Parker, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
Rebecca Grimes, 32, of Dallas, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn to 108 months in federal prison. Others were previously sentenced as follows:
Josue Tijerina, aka “J,” 31, of Dallas – 240 months
Joshua Diaz, 28, of Dallas -240 months
Guadalupe Segovia, aka “Sleepy,” 44, of Mesquite – 240 months
Tina Connolly, aka “Tina Connolly,” 56, of Dallas – 240 months
Christina Bruffy, aka “Christine Bruffy,” 48, of Mesquite – 188 monthsEdgar Fallad-Martinez, aka “Edgar Fallas-Martinez,” 29, of Dallas – 168 months
Stephanie Laza, 45, of Mesquite – 135 months
Stephanie Hernandez, aka “Stephanie Kinney,” 28, of Dallas – 120 monthsTiffany Gundermann, 27, of Waco – 87 months
Leo Najera-Padilla, 30, of Dallas – 87 months
Oralia Acosta, aka “Oralia Morris,” 52, of Dallas – 84 months
Shelby Wiggins, 25 of Greenville – 72 months
Michael Ramos, 21, of Mesquite – 72 months
Luan Vo, 41, of Irving – 54 monthsDeborah Uribe, aka “Deberah Uribe,” 46, of Kaufman – 48 months
Carson Baker, 24, of Mesquite – 48 months
Katy Anderson, aka “Kay Scott,” 36, of Garland – 33 months
Earvin Gibson, 46, of Dallas – 24 months“Drug dealers like these bring nothing but misery to the communities they plague,” said U.S. Attorney Parker. “With the help of our law enforcement partners, we will bring them down.”
The investigation into this drug trafficking organization, which operated out of the Pleasant Grove, Seagoville and Balch Springs areas of the DFW metroplex, began in early January 2016. During the investigation, law enforcement has seized more than 6700 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 13.2 kilograms of methamphetamine oil, 62 grams of marijuana, 2.5 grams of heroin, and 20 ml of gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), as well as 12 firearms and $12,379 in cash.
The Department of Public Safety and the Dallas Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Wirmani prosecuted.
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Couple Sentenced for More Than $1 Million in Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Riyad Altallaa, 52, and Muna Alnoubani, 50, both of Hilliard, were each sentenced in U.S. District Court today for conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Altallaa was sentenced to 48 months in prison and Alnoubani was sentenced to 36 months of probation.
The case was charged in 2016 as part of an unprecedented nationwide sweep led by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force in 36 federal districts, resulting in criminal and civil charges against 300 individuals, including 61 doctors, nurses and other medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud schemes involving approximately $900 million in false billings.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Lamont Pugh, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, announced the sentences handed down today by Chief U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
According to court documents, Altallaa and Alnoubani were owners of Columbus Home Health Care Services, LLC. The couple executed a fraud scheme in order to minimize expenses and maximize profits by fabricating aide training records to avoid the time and expense of training and to give the appearance that aides had completed the required training and were prepared to provide home health services to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
The defendants also had aides and nurses submit blank time sheets and nursing notes that the defendants completed with falsely inflated hours of service.
Finally, they had aides and nurses “split” their shifts on their timesheets and nursing notes to make it appear that services were provided in multiple shifts rather than one shift. Under Medicaid’s reimbursement policy, the initial hour of each shift is reimbursed at a rate that is approximately double the rate of subsequent hours.
The couple used the fraud money to build a luxurious, $1 million home in Hilliard. As part of their plea agreements, they will forfeit that home. Each of the defendants pleaded guilty in June 2016 to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, HHS-OIG Ohio Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and IRS Criminal Investigation, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Kenneth Affeldt and Special Assistant United States Attorney Maritsa Flaherty, who are representing the United States in this case.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing 30 FirearmsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A convicted felon was sentenced today to eight years in federal prison for illegally possessing 30 guns that had been stolen from a shipment of firearms at a railyard on the South Side of Chicago.
NATHAN DRIGGERS possessed the guns on April 12, 2015, at his store in the 12700 block of South Halsted Street in Chicago’s West Pullman neighborhood. Driggers had previously been convicted of a felony and was not legally allowed to possess a firearm.
All 30 of the guns were among approximately 111 firearms stolen from a railroad car in Chicago earlier that day. The firearms were aboard a cargo train en route from a Ruger factory in New Hampshire to Spokane, Wash. The train was parked overnight on the South Side of Chicago when thieves broke locks on a train car and walked off with the guns.
A jury in April convicted Driggers, 44, of Richton Park, on one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a felon. U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp Jr. imposed the 96-month sentence in federal court in Chicago.
The sentencing was announced by Joel R. Levin, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Celinez Nunez, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Chicago Police Department and the Norfolk Southern Railroad Police Department provided valuable assistance.
A co-defendant, WARREN GATES of Chicago, was sentenced in January to five years and three months in prison for illegally possessing 24 firearms, 17 of which had been stolen from the train. Gates admitted purchasing the 17 stolen firearms for purposes of reselling them for a profit, and he sold eleven of them prior to his arrest.
To date, law enforcement has recovered 19 of the 111 stolen firearms at various locations and crime scenes in the Chicago area.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher V. Parente and Eric Pruitt.
Convicted Felon Sentenced on Federal Charges for Possession AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steve Butler of the Southern District of Alabama announces that Senior United States District Court Judge Callie V.S. Granade sentenced Domonic Marshall to 15 months in prison on September 13, 2017. Marshall pled guilty on June 14, 2017 to the charge of Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person, violating 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(1).
Domonic Marshall is prohibited from possessing ammunition by virtue of being convicted of the felony offense of Burglary 3rd Degree in Mobile County Circuit Court, in December of 2011.On July 5, 2016, City of Saraland police officers responded to a domestic violence call at the residence of Domonic Marshall. A pregnant female who said she was fleeing the residence met officers. She told the police officers that Marshall kept a .45 caliber pistol, and a large rifle, inside the residence.
Other officers, who were responding to the domestic violence call, were able to get a description of Marshall and the vehicle he was traveling in. They pursued Marshall, who attempted to flee from them. Marshall was ultimately apprehended and arrested for the domestic violence.
Law enforcement officers interviewed the female victim. She told officers that when Marshall found out she had called the police, he moved the .45 caliber pistol and the rifle out of the residence so he would not be caught with them.
Saraland Police Department obtained a search warrant for the residence of Domonic Marshall to look for the .45 caliber pistol and the rifle. The police executed the search warrant on July 13, 2017. During the search, officers did not find either firearm, but did recover sixteen .22 caliber rounds of ammunition and one 12-gauge shotgun round. They also located, and seized, eighty-five .22 caliber rounds of ammunition in a separate part of Marshall’s residence.
When officers informed Marshall that they had located live ammunition in his residence, Marshall stated that the .22 rounds had been in there forever, and that he had had the ammunition for approximately 4 years. Marshall also admitted being a convicted felon.Senior United States District Court Judge Callie V.S. Granade also sentenced Marshall to serve three years of supervised release at the conclusion of his prison sentence.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Mobile, Alabama Field Office, and Saraland Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Baugh prosecuted the case for the Southern District of Alabama.
Concord Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution ChargesRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. - Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced that Felicia Jordan, 27, of Concord, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to statements in court and court documents, in March 2016, law enforcement officers conducted several controlled drug purchases from Jordan at locations around Concord, including at her residence. In May 2016, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Jordan’s residence, seizing 98 grams of fentanyl.
The defendant’s plea agreement includes a binding stipulated sentence of 70 months’ imprisonment. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 19, 2017.
“The United States Attorney’s Office works each day with our law enforcement partners to stop the distribution of fentanyl,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “I commend the hard work of the Concord Police Department and its officers’ ongoing efforts to identify those who are responsible for distributing this deadly drug. Fentanyl is causing grave damage in our community, but cases such as this are making a difference by getting this drug off the streets and saving lives.”
The investigation was conducted by the Concord Police Department, and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Shane B. Kelbley and Georgiana L. Konesky.
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Cleveland man with carfentanil, heroin, crack cocaine and a gun indictedRead the Press Release
A Cleveland man was indicted on drug and firearms charges, U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said.
Alonzo Hill, 52, was indicted on one count each of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute heroin and carfentanil, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Hill had three grams of heroin and carfentanil, six grams of crack cocaine, a Glock .45-caliber pistol and ammunition on June 27, 2017, despite convictions for attempted robbery and assault on a police officer, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ranya Elzein following an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cleveland Division of Police.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Cleveland man indicted on heroin and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
A Cleveland man was indicted on heroin and firearms charges, U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said.
Brandon Parker, 31, was indicted on two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin.
Parker had more than four grams of heroin on July 15, 2017, and a Harrington & Richardson 20-gauge shotgun, a .357-caliber revolver and ammunition, despite prior convictions for drug trafficking and having a weapon under disability. He also had a Ruger .38-caliber pistol and ammunition on Nov. 29, 2016, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ranya Elzein following an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cleveland Division of Police.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Cleveland man indicted for selling furanyl fentanyl that resulted in fatal overdoseRead the Press Release
A Cleveland man was indicted for selling furanyl fentanyl that resulted in the fatal overdose of a Cleveland man last year, law enforcement officials said.
Derek Hamilton, 24, was charged in a 10-count indictment with distribution of furanyl fentanyl that resulted in a death, distribution of furanyl fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, firearms offenses and other crimes.
Hamilton sold furanyl fentanyl on Aug. 2, 2016, that resulted in the overdose death of a Cleveland man one day later, according to the indictment.
Hamilton possessed heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and a mix of cocaine and fentanyl on Aug. 9, 2017.
“Opioids have caused a staggering amount of pain and death across our state, particularly in Cuyahoga County,” said U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman. “We will continue to seek long prison sentences for people who sell heroin and profit off this epidemic.”
“Arresting drug dealers will not ease the pain of those left behind in the wake of a fatal overdose, but it does send a clear message that those dealers will face consequences for their illegal and deadly activities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Timothy Plancon. “DEA’s top priority is to work with our partners in law enforcement and stop the trafficking of heroin and other opioids in our communities.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa T. Darden and Justin Seabury Gould following an investigation by the DEA and Cleveland Division of Police.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Chicago Man Sentenced to Federal Charges in Connection with Plaza Frontenac RobberyRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Dejuan Wingard, 22, of Chicago, Illinois was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment for his role in a “smash and grab” theft of Chanel handbags at the Saks Fifth Avenue in Plaza Frontenac on November 26, 2016. Wingard is the seventh of thirteen individuals to have pleaded guilty in connection with the offense.
In addition to the November 26th theft, Wingard acknowledged participating in a similar theft at the same Saks Fifth Avenue on August 2, 2016.
After his prison sentence, Wingard was ordered to serve three years supervised release and pay more than $200,000 in restitution to the store. Wingard appeared before Judge Audrey G. Fleissig in U.S. District Court in St. Louis this afternoon.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis FBI and the Frontenac Police Department.
Cape Girardeau Resident Charged with Southern Illinois Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
Carlos L. Hemphill, a/k/a "Los," 34, of Cape Girardeau, was indicted on September 6, 2017, in a one-count indictment charging conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois Donald S. Boyce announced today.
The indictment alleges that the offense occurred between November 2016, and August 2017, in Williamson and Jackson Counties. Hemphill made his initial appearance in federal court on September 11, 2017. At his September 14, 2017, detention hearing, Hemphill was ordered held without bond pending a November 13, 2017, jury trial.
The methamphetamine offense carries a maximum penalty of 5-40 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by 4 years’ supervised release, and a $5,000,000 fine.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group. The SEMO Drug Task Force, Herrin Police Department, Carbondale Police Department, and Drug Enforcement Administration also assisted in the investigation.
Canadian man indicted for sexual exploitation of a minorRead the Press Release
A Canadian man indicted on one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, said U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman and Steve Francis, Special Agent in Charge of HSI’s Detroit Office.
Joseph B. Haggerty, 49, of New Brunswick, is accused of coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct. This took place between May 14 and July 15, 2017, according to the indictment.
Haggerty was arrested last month at a park in Rocky River. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents in Austin, Texas, received a tip that Haggerty had been soliciting nude images from children. Haggerty was scheduled to fly to Cleveland from Toronto on Thursday. HSI agents in Cleveland followed him upon his arrival in Ohio to Linden Park in Rocky River, where he met a minor female, according to a court documents.
The minor he met in Rocky River told agents she met Haggerty on Kik in December 2016 and they subsequently communicated via Skype. She said the calls would last hours and Haggerty would direct her to strip naked and engage in sexually explicit conduct, according to the affidavit.
The girl told her relatives she was going on a camping trip for the weekend but actually planned to go a hotel with Haggerty, according to the affidavit.
HSI agents contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s Internet Child Exploitation Unit, which executed search warrants at Haggerty’s home. They found nude images of the Ohio minor, contact information for the child in Texas, as well as evidence of an estimated five other potential victims.
The investigation is ongoing.
“This defendant preyed upon children,” Herdman said. “This case is another stark reminder to parents that they need to know who their children are communicating with on social media and in real life.”
“Through our partnerships with state, local, federal and international law enforcement agencies, HSI will continue to vigorously investigate child exploitation cases like this one to ensure that special agents continue to serve as a powerful barrier between predators and children," said Steve Francis, Special Agent in Charge of HSI’s Detroit Office, which includes Ohio.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated by HSI’s Cleveland and Austin offices, the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Rocky River Police Department and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Sullivan.
An indictment is a charge is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Canadian Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy announced today that John Lambert, 65, of Canada, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 500 grams or more of cocaine before Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. the charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a fine of $5,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Astorga, who is handling the case, stated that in 2013, co-defendant Harvey Peake recruited Lambert to assist in the transporting of illegal narcotics for distribution. On October 3, 2016, Peake and Lambert traveled to the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino in downtown Buffalo to hand off 10 kilograms of cocaine. The two men met briefly with a third individual in the casino and then walked towards the parking garage where Peake’s vehicle was parked. Lambert got into the driver’s seat and tapped the brake lights to signal their location to the third individual. Peake then opened the trunk of and removed a suitcase. The third individual pulled up next to the vehicle and Peake attempted to give the suitcase to the individual. Peake and Lambert were then arrested. Law enforcement officers seized the suitcase, which contained approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine.
Charges are pending against Harvey Peake. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division.Sentencing is scheduled for December 14, 2017 before Judge Geraci.
Brazilian National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Brazilian national charged with an immigration crime pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in federal court in Boston.
Daybson Pereira, 34, a Brazilian national residing in Boston, pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry of a deported alien. Upon acceptance of his plea, U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya Zobel sentenced Pereira to time served and one year of supervised release. Pereira will be placed into removal proceedings and deported to Brazil.
Pereira was previously deported in March 2009 after being found unlawfully present in the United States. In May 2017, federal agents determined Pereira to be again in the country illegally while he was awaiting trial at Essex County House of Corrections on multiple counts of witness intimidation and restraining order violations.
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 prosecuted the case.
Bardstown, Kentucky, Resident Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Violating Federal Drug Trafficking LawsRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, KY – A Nelson County, Kentucky, man was sentenced in United States District Court this week by District Judge David J. Hale, to 10 years in prison followed by a five year period of supervised release for violating federal drug trafficking laws, announced United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, Timothy Lee Yonts, 47, of Bardstown, knowingly conspired with other persons between May and September of 2016, to intentionally possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
On September 22, 2016, the Greater Hardin County Narcotics Task Force (GHCNTF) executed a search warrant at Yonts’ residence in Bardstown. The search resulted in the seizure of drug trafficking evidence, including approximately 10 ounces of crystal methamphetamine, one pound of marijuana, cash, and drug paraphernalia. Also recovered at the time, was a home security system with digital footage of numerous drug transactions and drug usage with the last three months of the date of the search.
Assistant United States Attorney Mac Shannon prosecuted this case. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and GHCNTF investigated.
Alleged Marijuana Growers in Siskiyou County Indicted for Conspiring to Bribe SheriffRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Chi Meng Yang, 31, of Montague, and his sister Gaosheng Laitinen, 36, of Cottage Grove, Minnesota, charging them with conspiring to commit bribery, bribery of a public official, conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, and manufacturing marijuana, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Yang and Laitinen will be arraigned on the indictment on Friday, September 15, 2017, in Sacramento at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah Barnes. Future court dates will be set at that hearing.
According to court documents, on May 17, 2017, Yang met with Siskiyou County Sheriff Jon Lopey in Yreka. During the meeting, Yang offered $1 million to the Sheriff in exchange for his assistance with an interstate marijuana distribution business that Yang and others were in the process of organizing in Siskiyou County. Immediately after the meeting, the Sheriff reported it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Federal agents asked the Sheriff to continue meeting with Yang.
The subsequent meetings were audio and video recorded by the FBI and Laitinen attended some of those meetings. Because Yang’s offer of $1 million depended on Yang securing and profiting from certain out-of-state marijuana licenses, Yang and Laitinen promised to pay the Sheriff a total of $80,000 if he would exempt eight properties from the Siskiyou County ban against outdoor marijuana grows. Yang and Laitinen gave the Sheriff several initial payments, totaling $10,500 in cash. These funds were immediately seized by the FBI as evidence.
This case is a product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), North State Marijuana Investigations Team (NSMIT), Tehama Inter-agency Drug Enforcement (TIDE), Shasta Inter-agency Narcotics Task Force (SINTF), Siskiyou Unified Major Investigations Team (SUMIT), and California Highway Patrol (CHP). Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael M. Beckwith is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of the charges in the indictment, Yang and Laitinen face the following maximum penalties: (1) five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy charge; (2) 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the bribery charge; and (3) a minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine for each of the drug charges. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
The charges against Yang and Laitinen are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Aiding and Abetting Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Christian Herrera 21, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced this morning in federal court to 37 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for aiding and abetting the armed robbery of an Albuquerque-area bank.
Herrera was arrested in March 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him and four co-defendants, Greg Miera, 51, Martin Huertta, 43, Christian Herrera, 21, Christopher Gallegos, 33, and Isaiah Gallegos, 22, all of Albuquerque, with robbing the US Bank branch located at 5620 Wyoming Blvd. NE in Albuquerque, on March 30, 2016. According to the complaint, Albuquerque Police Department (APD) officers conducted surveillance as a vehicle with four men pulled up to the US Bank on the afternoon of March 30, 2016. Three of the men remained in the vehicle while the fourth entered the bank, threatened to shoot the bank employees, and demanded that two bank tellers place cash into a plastic bag.
Herrera, Huertta, Miera, Christopher Gallegos and Isaiah Gallegos were indicted on April 27, 2016, and were charged with bank robbery.
On Feb. 24, 2017, Herrera entered a guilty plea to the indictment. In entering the guilty plea, Herrera admitted aiding and abetting the armed robbery of the U.S. Bank branch on March 30, 2016, by acting as a lookout during the robbery.
Herrera’s four co-defendants have all entered guilty pleas and have been sentenced. Huertta pled guilty on Sept. 9, 2016 and was sentenced on March 14, 2017 to 108 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Miera pled guilty on Oct. 11, 2016, and was sentenced on June 8, 2017, to 78 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Isaiah Gallegos entered a guilty plea on April 25, 2017, and was sentenced on Aug. 15, 2017, to 37 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Christopher Gallegos pled guilty on Feb. 13, 2017, and was sentenced on Aug. 29, 2017, to 57 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Letitia C. Simms prosecuted the case.
Albion Man Pleads Guilty to Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Christopher Ridder, 46, of Albion, NY, pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography, before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Lamarque, who is handling the case, stated that in January 2017, the defendant was found in possession of over 600 images of child pornography, some depicting prepubescent minors and some depicting sadistic or masochistic conduct.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen and the Medina Police Department, under the direction of Chief Chad Kenward.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 8, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Vilardo.
Administrative manager made over $35,000 in personal charges on Covington Housing Authority credit cardRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Erica D. Morris has been charged with making more than $35,000 in personal purchases on a merchant credit card that the Covington Housing Authority issued her for work-related purchases.
“Morris abused her position with Covington Housing Authority by ringing up more than $35,000 in personal charges,” said U.S. Attorney John A. Horn. “In effect, Morris diverted money earmarked for the low-income families for which the Covington Housing Authority provides housing into her own pocket.”
“The actions taken today should serve as a strong notice of our continuing commitment to root out all forms of fraud, especially as it relates to federal housing resources directed to assist less fortunate American families,” said Nadine E. Gurley, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General. “We remain steadfast in working with the U.S. Department of Justice to pursue any unscrupulous individuals that may seek to use their position in order to gain an illegal personal benefit.”
According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges, and other information presented in court: The Covington Housing Authority (“CHA”) was established in 1965 and, according to its website, seeks to “provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing, in good repair, to low-income families at an affordable rent.”
From January 2006 to September 30, 2016, Morris worked for the CHA, ultimately serving as its Administrative Manager. In that position, Morris managed CHA’s accounting, bookkeeping, human resources, payroll accounts, payable and receivable accounts, service contracts, and maintained the office’s business records. As the Administrative Manager, the CHA issued Morris a merchant credit card to make work-related purchases.
From approximately June 2015 to May 2016, Morris made more than 60 unauthorized personal purchases on her merchant credit card, including buying thousands of dollars’ worth of Visa gift cards. In addition, Morris used her access to the CHA’s telephone account to purchase an iPhone 6 cellular telephone for a family member. Subsequently, Morris used the Visa gift cards to pay various personal living expenses, including paying her husband’s child support costs. In total, Morris unlawfully charged more than $35,000 to her CHA merchant credit card.
Erica D. Morris, 34, of Covington, Georgia, has been charged in a criminal information with one count of Federal Program Theft. Morris is expected to plead guilty to the charge shortly after arraignment.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development - Office of the Inspector General is investigating this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey W. Davis is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Additional Charges Filed Against Jefferson City Man Who Shot at Police OfficersRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Jefferson City, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today after he shot at police officers who were executing a search warrant at his residence.
Ardaris Webb Cheatham, 33, of Jefferson City, was charged in a four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Cheatham on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, and contains additional charges.
Today’s indictment charges Cheatham with one count of possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute, one count of discharging a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime and one count of assaulting a federal law enforcement task force officer. The indictment also contains the original charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. All of the charges relate to an incident that occurred on Monday, Sept. 11, 2017.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, the Jefferson City Police Department SWAT Team executed a search warrant for narcotics at Cheatham’s residence at approximately 12:35 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2017. When officers entered the residence, the affidavit says, Cheatham fired a Beretta .40-caliber pistol at the officers as he retreated into the residence. Cheatham attempted to escape by exiting the basement, but was apprehended by other officers who were stationed outside.
Officers found approximately 27 pounds of marijuana hidden in various locations within
Cheatham’s residence. A methamphetamine pipe with residue was also found in a bedroom.A witness later told investigators that she purchased the firearm two years ago. She said Cheatham had fired the gun in the past, and sometimes handled the firearm in the residence.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Cheatham has a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance.
Larson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt.
This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Acting U.S. Attorney Establishes Southern District of Florida Disaster Fraud Task Force and Urges Residents and Visitors to Report Suspected FraudRead the Press Release
Miami, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg has established a Disaster Fraud Task Force within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida (SDFL) to help combat fraud schemes that develop following Hurricane Irma. The U.S. Attorney’s Office protects and serves the residents and visitors of Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Okeechobee and Highlands counties by enforcing federal laws. Acting U.S. Attorney Greenberg urges all Florida residents and businesses to immediately report suspected fraudulent activity related to recovery and cleanup operations, fraudulent charities that falsely claim to provide relief for victims, and individuals submitting false claims for disaster relief.
The newly created Task Force will be staffed by experienced prosecutors throughout the SDFL and will work closely with our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners to protect the benefits destined for citizens who are victims of this disaster.
The Task Force will also work closely with the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF), which was established to investigate, prosecute, and deter fraud in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when billions of dollars in federal disaster relief poured into the Gulf Coast region. The NCDF mission has expanded to include suspected fraud from any natural or manmade disaster. More than 30 federal, state, and local agencies have partnered with NCDF, which allows the center to act as a centralized clearinghouse of information related to disaster relief fraud.
“As our South Florida community recovers from Hurricane Irma, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and our law enforcement partners stand ready to investigate and prosecute in federal court anyone who seeks to re-victimize, defraud or exploit the individuals and businesses in need,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg. “Our united enforcement front will work hard to combat criminal activity, including fraud schemes associated with the hurricane’s devastation. Our mission is to ensure that federal, state and local programs, as well as reputable public and charitable assistance initiatives reach those struck by the impact of our recent natural disaster and are not fraudulently diverted to the criminals’ pockets.”
The public is reminded to be extremely cautious before providing personal identifying information or account data to anyone, especially those who may contact you. Residents should also remember to perform due diligence before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations or individuals offering to provide assistance to those affected by the hurricane.
Members of the public who suspect fraud, waste, abuse, or allegations of mismanagement involving disaster relief operations, or believe they have been the victim of fraud from a person or organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of disaster victims, should contact the National Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline toll free at (866) 720-5721. The telephone line is staffed by a live operator 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also fax information to the Center at (225) 334-4707, or email it to [email protected].
For more information regarding the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the Disaster Fraud Task Force and NCDF, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Wednesday 13 September 2017
Worcester Man Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Worcester man who was residing in New York was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for failing to register as a sex offender.
George Moriarty, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 21 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In May 2017, Moriarty pleaded guilty to one count of failing to register as a sex offender.
In October 1994, Moriarty was convicted of indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of 14. The Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board classified Moriarty as a Level 2 sex offender. Sometime after April 2013, Moriarty moved to New York without notifying authorities of his change in residency, as required by law. In November 2016, Moriarty was arrested in New York on state charges for failing to register as a sex offender. New York authorities then reached out to federal law enforcement in Massachusetts, resulting in Moriarty’s indictment in federal court in Boston and subsequent return to Massachusetts.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and John Gibbons, United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Union Financial Secretary Charged with Embezzling FundsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Washington County, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of embezzlement and theft of labor union assets, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
The one-count indictment, returned yesterday, named Marianne Rodacy, 64, of Charleroi, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
Rodacy was the Financial/Recording Secretary of United Steelworkers, AFL-CIO, Local 10-53-G. According to the indictment, from October 1, 2012 to June 24, 2015, Rodacy embezzled approximately $21,539 of union funds for her personal use.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than five years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will depend upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards, conducted the investigation leading to the prosecution of Marianne Rodacy.
Union County’s Judge/Executive Charged with Scheming to Defraud the Citizens of Union County of Their Right to Honest ServicesRead the Press Release
Joseph “Jody” Jenkins allegedly used his elected office to take kick-backs for arranging purchases with taxpayer funds
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The current Union County Judge/Executive was charged today by grand jury indictment with scheming to defraud the citizens of Union County of their right to honest services announced United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr.
Joseph L. Jenkins a/k/a Jody Jenkins, 44 of Union County, Kentucky, is charged with secretly using his official position to enrich himself by soliciting and accepting gifts, payments, and other things of value from J.H., a person known to the grand jury, in exchange for favorable official action, and for J.H. to enrich himself by secretly obtaining favorable official action for himself and his clients through corrupt means.
According to the indictment, between March and July of 2014, Jenkins, in his official position as Union County Judge/Executive, solicited and accepted cash payments of approximately $20,000 from J.H., and in return, Jenkins provided favorable official action on behalf of J.H., including arranging for the purchase of various items of heavy equipment, at below market value, to be paid for by the Union County Fiscal Court, using taxpayer funds.
Further, Jenkins allegedly took steps to hide, conceal, and cover up his activity and the nature and scope of his dealings with J.H., including directing that false and fraudulent invoices, in amounts under $20,000, be submitted by J.H. for payment by the Union County Fiscal Court for the purchase of the equipment.
If convicted at trial, Jenkins could be sentenced to no less than 20 years in prison for each count, fined $1,000,000 and serve a three-year period of supervised release.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Marisa Ford and is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with assistance from the Evansville, Indiana, Police Department.
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The indictment of a person by a Grand Jury is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty
U.S. Postal Service Mail Carrier Convicted in Stolen Identity Tax Refund SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal jury sitting in Columbus, Georgia returned a guilty verdict today against a U.S. postal worker for his role in a stolen identity refund fraud conspiracy, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney G. F. Peterman III for the Middle District of Georgia.
According to evidence presented at trial, Harold Coley, 52, worked as a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service and his postal route was in Columbus, Georgia. In 2012, Coley was recruited by Keshia Lanier to participate in stolen identity tax refund conspiracy. Coley collected addresses on his route, including many that did not exist or related to vacant buildings, and provided them to Lanier and others for the purpose of filing fraudulent tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Lanier obtained many of the stolen identities from Tamika Floyd who worked for the Alabama Department of Public Health. The stolen identities primarily belonged to 16 and 17 year-olds.
Lanier and others directed the IRS to mail the tax refund checks to the addresses Coley provided. In exchange for cash, Coley intercepted the fraudulently obtained refund checks and provided them to Lanier and others. In total, Coley’s co-conspirators directed over 1,600 refund checks claiming more than $2.5 million to addresses on his postal route. Lanier and Floyd were previously sentenced to 15 years and more than seven years in prison for their roles in the scheme.
U.S. District Court Judge Clay D. Land scheduled sentencing for Dec. 19. Coley faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the conspiracy count, 20 years in prison for each count of mail fraud and 5 years in prison for each count of embezzlement of the mail. Coley also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, forfeiture and monetary penalties.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and U.S. Attorney Peterman commended special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Michael C. Boteler and William Montague of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
U.S. Attorney Establishes Middle District of Florida Disaster Fraud Task Force and Urges Floridians to Be Vigilant in Reporting Suspected FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow has established a Disaster Fraud Task Force within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida (MDFL). The MDFL encompasses 35 of Florida’s 67 counties, has offices in Jacksonville, Orlando, Ocala, Tampa, and Ft. Myers, and serves over 11.5 million citizens in Florida. Acting U.S. Attorney Muldrow also urges all Florida residents and businesses to immediately report suspected fraudulent activity relating to recovery and cleanup operations, fake charities claiming to be providing relief for victims, and individuals submitting false claims for disaster relief.
In anticipation of fraudulent activity in connection with federal disaster relief following Hurricane Irma, the newly created MDFL Task Force will be headed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg, one of the MDFL’s Criminal Chiefs who has extensive experience investigating and prosecuting these types of fraud schemes. The Task Force will be staffed by experienced prosecutors throughout the MDFL and will work closely with our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners to protect the benefits destined for citizens who are victims of this disaster.
The Task Force will also work closely with the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF), which was established to investigate, prosecute, and deter fraud in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when billions of dollars in federal disaster relief poured into the Gulf Coast region. Its mission has expanded to include suspected fraud from any natural or manmade disaster. More than 30 federal, state, and local agencies participate in the NCDF, which allows the center to act as a centralized clearinghouse of information related to disaster relief fraud.
“We will aggressively investigate and prosecute anyone who seeks to defraud or exploit the federal assistance programs established to help individuals, families, or businesses that have lost so much as a result of Hurricane Irma,” said Acting U.S Attorney Muldrow. “Our Office will continue to protect the rights of our honest citizens affected by this disaster and ensure that they receive the necessary public and charitable assistance they deserve. If you suspect any fraud, we urge you to call the NCDF Hotline. Our efforts to combat fraud associated with Hurricane Irma will supplement the outstanding and ongoing efforts by the State of Florida and Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.”
Florida residents should continue to report fraud, price gouging, and other fraudulent schemes to the agencies and hotlines established by the State of Florida. The public is reminded to be extremely cautious before providing personal identifying information or account data to anyone, especially those who may contact you. Residents should also remember to perform due diligence before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations or individuals offering to provide assistance to those affected by the hurricane.
Members of the public who suspect fraud, waste, abuse, or allegations of mismanagement involving disaster relief operations, or believe they have been the victim of fraud from a person or organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of disaster victims, should contact the National Disaster Fraud Hotline toll free at (866) 720-5721. The telephone line is staffed by a live operator 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also fax information to the Center at (225) 334-4707, or email it to [email protected]. You may also visit www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl.
Two Hartford-Area Men Charged with Heroin Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment yesterday charging JOSE CARRASQUILLO, also known as “Pete,” 31, of Wethersfield, and DWAYNE THOMPSON, 32, of West Hartford, with heroin trafficking offenses. The indictment also charges THOMPSON with illegally possessing a firearm.
As alleged in court documents, in July 2017, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force received information that CARRASQUILLO was interested in acquiring heroin to distribute. In August, CARRASQUILLO agreed to purchase three kilograms of heroin from an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a heroin supplier. On August 22, CARRASQUILLO and THOMPSON, arriving in separate vehicles, met in South Windsor with an individual working with law enforcement to complete the transaction. THOMPSON was arrested on that date after he was found in possession of a firearm and $126,200 in cash. CARRASQUILLO, who fled at a high rate of speed and was able to elude capture, surrendered to law enforcement on August 24.
The indictment charges CARRASQUILLO and THOMPSON with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, and one count of attempt to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. Both of these charges carry a maximum term of imprisonment of life. The indictment also charges THOMPSON with one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and offense that carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of at least five years.
The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of the cash and firearm seized at the time of THOMPSON’s arrest.
CARRASQUILLO and THOMPSON are released on bonds in the amounts of $150,000 and $100,000, respectively.
U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
Turlock Attorney Sentenced for Importing SteroidsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Erik Harald Moje, 40, a California-licensed attorney and resident of Turlock, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to nine months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release for importing raw anabolic steroids from China, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Anabolic steroids are synthetically produced variants of the naturally occurring male hormone testosterone. They are regulated under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) as a Schedule III controlled substance and may not be possessed lawfully in the United States without a prescription. Importing anabolic steroids by a person who is not a Drug Enforcement Administration registrant, such as a physician or a pharmacy, is unlawful and a violation of the CSA.
On February 6, 2017, Moje pleaded guilty to unlawfully importing anabolic steroids. According to court documents, between December 1, 2013, and September 1, 2015, Moje, a licensed attorney and professional bodybuilder, unlawfully purchased and obtained anabolic steroids from a supplier in China. Encrypted emails documented shipments and indicated that the purchase money would be deposited into the bank account for the Law Office of Eric Moje. He routed shipments of steroids through a mail-forwarding service in New York, as well as private citizens in other parts of the country.
In May 2015, agents intercepted a parcel containing one kilogram of steroids, which equates to 40,000 dosage units. In September 2015, agents executed a search warrant at Moje’s residence. Behind a false wall in the garage, they found 538 10‑milliliter vials containing liquid anabolic steroids, which equates to 10,760 dosage units, and 17,700 steroid capsules.
In sentencing Moje, Judge Drozd ordered the forfeiture of Moje’s residence. Also forfeited were: $29,925 in cash found during the search of the residence, a 2011 BMW 750Li, and 11 firearms.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Turlock Police Department and Modesto Police Department. The case was also part of Operation Cyber Juice, a nationwide initiative targeting domestic and international steroid trafficking organizations. Assistant United States Attorney Karen A. Escobar prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin C. Khasigian handled the asset forfeiture proceedings.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
Trafford Man Charged with Benefits FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Trafford, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of theft of government property, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
The one-count indictment, returned yesterday, named Warren Robb, age 57, of Trafford, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment, between November 2015 and July 2017, Warren Robb received and converted approximately $57,821.68 in U.S. Railroad Retirement Board disability benefits to which he knew he was not entitled.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Adam N. Hallowell is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Railroad Retirement Board, Office of Inspector General, conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Topeka Woman Indicted for Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Topeka, Kan., woman was indicted by a federal grand jury today alongside an Independence, Mo., man who was previously indicted on charges related to the sexual exploitation of six child victims.
Cynthia Ann Holman, 44, of Topeka, was charged in a 12-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s superseding indictment replaces a June 2, 2017, indictment that charged only Travis Howard White, 25, of Independence.
The superseding indictment alleges that, between Sept. 1, 2016, and March 1, 2017, Holman and White conspired to transport a minor (identified as Minor Victim 1) across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Today’s indictment also contains the original 11 counts against White. White is charged with enticing Minor Victim 1 to engage in illicit sexual activity from Feb. 5, 2016, to March 1, 2017. The indictment also charges White with two counts of using Minor Victim 1 to produce child pornography. White also is charged with two counts of transferring obscene material to Minor Victim 1, including numerous images depicting horses and dogs engaged in sexual activity with humans.
The indictment also charges White with one count of receiving child pornography over the Internet and five counts of transferring obscene material to a minor under the age of 16, which occurred from August 2016 to January 2017. These charges are related to five additional child victims.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, the investigation began when law enforcement agents learned Minor Victim 1 was living with White. She told investigators that she met White online in January 2016, when she was 13 years old and living in Kansas. They began “sexting” and exchanging sexually explicit nude photographs, she said. When she arrived in Kansas City, Mo., in September 2016, she stayed at a hotel for a few days before moving in to live with White. The victim was recovered by the FBI and placed in emergency police protective custody on March 1, 2017.
Investigators found numerous Facebook messages between White and the victim. Their conversations were of a sexual nature, the affidavit says, including instructions from White to the victim about what sorts of pictures to take and what sort of activity to engage in. The victim allegedly sent White several sexually explicit images of herself, the affidavit says, and White in turn sent her a nude image of himself. White also sent the victim approximately three dozen images depicting horses and dogs engaged in the sexually explicit abuse of females of varying and indeterminate age, according to the affidavit.
White told investigators he engaged in sexual activity with the victim at numerous locations in the metropolitan area, the affidavit says. White said he engaged in similar sexual discussions with approximately “50 to 100” other females, a number of whom were underage, via Facebook and other means.
Larson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Daly. It was investigated by the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Three Nurses Sentenced for Healthcare FraudRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that SUPRENIA WASHINGTON, age 61, ERICA EDWARDS, age 32, both of New Orleans, and JEFF KOON, age 44, of Lockport, were sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to healthcare fraud.
U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced WASHINGTON, EDWARDS, and KOON each to two years probation. Additionally, each defendant was ordered to pay restitution as follows: WASHINGTON, $2,324.19; EDWARDS, $2,199.28; and KOON, $2,135.
On March 12, 2015, WASHINGTON was indicted along with 20 other defendants in a 26-count Indictment charging approximately $30,052,295 in Medicare fraud.
On April 21, 2016, EDWARDS and KOON were charged along with 12 other defendants in a 31-count Superseding Indictment charging approximately $30,252,906 in Medicare fraud.
According to court documents, WASHINGTON was a Registered Nurse (RN) at ABIDE HOME CARE SERVICES, a home health company operated by owner LISA CRINEL. WASHINGTON’S guilty plea involved her care for Medicare beneficiaries, falsification of documents and failure to notify officials of the ongoing health care fraud at ABIDE.
On September 8, 2016, WASHINGTON pled guilty to one count of healthcare fraud.
According to court documents, EDWARDS and KOON worked as RNs for ABIDE. Their duties included assessing the status of patients, initiating a plan of care, evaluating patient needs, providing comprehensive nursing care, among other things. KOON and EDWARDS pleaded guilty to fraudulently recertifying patients for home health by recording false changes in medications and exacerbations in medication conditions that did not occur and falsely documented that patients were homebound.
On July 20, 2016, EDWARDS and KOON each pled guilty to a one count of healthcare fraud.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrice Harris Sullivan, Hayden M. Brockett, Sharan Lieberman and Maria Carboni were in charge of the prosecution.
Three Customs and Border Protection Officers Charged with Assaulting Fellow Officers at Newark AirportRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Three Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers were arrested this morning and charged with assaulting two fellow officers at Newark Liberty International Airport, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Tito Catota, 38, of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, Parmenio I. Perez, 40, of Hawthorne, New Jersey, and Michael A. Papagni, 32, of Staten Island, New York, are charged by complaint with forcibly assaulting, impeding, intimidating, and interfering with two men identified in the complaint as “Victim One” and “Victim Two” while the victims were engaged in their duties as CBP officers. The three defendants are scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court.
“The defendants, who were members of a unit responsible for identifying dangerous contraband and threats to national security, allegedly subjected their own colleagues to senseless physical abuse, all while on duty at Newark Liberty International Airport,” Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick said. “This behavior would be abhorrent in any environment, especially one serving a critical law enforcement function. The hard working men and women who protect our borders deserve better.”
“DHS employees pledge to maintain the highest standards of conduct and the OIG ensures those employees are held accountable when they violate that obligation,” Special Agent in Charge Mark Tasky of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, New York Resident Office, said. “DHS OIG takes very seriously allegations such as those in today’s complaint and works tirelessly to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation.”
According to the complaint:
Catota, Perez, and Papagni were employed as CBP officers at Newark Liberty International Airport and were assigned to the Passenger Enforcement Rover Team (PERT). PERT was a CBP specialized unit that was involved in the identification and interception of passengers attempting to bring contraband into the United States or who might be associated with terrorist activities. PERT maintained an office on the second floor of Terminal C at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Victim One was assigned to PERT in October 2016. Within the first two weeks that Victim One worked in PERT, Papagni allegedly advised Victim One that the PERT office table was known as the “rape table” and threatened the victim that he would get him on it.
On Jan. 10, 2017, Victim One was asked to retrieve and forward a document related to a prior drug seizure. While Victim One and an individual identified in the complaint as “CBPO 1” were trying to scan the document, Papagni allegedly warned Victim One that he had five minutes to get out of the office or Papagni would teach him “what this team is about.”
Moments later, an individual identified in the complaint as “CBPO 2” shut off the lights in the PERT office. Papagni, Catota, and another officer identified in the complaint as “CBPO 3” then allegedly grabbed Victim One’s arms and legs and threw him on top of the PERT office table. While Papagni, Catota, and CBPO 3 held him down, Perez got on top of Victim One’s mid-section and grinded his body up and down against Victim One’s genitals through the victim’s clothing in a motion simulating a sex act. Victim One unsuccessfully attempted to push Perez off his body. When Perez eventually got off of Victim One, Papagni, Catota, and CBPO 3 released him.
On Nov. 30, 2016, Victim Two, who was assigned to the Port Director staff, went to the PERT office to speak to CBPO 1. A few minutes later, Victim Two saw an officer identified as “CBPO 4” lock one of the doors to the office. Victim Two started to walk towards the other door to the PERT office but it was closed. Catota, Papagni, and Perez then grabbed Victim Two and threw him on his side on the PERT office table. While two of the defendants held Victim Two down on top of the table, the other defendant got on top of Victim Two and moved his genitals up and down on Victim Two’s leg in simulation of a sex act. Victim Two struggled to get free until Catota, Papagni, and Perez eventually released him.
Both counts in the complaint carry a maximum potential penalty of eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine.Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, New York Resident Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Mark Tasky and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility, New York Resident Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Vance Kuhner, with the investigation leading to today’s arrests.
The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel Leslie Faye Schwartz of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defense counsel:
Catota: Alan Zegas Esq., Chatham, New Jersey
Papagni: Chad Seigel Esq., New York
Perez: Lorraine Gauli-Rufo, Verona, New JerseyThree Albuquerque Residents Sentenced to Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft ConvictionsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Three Albuquerque, N.M., residents were sentenced this afternoon in federal court for their convictions on aggravated identity theft charges. Amelia Cordova, 35, Bridget Jessica Sanchez, 35, and Kenneth Webb, 50, were each sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release.
Cordova, Sanchez and Webb were charged in a five-count indictment filed on Oct. 25, 2016, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and receipt of stolen mail. The indictment was superseded on April 26, 2017, and charged the three defendants with participating in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud from Jan. 2015 through Feb. 2016. The superseding indictment also charged each of the three defendants with committing aggravated identity theft on the following dates: Cordova on Feb. 13, 2016; Sanchez on Jan. 19, 2015; and Webb on June 2, 2015. It also charged Cordova and Sanchez with theft or receipt of stolen mail on July 20, 2015. According to the superseding indictment, the defendants committed the crimes in Bernalillo County, N.M.
On June 15, 2017, Cordova and Sanchez each pled guilty to an aggravated identity theft charge. In their plea agreements, Cordova and Sanchez admitted that they conspired to defraud financial institutions, including First Financial Credit Union, Kirtland Federal Credit Union, Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union, Bank of America and Bank of the West. They also admitted that in furtherance of that conspiracy, they possessed mail and other information, including bank account, debit card and credit card numbers belonging to others, that had been stolen from a post office, mail receptacle, or mail carrier. Cordova and Sanchez admitted using the numbers for the bank accounts, credit cards and debit cards to make purchases, and forging signatures of others in making those purchases. Cordova and Sanchez also admitted using bank account numbers and bank routing numbers contained in the stolen mail to make counterfeit personal checks, which they used to make purchases.
In entering her guilty plea, Cordova admitted that between Feb. 13 and 21, 2016, she used credit card number information from two different people to commit bank fraud.
In entering her guilty plea, Sanchez admitted that on Jan. 19, 2015 and between June 15 and 24, 2015, she used bank account information belonging to another person to commit bank fraud. Sanchez also admitted using credit card number information of another person on Feb. 10, 20, and 21, 2016.
On June 19, 2017, Webb pled guilty to an aggravated identity theft charge and admitted that he conspired with his codefendants to defraud the financial institutions. In entering the guilty plea, Webb further admitted that between June 2, 2015 and June 19, 2015, he possessed and used bank account information of other individuals. Webb also admitted that on July 20, 2015, he possessed counterfeit checks, counterfeit New Mexico state identification cards and other identification that belonged to other individuals.
This case was investigated the U.S. Postal Service and the Albuquerque Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney George C. Kraehe.
Texas Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Damaging Health Care System’s ComputersRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Houston, Texas, was sentenced in federal court to 27 months in prison on his convictions of intentional damage to a protected computer and wire fraud, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
Chief United States District Court Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Brandon A. Coughlin, age 29, of Houston TX.
According to the information presented to the court, the Court was advised that Coughlin intentionally hacked and damaged 13 servers operated by a health care facility known as Centerville Clinic, Inc. (CCI) and engaged in a scheme to defraud that healthcare facility by using its purchase card to order merchandise from Staples. On January 16, 2013, Coughlin was hired by CCI as an in-house computer systems administrator.
On February 4, 2013, he resigned from that position at the request of the management of CCI. Using the administrative passwords he knew from his employment, Coughlin on September 18, 2013 hacked the computer network of CCI. He disabled all administrative accounts needed to control any and all of the computer servers of CCI, and deleted users’ network shares, business data, and patient health information and data, including patient medical records. He caused a financial loss of approximately $60,000. He caused CCI facility to cease its medical treatment of patients until its system was restored.
Coughlin also admitted committing wire fraud when he attempted fraudulently to purchase online iPad Air tablets on the Staples account of CCI. As part of the fraud, Coughlin breached the email server of CCI. He directed that email server to delete email from Staples before it was routed to the purchasing supervisor who handled the Staples account for CCI.
Assistant United States Attorney Paul E. Hull prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Song commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the successful investigation leading to the prosecution of Brandon A. Coughlin.
Taxicab Driver Pleads Guilty to Felony Charges for Sexually Assaulting PassengerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Yared Mekonnen, a taxicab driver from Silver Spring, Md., pled guilty today to sexually assaulting a passenger he picked up last spring in the U Street area of Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.
Mekonnen, 24, pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to charges of second-degree sexual abuse and attempted kidnapping. The Honorable Hiram E. Puig-Lugo scheduled sentencing for Dec. 1, 2017. Under the Court’s Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines, Mekonnen faces a likely sentence of between 42 and 108 months. Following his prison term, Mekonnen will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
According to the government’s evidence, in the early morning hours of May 28, 2017, Mekonnen was driving his taxicab and picked up the victim and her boyfriend in the vicinity of U Street NW. Both the victim and her boyfriend were intoxicated. At some point, the boyfriend exited the taxicab. Once Mekonnen was alone in the taxicab with the victim, he sexually assaulted her. She tried to get out of the taxicab, but he prevented it. She screamed as he continued driving. There was a struggle, and while attempting to convince the victim not to call for help, Mekonnen grabbed her cellphone and it fell out of the window.
Finally, another driver pulled in front of the taxicab, forcing it to stop in the 4900 block of 16th Street NW. Shortly afterward, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrived on the scene and Mekonnen was arrested. He has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, including the Sexual Assault Unit, which investigated the case. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist T.J. McPhail and Victim/Witness Advocate Tracey Hawkins. Finally, he expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart D. Allen and Caroline Burrell, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
St. Albans man sentenced to federal prison for methamphetamine crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A St. Albans man was sentenced today to three years in federal prison for a drug charge, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Christopher Carte, 44, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
On February 9, 2017, Carte was stopped by law enforcement conducting surveillance of suspected drug activity when officers saw him leaving a room at the Super 8 motel in Dunbar. After Carte consented to a search, officers found approximately one ounce of crystal methamphetamine in his jacket pocket. Carte admitted that he had gotten the methamphetamine from someone in the motel room, and that he intended sell the drugs and pay that individual with the proceeds.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorneys Eric Bacaj and Haley Bunn are responsible for 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 Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Alex Germaine, 30, of Springfield, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Springfield to possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Dec. 19, 2017.
Germaine accessed a Russian child pornography website and possessed multiple images of child pornography on his cell phone, including an image involving a sex act perpetrated by an adult male against a prepubescent female. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on July 26, 2016, and seized Germaine’s cell phone, which revealed the images. A subsequent search warrant was executed on Nov. 10, 2016, at Germaine’s residence in Springfield, where law enforcement seized computer discs containing child pornography.
If the Court accepts the plea agreement, Germaine will be sentenced to 10 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and West Springfield Police Chief Ronald Campurciani made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Weinreb's Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Somerville Man Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Somerville man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for failing to register as a sex offender.
James Mercer, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 27 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In June 2017, Mercer pleaded guilty to one count of failing to register as a sex offender.
Mercer was required to register as a Level 2 sex offender in Massachusetts after being convicted in 1992 and 1996 on state charges. He has previously been convicted twice for failing to register: in Florida state court in 2007, and in federal court in Boston in 2015.
Following his release from custody in relation to the 2015 federal conviction in Boston, Mercer left Massachusetts without reporting to authorities, as required by law. Mercer was located in California, where he was arrested for failing to update his sex offender registration.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and U.S. Marshal John Gibbons for the District of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Weinreb’s Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit, prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Six South Texas Residents Get Hefty Sentences in Conspiracy to Manufacture Military-Style GrenadesRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A total of six individuals have been ordered to federal prison for the illegal receipt, possession and manufacture of destructive devices that were not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez.
Noe Gonzalez, 19, of San Juan, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawfully transferring destructive devices and one count of making destructive devices that had not been registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Each of the other defendants - Anthony Ozuna, 20, Alfredo Rivera, 24, and Pedro Vega-Genova, 40, all of Edinburg; Celin Javier Montoya-Rodriguez, 23, a lawful permanent resident in Edinburg; and Jonathan Sanchez-Torres, 20, a Mexican undocumented alien who was residing in Pharr - pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawfully transferring destructive devices.
Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez sentenced Vega-Genova to a term of 240 months in federal prison. Gonzalez was ordered to serve a 196-month-term, while Montoya-Rodriguez, Rivera and Sanchez-Torres will each serve 120 months. Ozuna was ordered to serve 100 months of imprisonment. With the exception of Sanchez-Torres and Montoya-Rodriguez, who are expected to face deportation proceedings following their release from prison, all will also serve three years of supervised release after completion of their sentences.
Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted a lengthy investigation which included undercover operations that exposed a conspiracy to manufacture military-style grenades that were intended to be sold and exported to Mexico.
ATF and HSI agents discovered that over a six-month-period, Gonzalez acquired all of the components necessary to construct more than 150 improvised hand grenades, including grenade hulls, spring kits, fuses and black powder, from a combination of online merchants and local stores. He assembled the grenades in a workshop located behind his home. As the grenades were completed, Sanchez-Torres delivered batches of the “live” hand grenades to Vega-Genova for distribution.
Vega-Genova worked with Montoya-Rodriguez, Ozuna and Rivera to sell the grenades. On four separate occasions between Nov. 5, 2016, and Nov. 9, 2016, agents purchased approximately 45 grenades directly from Vega, Montoya-Rodriguez, Ozuna and Rivera at a cost of $400 -$450 per grenade. ATF and HSI agents subsequently conducted surveillance and undercover operations that led to the discovery of the identity and location of the grenade manufacturer - Gonzalez.
Authorities learned that prior to the start of the investigation, the defendants had manufactured and sold approximately 50 grenades to other unknown individuals who were exporting the grenades to Mexico. At the time of his arrest, Gonzalez was in the process of acquiring components to manufacture an additional 200 grenades. Agents were able to intercept some of the component parts that were being shipped to Gonzalez’s residence.
All of the defendants have been in custody since their arrests on Dec. 6, 2016, where they will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
ATF and HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety, police departments in McAllen and Mission, Customs and Border Protection and Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Paxton is prosecuting the case.
Six Members of the “Rollin’ 30s” Crips Street Gang Charged with Racketeering, Narcotics, and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Angel M. Melendez, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New York City (“HSI”), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing of a Superseding Indictment charging WALSTON OWEN, a/k/a “Purpose,” RICHARD FELIZ, a/k/a “Dirt,” SHAQUILLE BAILEY, a/k/a “Shaq,” a/k/a “Jefe,” MIGUEL CABA, a/k/a “Miggs,” and NATHANIAL RODRIGUEZ, a/k/a “Cook,” with various crimes relating to racketeering, narcotics, and firearms offenses, including charges against FELIZ for the March 26, 2015, murder of Victor Chafla, an innocent bystander. The defendants are charged as a result of their membership in the “Rollin’ 30s,” a subset of the nationwide Crips street gang. Another individual, LEWIS TURNBULL, a/k/a “Lew,” was charged solely with a narcotics offense. OWEN and COOK were arrested on these charges yesterday; FELIZ, BAILEY, TURNBULL, and CABA were already in federal custody on other charges. OWEN and COOK will be presented in Manhattan federal court today before Chief Magistrate Judge Deborah Freeman. The case is before United States District Judge Victor Marrero, and the defendants will be arraigned before Judge Marrero on September 14.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “As alleged in the superseding indictment, these defendants brought drugs and violence to the streets of our community, including the tragic murder of an innocent bystander, Victor Chafla. We commend the extraordinary efforts of our law enforcement partners to bring these defendants to justice, and express our hope that Mr. Chafla’s family and friends find some measure of justice in today’s charges.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Angel M. Melendez said: “These gang members are purported to have committed acts of violence, including murder and robbery, just to fund and protect its criminal enterprise, with one crew member alleged to have shot and killed an innocent bystander. These street gangs plague our community and HSI, with its longstanding partnership with the NYPD, will continue its efforts to rid our neighborhoods of such tormenters and ensure it’s known that they are not welcome.”
NYPD Commissioner O’Neill said: “These alleged members of a Crips crew have been indicted on racketeering, narcotics and firearms-related charges. One of the defendants is accused of shooting and killing an innocent bystander during a dispute with a rival gangmember in the Soundview section of the Bronx. These are serious offenses, and the type of violence we remain focused on that has led to significant reductions in crime. I want to thank the members of the NYPD, the Southern District, and Homeland Security Investigations who have been working on this case.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment[1] and other documents in the public record, and statements made in court:
From 2013 to 2017, in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere, WALSTON OWEN, RICHARD FELIZ, SHAQUILLE BAILEY, MIGUEL CABA, and NATHANIAL RODRIGUEZ were members or associates of a racketeering enterprise known as the “Rollin’ 30s.” In order to fund the enterprise, protect and expand its interests, and promote its standing, members and associates of the Rollin’ 30s committed, conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit acts of violence, including murder and robbery; they conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics; and they obtained, possessed, and used firearms, including by brandishing and discharging them. LEWIS TURNBULL also conspired with certain members of the Rollin’ 30s to distribute and possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine and marijuana.
During a dispute with a member of an opposing crew, on March 26, 2015, FELIZ fired a gun in an attempt to kill that individual. FELIZ instead hit an innocent bystander, Victor Chafla. Chafla died from his wounds a few days later.
* * *
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided in the attached table for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants will be determined by a judge
Mr. Kim praised the investigative work of the NYPD and HSI.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Fender and Max Nicholas are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Count
Charges
Defendants
Maximum Penalties
1
Racketeering Conspiracy
WALSTON OWEN,
RICHARD FELIZ, SHAQUILLE BAILEY, MIGUEL CABA, and NATHANIAL RODRIGUEZ
Life in prison (all defendants except FELIZ)
Life in prison or death (FELIZ)
2
Conspiracy To Commit Murder in Aid of Racketeering
RICHARD FELIZ
Life in prison
3
Murder in Aid of Racketeering
RICHARD FELIZ
Life in prison or death
4
Use of a Firearm Resulting in Death
RICHARD FELIZ
Life in prison or death
5
Using, Carrying, Possessing, Brandishing, and Discharging Firearms
WALSTON OWEN,
RICHARD FELIZ, SHAQUILLE BAILEY, MIGUEL CABA, and NATHANIAL RODRIGUEZ
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
6
Narcotics Conspiracy
WALSTON OWEN,
RICHARD FELIZ, SHAQUILLE BAILEY, and LEWIS TURNBULL
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Rhode Island Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Traveling to Connecticut to Engage in Sex with a MinorRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that NICHOLAS MURPHY, 27, of Exeter, R.I., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for traveling to Connecticut to engage in sex with a minor.
According to court documents and statements made in court, MURPHY communicated with a minor victim through online platforms including Facebook. The victim told MURPHY that she was 16 years old when, in fact, she was 14.
In May and June 2015, MURPHY travelled from Rhode Island to Connecticut to meet the victim. On at least one occasion during this time, MURPHY engaged in illicit sexual conduct with the minor victim in his truck.
On the evening of September 16, 2015, after communicating on Facebook, MURPHY drove from Rhode Island to Connecticut to meet the victim. MURPHY knew that the victim was sneaking out of her home without her parents’ knowledge to meet him. MURPHY picked up the victim in his truck and then drove to a secluded area where he and the victim engaged in illicit sexual conduct.
MURPHY was arrested on related state charges on May 9, 2016. On June 5, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of traveling to engage in illegal sexual activity with a minor. He has been detained since that date.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Plainfield Police Department, Rhode Island State Police and the U.S. Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V. Gifford.
Repeat Methamphetamine Dealer, Armed with Sawed-Off Shotgun, Sentenced to over Five Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that a Kenai man was sentenced in federal court in Anchorage for trafficking methamphetamine and possession of an illegal firearm while being a felon.
Richard Paul Morrison, 37, of Kenai, Alaska, was yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess to serve 63 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonas Walker, Morrison was previously convicted of felony forgery in Oregon in 2000, and of a methamphetamine-related offense in Nebraska in 2004. In January 2016, a confidential informant bought methamphetamine from Morrison three times. Morrison was operating out of his garage in Kenai, where he kept a 12 gauge shotgun with its barrel sawed-off to be less than 18 inches long. Morrison admitted he kept it to protect the methamphetamine.
Morrison is also charged in state court with causing the death of a Soldotna man in December 2015 by unlawfully giving him methadone. The Kenai District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting Morrison regarding the methadone-related death. According to the plea agreement in the federal case, which was coordinated with the Kenai District Attorney’s Office, Morrison will plead guilty in the state case to criminally negligent homicide and receive a sentence of four years, which will be consecutive to his sentence in the federal case. According to Courtview, that case, 3KN-16-843CR, is scheduled for a change of plea hearing on Oct. 12, 2017.
Judge Burgess commented that Morrison committed a “very serious offense” and was a former drug dealer who “got back into it with a bang.” The court found that Morrison was “an absolute danger” to the community and that protecting the public was the most important sentencing factor.
This was a joint state and federal case. Morrison’s crimes were investigated by the Alaska State Troopers (AST), Alaska Bureau of Investigation and Statewide Drug Enforcement Unit, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The State of Alaska and the U.S. Attorney’s Office coordinated the joint prosecutions.
Acting U.S. Attorney Schroder thanks the Alaska Department of Public Safety and the Kenai District Attorney’s Office for their cooperation in this case.