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Tuesday 22 August 2017
Tampa Man Sentenced for Stealing Firearms from Lakeland Gun StoresRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew today sentenced Oscar Garcia Garcia (33, Tampa) to 30 months in federal prison for stealing firearms from a federal firearm licensee. He pleaded guilty on May 15, 2017.
According to court documents, on January 9, 2017, Garcia and his co-defendant, Jerry Nelson Reyes Torres, burglarized Rapture Guns and Knives in Lakeland and stole 58 firearms from a display case. On January 29, 2017, Garcia and Torres broke into Guns Galore in Lakeland and stole 46 firearms. On both occasions, the men arrived in a vehicle, entered the store by dismantling the lock on the front door, broke into display cases, used duffel bags to remove firearms, and then returned to their vehicle and fled the area.
In February 2017, law enforcement detained Garcia and another male after observing them smoking marijuana in a vehicle outside the residence of Garcia and Torres. The other individual told the officers that Garcia had given him two firearms to hold, and he consented to a search of his nearby residence. Officers recovered two of the firearms stolen from Rapture Guns and Knives from a suitcase found in that home.
On March 14, 2017, a superseding indictment was returned charging Jerry Nelson Reyes Torres with stealing firearms from a federal firearm licensee and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. A warrant has been issued for his arrest and he is currently at large. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program - a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy. Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow, along with Daryl McCrary, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, are coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. It is also a part of ATF’s Frontline Strategy on reducing violent crime in communities.
Two Texas Men Plead Guilty to Federal Hate Crime for Assaults Based on Victim’s Sexual OrientationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Nigel Garrett, 21, and Cameron Ajiduah, 18, pleaded guilty today to assaulting men because of the victim’s sexual orientation, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Texas, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Dallas Division announced.
According to the plea agreement signed by Garrett on January 19, 2017, defendants Garrett, Anthony Shelton and Chancler Encalade used Grindr, a social media dating platform for gay men, to arrange to meet the victim at the victim’s home. Upon entering the victim’s home, the defendants restrained the victim with tape, physically assaulted the victim, and made derogatory statements to the victim for being gay. The defendants brandished a firearm during the home invasion, and stole the victim’s property, including his motor vehicle.
Included in a separate plea agreement signed by Ajiduah on February 7, 2017, defendants Ajiduah, Garrett, and Shelton used the same scheme on a different victim, including restraining the victim and covering his eyes with tape, verbally berating him for his sexual orientaion, and physically assaulting him.
A federal grand jury previously returned an eighteen-count indictment against Ajiduah, Shelton, Garrett, and Chancler Encalade including charges of hate crimes, kidnappings, carjackings, and the use of firearms to commit violent crimes. The indictment also charged the defendants with conspiring to cause bodily injury because of the victim’s sexual orientation during four home invasions in Plano, Frisco, and Aubrey, Texas, between January 17 and February 7, 2017.
“The Justice Department will not tolerate hate crimes against any individual based on sexual orientation,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore. “Hate crimes are violent crimes, but also attack the fundamental principles of the United States. The Justice Department will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute hate crimes.”
"Garrett and Ajiduah invaded homes, robbed and assaulted their victims, and particularly horrendous, targeted their victims based on the victim’s sexual orientation,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston. “In response to such a hate crime, let it be known that law enforcement will leave no stone unturned to catch and prosecute the likes of these criminals to the fullest extent of the law."
Garrett and Ajiduah face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine for their guilty plea for the hate crime charge.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Plano Police Department, and the Frisco Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Batson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas and Trial Attorney Saeed Mody of the Civil Rights Division.
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Supai Man Sentenced to 24 Months for Sexually Abusing Minor and for Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Today, Xavier Justice Hamidreek, 24, of Supai, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge Roslyn O. Silver to 24 months in prison for sexually abusing an underage victim on the Havasupai Indian Reservation. Hamidreek was also sentenced to a 24-month concurrent term for possessing marijuana with intent to distribute it on the reservation. Upon release from prison, Hamidreek will be on supervised release for 20 years and will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Both Hamidreek and the underage victim are members of the Havasupai Indian Reservation.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The prosecution was handled by Christine D. Keller, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-16-08169-PCT-ROS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2017-079_Hamidreek
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Seven Indicted on Federal Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
Abingdon, VIRGINIA – A federal grand jury sitting in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Abingdon have indicted seven individuals on federal drug conspiracy charges, Acting United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle announced.
The grand jury has charged Jeremy Rick Sturgill, 40, of Jonesville, Va., Tony Lynn Ketron, 27, of Church Hill, Tenn., Todd Houston Conyer, 29, of Pennington Gap, Va., Leslie Ann Clasby, 42, of Jonesville, Va., Jason Dale Moore, 36, of Jonesville, Va., William Benjamin Brewer, 35, of Jonesville, Va. and Kristina Karen Burton, 43, of Jonesville, Va.
The indictment, unsealed last week, charges each of the seven defendants with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Sturgill is also charged with three counts of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of maintaining a place for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing and using methamphetamine, two counts of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Ketron is also charged with two counts of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force. Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Virginia Assistant Attorney General assigned to the Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, prosecuted the case for the United States.
A Grand Jury Indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Second E-Commerce Company and Its Top Executive Agree to Plead Guilty to Price-Fixing Conspiracy in Customized Promotional Products IndustryRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - E-commerce company Custom Wristbands Inc. (aka Kulayful Silicone Bracelets, Kulayful.com, Speedywristbands.com, Promotionalbands.com, Wristbandcreation.com and 1inchbracelets.com) and its top executive Christopher Angeles have agreed to plead guilty for conspiring to fix prices for customized promotional products sold online to customers in the United States.
Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez, Acting Assistant Attorney General Andrew Finch of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division and Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of the FBI’s Houston Field Division made the announcement.
According to the felony charges filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas in Houston, the conspirators attended meetings and communicated in person and online. The investigation has revealed that the conspirators used text messaging and other online messaging platforms to reach and implement their illegal agreements. Specifically, the defendants and their co-conspirators agreed, from as early as June 2014 until June 2016, to fix the prices of customized promotional products sold online, including wristbands. In addition to agreeing to plead guilty, Custom Wristbands has agreed to pay a $409,342 criminal fine.
“Price-fixing schemes like these that are designed to give individuals and businesses an illegal advantage will not be tolerated,” said Martinez. “We will continue to prosecute those who conspire to cause financial harm to consumers and businesses in the Internet marketplace.”
“Today’s charges are yet another step in the Division’s commitment to prosecuting collusion that affects the online marketplace,” said Finch. “The Division, along with our law enforcement colleagues, will continue to hold companies and executives accountable for their unlawful collusive practices.”
“The FBI works to ensure the integrity of our markets and eradicate price fixing and other unlawful business practices,” said Turner. “In open, competitive markets, customers get better service and lower prices.”
Angeles is charged with price fixing in violation of the Sherman Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $1 million for individuals. The maximum fine for an individual may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine.Both defendants have agreed to cooperate with the Antitrust Division’s ongoing investigation. The plea agreements are subject to court approval.
This prosecution arose from an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into price fixing in the online promotional products industry, which is being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal I Section with the assistance of the FBI’s Houston Field Office. Anyone with information on price fixing or other anticompetitive conduct in the customized promotional products industry should contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 888-647-3258 or visit www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html.
Second E-Commerce Company and Its Top Executive Agree to Plead Guilty to Price-Fixing Conspiracy in Customized Promotional Products IndustryRead the Press Release
E-commerce company Custom Wristbands Inc. (aka Kulayful Silicone Bracelets, Kulayful.com, Speedywristbands.com, Promotionalbands.com, Wristbandcreation.com and 1inchbracelets.com) and its top executive Christopher Angeles have agreed to plead guilty for conspiring to fix prices for customized promotional products sold online to customers in the United States.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Andrew Finch of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez of the Southern District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of the FBI’s Houston Field Division made the announcement.
According to the felony charges filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas in Houston, the conspirators attended meetings and communicated in person and online. The investigation has revealed that the conspirators used text messaging and other online messaging platforms to reach and implement their illegal agreements. Specifically, the defendants and their co-conspirators agreed, from as early as June 2014 until June 2016, to fix the prices of customized promotional products sold online, including wristbands. In addition to agreeing to plead guilty, Custom Wristbands has agreed to pay a $409,342 criminal fine.
“Today’s charges are yet another step in the Division’s commitment to prosecuting collusion that affects the online marketplace,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Andrew Finch of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “The Division, along with our law enforcement colleagues, will continue to hold companies and executives accountable for their unlawful collusive practices.”
“Price-fixing schemes like these that are designed to give individuals and businesses an illegal advantage will not be tolerated,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Martinez. “We will continue to prosecute those who conspire to cause financial harm to consumers and businesses in the Internet marketplace.”
“The FBI works to ensure the integrity of our markets and eradicate price fixing and other unlawful business practices,” said Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner. “In open, competitive markets, customers get better service and lower prices.”
Angeles is charged with price fixing in violation of the Sherman Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $1 million for individuals. The maximum fine for an individual may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine.
Both defendants have agreed to cooperate with the Antitrust Division’s ongoing investigation. The plea agreements are subject to court approval.
This prosecution arose from an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into price fixing in the online promotional products industry, which is being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal I Section with the assistance of the FBI’s Houston Field Office. Anyone with information on price fixing or other anticompetitive conduct in the customized promotional products industry should contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 888-647-3258 or visit www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html.
Ross County Man on Parole Charged with Attempted Coercion of Minor for Unlawful Sexual Activity, Distributing Child PornRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – John Charles Fortner, 39, of Chillicothe, was arrested yesterday afternoon when he met up with an undercover officer who he believed would connect him to children in order to engage in sexual conduct.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin, Westerville Police Chief Joseph Morbitzer and other members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force and the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) announced the arrest.
Fortner was charged by criminal complaint with attempted coercion or enticement of a minor for unlawful sexual activity, distribution of child pornography and commission of a felony offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender.
According to the affidavit attached to the criminal complaint, Fortner responded to an undercover task force officer’s advertisement seeking “open minded” individuals interested in “taboo fetishes.” The officer’s persona was that of a mother with three children, ages 12, eight and five.
Fortner told the persona he had wanted to engage in sexual activities with kids for a while and persisted in asking what sexual activities he could engage in with the children, and suggested that he and the persona meet soon.
Via Kik messenger, Fortner also sent the undercover officer a webpage link to child pornography and a screen shot from a video of a seven-to-nine-year-old female being sexually abused.
Upon asking for further contacts of parents with children open to sexual intercourse, the undercover officer provided Fortner with a second undercover officer’s phone number. Fortner reached out to that second officer and requested to engage in sexual intercourse with the officer’s fictitious 13-year-old daughter.
Fortner was convicted in 2013 and sentenced to prison in Montgomery County, Texas for possession of child pornography. The previous year, he had been convicted and sentenced to prison in Belmont County, Ohio for importuning and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, for which he is still currently on parole. Commission of a felony offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender calls for an additional 10 years in prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed.
Fortner is currently registered as a Tier III sex offender in Ross County.
In this case, due to the prior convictions of the defendant, attempted coercion or enticement of a minor for unlawful sexual activity is a crime punishable by a range of 10 years to life in prison and distribution of child pornography carries a potential sentence of 15 to 40 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force and the Franklin County ICAC, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Heather A. Hill, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Rockford Insurance Executive Charged with Defrauding More Than 100 ClientsRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A federal grand jury in Rockford today increased the number of fraud charges previously brought against TODD J. FENDLER, 41, of Rockford.
Fendler was initially charged on Feb. 28, 2017, with one count of mail fraud and one count of wire fraud. Today, the grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Fendler with a total of 19 counts of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud, all in connection with a scheme to defraud former insurance clients of Fendler’s businesses. The superseding indictment alleges that Fendler defrauded over 100 clients of more than $800,000.
According to the superseding indictment, Fendler controlled and operated several insurance-related businesses in Rockford, including Surplus Market Solutions LLC, Northern Underwriting Managers Inc., and Northern Illinois Insurance Agency Inc. The superseding indictment alleges that Fendler obtained bank account information from businesses and individuals who had applied for insurance policies through Fendler’s companies, and used that information to withdraw funds from those businesses and individuals. Fendler did so, the superseding indictment states, by causing ACH and EFT withdrawals to be taken from the victims’ accounts without the victims’ knowledge or permission. The superseding indictment also alleges that Fendler created fictitious checks purportedly issued by the insurance applicants and deposited those fictitious checks into bank accounts he controlled.
Each count in the superseding indictment carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines, as well as restitution.
Arraignment on the superseding indictment will be set for a later date before U.S. Magistrate Judge Iain D. Johnston in Rockford.
The superseding indictment was announced by Joel R. Levin, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and E. C. Woodson, Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney John G. McKenzie.
The public is reminded that a superseding indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Cory Danis, 28, of Rochester, New Hampshire, waived indictment by a grand jury and pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for December 4, 2017.
According to court documents and statements made during the change of plea hearing, in 2015 the FBI was contacted by a New York firm that was in the business of producing canvas prints from photographs. The firm had received a photograph of a minor in a sexually explicit pose as part of an order for a canvas print of the image. The firm provided the FBI with contact information for the customer. Further investigation by the FBI resulted in the identification of Danis as the customer who possessed the image that was sent to the New York business and who ordered the canvas print.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation of this case with assistance from the Rochester Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Helen White Fitzgibbon.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Roanoke Man Sentenced on Drug, Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Roanoke, VIRGINIA – A Roanoke man was sentenced yesterday to federal prison after previously pleading guilty to drug and gun charges, Acting United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle announced.
De’Shae Antonio Webb, 27, of Roanoke, was sentenced yesterday to 46 months in federal prison. Webb previously pled guilty today to one count of distribution of cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
According to evidence presented at a previous hearing, Webb sold cocaine to a police informant and was observed to be in possession of a firearm during the drug transaction.
The Roanoke City Police Department, the Roanoke HIDTA and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation of the case. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Bassford prosecuted the case for the United States.
Pleasants County man admits to selling methamphetamineRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A St. Marys, West Virginia man pled guilty today to a methamphetamine distribution charge, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen announced.
Roger Dale Doehring, age 54, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine - Aiding and Abetting.” Doehring admitted to selling methamphetamine in December 2016 in Pleasants County, West Virginia.
Doehring faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The West Virginia State Police and the Pleasants County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Parkersburg woman pleads guilty to federal drug crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg woman caught with heroin and methamphetamine in January 2017 pleaded guilty today to a federal drug crime, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Megan Kerns, 29, entered her guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine.
On January 12, 2017, agents with the Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force arrested Kerns in Parkersburg, and in a search incident to arrest, discovered in her possession approximately 30 grams of heroin, 50 grams of methamphetamine, and a Taurus .380 caliber pistol. She also had in her possession a box of sandwich bags, a set of digital scales, and two cell phones. As part of the plea agreement, Kerns further admitted to all the drug trafficking activity charged in the indictment, including that she distributed heroin and methamphetamine in Parkersburg during the months of March 2016 and January 2017.
Kerns faces up to 20 years in federal prison when she is sentenced on November 13, 2017.
The Parkersburg Narcotics Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor is handling the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
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. 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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Parkersburg carjacker pleads guilty to federal crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg man pleaded guilty today to a federal carjacking charge, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Marshall Leroy Saunders, 29, entered his guilty plea to a single-count indictment charging him with carjacking a taxi in Wood County.
Saunders was a suspect in an unrelated crime when police observed him entering a taxi in Vienna on October 6, 2016. Saunders admitted that when police attempted to pull the taxi over, he pointed a loaded pistol at the driver and ordered him out of the vehicle. Saunders then took control of the taxi and fled to Parkersburg, driving at speeds of up to 110 miles per hour, running a red light, and driving the taxi southbound in the northbound lane of Grand Central Avenue. Saunders abandoned the taxi in Parkersburg, then hid in a wooded area until he was apprehended by police.
Saunders faces up to 15 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on November 15, 2017.
The Vienna Police Department, the Parkersburg Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney James Matthew Davis is handling the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking existing local programs targeting gun crime.
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Omaha, Nebraska Man to Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking in IowaRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and distributed methamphetamine and cocaine was sentenced August 22, 2017, to 13 years in federal prison.
Jeremy Terrell, 28, from Omaha, Nebraska, received the prison term after an August 5, 2016, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute meth, one count of possession with intent to distribute meth and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Terrell had previously been convicted of distribution of crack cocaine in federal district court for the Northern District of Iowa in 2006 and had served a 46-month sentence.
At the guilty plea, Terrell admitted that from June 2015 through September 2015, he conspired to distribute methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge, Iowa, area. On August 14 and 28, 2015, law enforcement received information that Terrell was involved in drug trafficking conduct in Fort Dodge. On August 14, 2015, during Terrell’s attempted flight from law enforcement, officers observed he was attempting to destroy or conceal something as he ran from agents. After Terrell was captured, officers searched his travel path, recovered and seized approximately two ounces of cocaine. Terrell admitted he possessed this cocaine to distribute to other persons and had previously distributed several ounces of cocaine in Fort Dodge. Terrell also admitted receipt of ½ kilograms of cocaine by mail three other times, which he had distributed to several people in Fort Dodge. On August 28, 2015, law enforcement intercepted a mailed package intended for Terrell which contained three pounds of high-grade methamphetamine. On August 29, 2015, agents conducted a controlled delivery of the package containing the methamphetamine. After Terrell claimed the package, he again attempted to flee, but was captured by agents nearby with the methamphetamine. Terrell admitted receipt of the methamphetamine for distribution to other persons in Fort Dodge, Iowa.
Terrell was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett. Terrell was sentenced to 156 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $300 was imposed. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Terrell is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Fort Dodge Police Department, and Iowa Division of Criminalistics Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 15-3051. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Norwalk Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Embezzling Money and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARK W. ERRICO, 64, of Norwalk, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for embezzlement and tax evasion offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, for approximately 20 years, ERRICO worked for the owner of two companies located in Norwalk, handling the companies’ finances, including payroll, bank accounts, accounts payable and accounts receivable. Between approximately February 2011 and March 2014, ERRICO embezzled approximately $823,476.22 from the two companies. ERRICO transferred stolen funds from the companies’ accounts to pay his personal credit card debts, and also forged the signature of the companies’ owner on company checks and cashed them or made them payable to his own company and deposited them into his company’s business account.
For the 2011 through 2014 tax years, ERRICO attempted to evade paying federal taxes on $851,076.22 of unreported income, which resulted in a total tax loss of $265,326.
As an example, for tax year 2013, ERRICO filed a federal individual tax return for himself in which he stated his taxable income for 2013 was $31,200. The tax return failed to report approximately $536,434.50 in money he stole from the two Norwalk companies.
Judge Underhill ordered ERRICO to pay $649,346.09 in restitution to the two companies from which he stole money, and $265,326 in back taxes, plus penalties and interest, to the IRS.
On April 24, 2017, ERRICO pleaded guilty to one count of the interstate transportation of money obtained by fraud and one count of tax evasion.
ERRICO, who is released on bond, was ordered to report to prison on October 18, 2017.
This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Secret Service and Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Jongbloed.
Northern Cambria Man Sentenced for Converting Social Security Benefits to His Own UseRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Northern Cambria, Pa., has been sentenced in federal court to three years’ probation, 225 hours of community service and a fine of $3,000, on his conviction of conversion of government funds, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Bernard M. Dospoy, 67, of Northern Cambria, Pa.
According to information presented to the court, from in or around June 2005, to in or around October 2015, Dospoy did receive and convert falsely to his own use, a total of $207,592, which represents 176 separate Social Security Administration benefit payments made to him to which he was not entitled. He also agreed to pay restitution of $207,592 pursuant to a related Civil Settlement Agreement entered into by him and the United States.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Valkovci, Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government and Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin J. Callahan litigated the case on behalf of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Section of the United States Attorney’s Office.
Ms. Song commended the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Dospoy.
New York Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Use Fake Credit Cards to Buy Gift CardsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Jamaica, NY, has been sentenced in federal court to 21 months imprisonment with credit for time served on any federal detainer, to be served consecutively to the sentence imposed by the Albany County Criminal Court at Case No. 16-21078; three years Supervised Release, and restitution in the amount of $28,106.27 on his conviction of conspiracy, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Ronald Heggs, 27, of Jamaica, NY.
According to the information presented to the court, in April, 2015, Heggs and his co-conspirator used counterfeit credit cards which they used to purchase gift cards at K-Mart stores in Western Pennsylvania in April, 2015.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song commended the U.S. Secret Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Ronald Heggs.
Monroe man sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for methamphetamine possessionRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a man from Monroe was sentenced Monday to 121 months in prison for possessing methamphetamine for later sale.
Travis C. Mills, 35, of Monroe, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert G. James on one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release. According to the May 19, 2016 guilty plea, law enforcement agents arrested Mills on October 7, 2015, as he was leaving his home. They found 115 grams of methamphetamine in a brown paper bag in the front seat of his car. His home was also searched, and 84 grams of methamphetamine were found.
The DEA and Ouachita Parish Metro Narcotics Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. prosecuted the case.
Mexican Man Gets 10 Years in Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 31-year-old Mexican National who was residing in Illinois has been ordered to federal prison for assisting a South Texas drug trafficking organization, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez. Juan Carlos Gamez-Herrera pleaded guilty April 25, 2017.
Today, U.S. District Judge Hilda Tagle ordered him to prison for 120 months. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face deportation proceedings following his sentence. At the hearing, Gamez-Herrera was found to be responsible for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 41.2 kilograms of cocaine.
The investigation into Gamez-Herrera began following the seizure of $586,390 in U.S. currency near Corpus Christi on Aug. 11, 2016. Between Aug. 1 and Nov. 29, 2016, Gamez-Herrera assisted a South Texas drug trafficking organization. He would receive cocaine from South Texas and assist with the delivery and distribution of this cocaine to other persons in the Rockford, Illinois, area. Gamez-Herrera also worked with other known and unknown co-conspirators to transfer the proceeds from the sale of the organization’s cocaine in the Rockford area to South Texas and eventually into Mexico.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation known as “Operation Black Taxi.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Cusick is prosecuting the case.
Massachusetts Woman Sentenced to Five Years for Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Leslie Aberle, 33, of Salisbury, Massachusetts, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
According to court documents, on October 16, 2015, Aberle drove Mark Ross and Eve Tarmey to Lawrence, Massachusetts, in order to obtain a quantity of heroin. Ross obtained the drugs from a source in Lawrence while Aberle and Tarmey waited in Aberle’s car. After Ross acquired the drugs, the three returned to the Riviera Motel. Ross and Jazzmyn Rood also used a portion of the drugs and Ross provided a portion to Tarmey. The following morning, Tarmey was found dead in the motel room. The New Hampshire Medical Examiner later found that Ms. Tarmey died of acute fentanyl intoxication.
Aberle will be on supervised release for three years after she services her prison sentence.
New Hampshire has the third-highest rate of per capita drug overdose deaths in the United States. More than half of the drug overdose deaths in New Hampshire in 2015 were the result of fentanyl, either alone or in combination with other drugs.
In April 2016, the United States Attorney’s Office and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office announced the formation of an inter-office team of prosecutors who work together to prosecute individuals who cause opiate overdose deaths in New Hampshire. This prosecution, initiated before the creation of the joint team, is an example of the type of case the team reviews and monitors.
The case was investigated by the Rochester Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration assisted in the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald Feith.
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Mason County couple pleads guilty to federal drug chargesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Mason County couple pleaded guilty today to federal drug charges, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Eugene “Gene” Asbury, 69, and Natasha “Tess” Clonch, 32, both of Gallipolis Ferry, entered guilty pleas to conspiracy to distribute synthetic cannabinoids.
Asbury and Clonch admitted that from at least 2013 through February 2015, they sold $1.6 million worth of synthetic cannabinoids, also known as “Spice” and “Potpourri” from “The Scent Shop,” a store they operated on Huntington Road in Mason County. The synthetic cannabinoids contained controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, and were packaged under a variety of trade names, including Scooby Snax, Heaven’s Grass, Get Real, Black Diamond, Mr. Nice Guy, and Mad Hatter. The couple further admitted that they laundered the proceeds of the sales by using cash or money orders to purchase additional synthetic cannabinoids, as well as vehicles and real property. They also admitted to laundering the proceeds by co-mingling the money through the bank accounts of Natasha Clonch, dba “The Scent Shop” and Asbury Inc., under which Asbury operated several businesses, including the Route 35 Adult Video and Bookstore in Putnam County.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Asbury and Clonch agreed to the forfeiture of $1.6 million in assets obtained by the sale of synthetic cannabinoids, including more than $189,000, a 2015 GMC Yukon, a 1952 Oldsmobile, a fully-restored 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air, and real property located in Glenwood, West Virginia.
Asbury and Clonch each face up to 20 years in federal prison when they are sentenced on November 27, 2017.
The investigation was conducted by the West Virginia State Police and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks is in charge of the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
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. 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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Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office Closes Federal Criminal Investigation into the Death of Mohamed BahRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal charges in connection with the fatal shooting of Mohamed Bah. Mr. Bah was killed during an encounter with police officers from the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) on September 25, 2012. The Acting U.S. Attorney met today with Mr. Bah’s family and their counsel to inform them of this decision.
The New York County District Attorney’s Office investigated Mr. Bah’s fatal shooting, and on November 26, 2013, a Manhattan grand jury voted not to bring criminal charges against any officer involved in the shooting of Mr. Bah, finding that the use of deadly force was not unlawful. Nevertheless, after following the progress of the civil litigation relating to Mr. Bah’s death, receiving documents from Mr. Bah’s family’s counsel in October 2015, and the unsealing of a ballistics report, this Office began to conduct an independent review into the death to determine whether a federal civil rights crime could be proven.
As Mr. Kim informed Mr. Bah’s family today, the only determination the Office made was whether a federal crime could be proven under the standard applicable to criminal cases, which is proof beyond a reasonable doubt. The Office did not reach any conclusions on any other issue, nor did it evaluate the officers’ actions under any other standard. The Office expresses no view regarding any claims made against any party under the standard applicable to civil cases, which is proof by a preponderance of the evidence.
After conducting a review of the evidence, including physical and documentary evidence, as well as grand jury and civil deposition testimony, this Office has determined that there is insufficient evidence to meet the high burden of proof required for a federal criminal civil rights prosecution. To prove a violation of the federal criminal civil rights statute, prosecutors must establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a law enforcement officer willfully deprived an individual of a constitutional right, meaning that the officer acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids. This is the highest standard of intent imposed by law, and is different from and higher than the intent standard under the relevant state statutes. Neither accident, mistake, fear, negligence, nor bad judgment is sufficient to establish a federal criminal civil rights violation.
In reaching this determination, the Office considered, among other things, testimony from the only eye witnesses to the events (law enforcement officers) that Mr. Bah was holding a knife and lunged at the officers, the fact that vests worn by officers at the scene have slashes consistent with penetration by a knife, and the lack of video evidence of the incident. The Office also considered the testimony of officers present that non-lethal force, including Tasers, was used before lethal force was deployed, and that shots were fired virtually simultaneously only after non-lethal force was used. Finally, the Office considered the autopsy report prepared the day after the shooting and conducted an independent ballistics analysis. After reviewing such evidence, the Office made the determination that it could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that any officer willfully violated Mr. Bah’s constitutional rights.
Accordingly, this Office’s investigation into Mr. Bah’s death has been closed.
Mr. Kim expressed his deep sympathy to the family of Mr. Bah for their tragic loss.
Man Sentenced for Possessing a Firearm After Federal Felony Conviction and Violating the Terms of his Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
RALEIGH –United States Attorney John Stuart Bruce announced that today in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced KEVIN KHAALIQ BEAMON, 28, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, to 71 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release for Possession of a Firearm as a Convicted Felon and 19 months imprisonment for violating the terms of his federal supervised release, which will run consecutively.
On May 22, 2017, BEAMON pleaded guilty to the firearm charge. The evidence established that on May 1, 2016, BEAMON and a female passenger were on their way home from buying marijuana. BEAMON was driving and received a phone call that upset him and he argued with the female. As they approached the intersection outside the McDonalds at 6779 Raeford Road in Fayetteville, North Carolina, BEAMON pulled out a silver revolver and angrily fired it. The bullet struck the middle console of the car. BEAMON also pointed the firearm at the female and threatened to shoot her. The female jumped out of the car, and BEAMON fled the scene.
Concerned bystanders called 911 and officers with the Fayetteville Police Department responded to the scene and to an address associated with BEAMON. Officers observed the car BEAMON had been driving during the incident and saw the bullet hole in the console. Officers arrested BEAMON and quickly located the firearm he had illegally possessed and fired.
BEAMON had been on federal supervised release at the time of this innicident for a 2014 federal conviction of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Heron.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Fayetteville Police Department conducted the investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government
Man Indicted for Robbing Bank in RockfordRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man was indicted today by a federal grand jury on a charge of armed bank robbery.
DEMONTRION D. PHILLIPS, 23, was charged with robbing Alpine Bank, located at 2642 Charles St., in Rockford, on July 17, 2017. The indictment alleges that Phillips used a BB gun to commit the robbery and that during the robbery he obtained $28,309 from bank employees.
A federal arrest warrant has been issued for Phillips, who is currently in custody in the Winnebago County Jail on unrelated charges. Arraignment in federal court in Rockford has not yet been scheduled.
Armed bank robbery carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison, to be followed by up to five years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of up to $250,000. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines, and the defendant would be required to pay restitution to Alpine Bank. The public is reminded that an indictment contains only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The indictment was announced by Joel R. Levin, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Michael J. Anderson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Dan O’Shea, Chief of the Rockford Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Pedersen.
Logan County man pleads guilty to federal gun crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan County man who possessed a sawed-off shotgun in October 2016 pleaded guilty today to a federal gun charge, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Brian Kevin Sigmon, II, 34, of Henlawson, entered his guilty plea to possession of an unregistered firearm.
On October 22, 2016, Sigmon possessed a shotgun that had been sawed-off, with a barrel length of less than 18 inches and an overall length of less than 26 inches. The sawed-off shotgun Sigmon possessed was not registered on the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by federal law.
Sigmon faces up to 10 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on November 29, 2017.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Eric Bacaj is handling the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking existing local programs targeting gun crime.
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Las Cruces Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Doña Ana County Cocaine Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Juan Velasquez, 27, of Las Cruces, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to 37 months in prison for participating in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine in Doña Ana County, N.M. Velasquez will be on supervised release for three years after completing his prison sentence.
Velasquez was arrested in Sept. 2016, on an indictment alleging cocaine trafficking charges. The 18-count indictment was the result of a six-month investigation, which was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, targeting a drug trafficking organization allegedly led by Joel Ibarra-Torres, 47, a Mexican national, that distributed cocaine in Doña Ana County.
The indictment charged Ibarra-Torres and seven co-conspirators, including several members of Ibarra-Torres’ family, with participating in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy that existed from at least March 2016 until Sept. 2016. The indictment also charged that Ibarra-Torres and two of his co-defendants participated in an international money laundering conspiracy. It also charged certain of the defendants with substantive cocaine trafficking offenses and with using telephones to facilitate their drug trafficking activities. The indictment included forfeiture provisions that seek the forfeiture of at least $31,620, constituting proceeds of the defendants’ criminal activities, to the United States.
On Dec. 22, 2016, Velasquez pled guilty to conspiracy and three counts of distribution of cocaine. In entering the guilty plea, Velasquez admitted that from March 31, 2016 through Sept. 20, 2016, he conspired with his co-defendants to distribute cocaine. In his plea agreement, Velasquez admitted that on July 14, 2016, he directed a courier to pick up five ¼ kilogram packages of cocaine from a co-conspirator in El Paso, Tex., and delivered the cocaine to him in Las Cruces. On July 25, 2016, Velasquez gave the co-conspirator money owed to the source of supply in Mexico for cocaine. On Aug. 25, 2016, Velasquez directed a courier to pick up six ¼ kilogram packages of cocaine in El Paso, Tex., and delivered the cocaine to him in Las Cruces. Velasquez further admitted that he distributed approximately 250 grams of cocaine to an individual working with law enforcement on June 8, 2016, July 14, 2016, and Aug. 25, 2016. The plea agreement stipulates that Velasquez was responsible for distributing approximately 2 to 3.5 kilograms of cocaine.
Seven of Velasquez’s co-defendants have entered guilty pleas and four have been sentenced. Noemi Ibarra, 24, of Las Cruces, pled guilty on April 24, 2017, and Alejandro Chavez, 28, also of Las Cruces pled guilty on July 24, 2017; both are pending sentencing hearings. Joel Ibarra, Jr., 22, of Sunland Park, N.M., pled guilty on Dec. 20, 2016, and was sentenced on April 26, 2017. Denise Duarte, 25, also of Sunland Park, pled guilty on Dec. 23, 2016, and was sentenced on May 1, 2017. Gabriela Castro, 25, a Mexican national pled guilty on Dec. 19, 2016, and was sentenced on April 24, 2017. Rene Cruz-Vargas, 41, a Mexican national, pled guilty on June 22, 2017, and was sentenced on Aug. 15, 2017.
Ibarra-Torres has yet to be arrested and is considered a fugitive. Charges in indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation leading to the indictment was conducted by the Las Cruces office of the DEA, the U.S. Border Patrol and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Terri J. Abernathy and Sarah M. Davenport of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch office.
Lakewood Man Charged with Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Lakewood man was indicted today by a federal grand jury on fraud charges.
VALENTINO VALERIU AGIGNOAE, 50, was charged with two counts of wire fraud, one count of stealing Social Security disability insurance funds that he and his dependents were not entitled to, and four counts of making false statements or concealing facts with the intent to fraudulently secure Social Security benefit payments.
As alleged in the indictment, Agignoae began receiving Social Security disability insurance benefits in 1996. The benefits were paid via direct deposit to Agignoae’s bank account. The indictment alleges that from approximately January 2007 through April 2015, Agignoae schemed to defraud and to obtain money from the U.S. Social Security Administration by failing to notify the Social Security Administration that he was managing Valentino’s Club Café in Chicago, even though he knew that he was required to do so. It is also alleged that Agignoae’s misrepresentations and concealment of facts caused the U.S. Government, through the Social Security Administration, to suffer losses of approximately $157,503, in the form of monthly disability insurance payments to Agignoae and his dependents, to which Agignoae was not entitled.
Each count of wire fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison; stealing disability insurance funds carries a maximum potential penalty of up to ten years in prison; and each count of making a false statement or concealing facts for use by the Social Security Administration in determining rights to Social Security disability insurance benefits payments carries a maximum potential penalty of up to five years in prison. Each count also carries a fine of up to $250,000, and full restitution. If convicted, the court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
Agignoae will appear for arraignment in Rockford before U.S. Magistrate Judge Iain D. Johnston on a date yet to be determined.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The indictment was announced by Joel R. Levin, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Tracey Thanos, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Love.
Jury Convicts Lawrence Kidnapping Crew LeaderRead the Press Release
BOSTON – After deliberating for less than an hour, a federal jury in Boston convicted the leader of a kidnapping crew whose organization was involved in violent abductions including burning victims with hot irons.
Danny Veloz, a/k/a “Maestro,” 40, of Lawrence, was convicted of conspiracy to commit kidnapping following a two-week trial. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Nov. 17, 2017.
Veloz the leader of a violent, sophisticated kidnapping crew in Lawrence, was arrested on Sept. 28, 2012, following a wide-ranging investigation that targeted kidnapping and home invasion crews operating in Lawrence. The majority of these kidnappings were carried out by organized, armed, violent crews often referred to as Joloperros (loosely translated as “Stick-up Guys”).
Veloz’s crew consisted of four other Lawrence men, Jose Guzman, a/k/a “Cano”; Gadiel Romero, a/k/a “TC”; Jose Matos, a/k/a “Boyca”; and Luis Reynoso, a/k/a “Prieto”; as well as Henry Maldonado, of Manchester, N.H.; and Thomas Wallace of Raynham, N.H.
On July 23, 2012, armed with firearms and wearing t-shirts with the word “police” on them, the crew kidnapped two men at gunpoint on Allston Street in Lawrence. The victims were transported to Manchester, N.H., and held overnight – during which time one was burned with a hot iron – before being rescued by law enforcement. The July 23, 2012, kidnapping was one of several kidnappings or attempted kidnappings committed by Veloz’s crew in 2012.
A search of Veloz’s home resulted in the seizure of two laptop computers containing information about GPS tracking devices used to commit kidnappings, as well as cell phones used by Veloz to communicate with his associates. During trial, several individuals testified that in addition to the July 23, 2012, kidnapping, Veloz and his crew also attempted kidnappings on May 8, 2012, and July 8, 2012.
Since the investigation began in 2012, more than 20 people have been convicted of either kidnapping-related offenses or being associated with members of Lawrence-based kidnapping or home invasion crews.
Romero and Matos were sentenced to 23 years and 12 years in prison, respectively, and Guzman, Maldonado, Wallace and Reynoso are scheduled to be sentenced in October 2017.
The charge of conspiracy to commit kidnapping provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett; Lawrence Police Chief James X. Fitzpatrick; Manchester (N.H.) Police Chief Nick Willard; and Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of Weinreb’s Organized Crime and Gang Task Force prosecuted the case.
Highline Medical Center Agrees to Settle Civil Rights ClaimsRead the Press Release
Highline Medical Center, in Burien, Washington, a division of CHI Franciscan Health, reached a settlement today to resolve alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington began the investigation after a complainant, who is deaf, alleged that the hospital failed to provide him and his wife, who is also deaf, with sign-language interpreters so that both could understand the information provided by medical professionals following the complainant’s spinal surgery. Highline Hospital has agreed to pay the patient $25,000, and his wife $10,000. In addition, Highline will pay $10,000 to the United States in lieu of a civil penalty, and will implement a compliance plan to ensure full compliance with ADA requirements in the future.
“There is very little as important in the hospital than being able to communicate effectively with treatment providers,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “The Americans with Disability Act ensures that at critical junctures in medical care those who need it – including those who are deaf or hard of hearing – have access to services such as ASL translators. The agreed compliance plan that is part of this settlement ensures that the U. S. Attorney’s Office can monitor continued compliance by Highline Medical Center for an extended period of time.”
According to the settlement, the patient uses American Sign Language (ASL) as his primary means of communication. He was a patient at Highline for a surgical procedure known as a cervical laminectomy between January 28, 2014, and January 31, 2014. The patient had requested that the hospital provide an ASL interpreter in advance of the surgery. However, at critical junctures in his care, such as the period immediately following surgery, and when medical staff provided discharge instructions, no interpreter was provided. The patient’s wife is also deaf and the lack of an interpreter meant she too was not able to effectively communicate with medical staff about her husband’s condition, including the extent of spinal damage that was discovered during surgery, the patient’s level of pain, information about post-operative care, and potential side effects from medication.
Under the terms of the settlement, and pursuant to the agreed compliance plan, Highline Medical Center will appoint an Assistive Device Point Person to ensure that appropriate aids, including Qualified ASL Interpreters, are provided free of charge to patients who need them. The medical center will maintain a log of all patients requesting interpretive services. There will be a grievance resolution system for disputes over services to patients who are deaf or hard of hearing. The hospital will also take steps to publicize its commitment to providing ASL interpreters for deaf and hard of hearing patients. Under the terms of the settlement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is authorized to review Highline Medical Center’s compliance with the plan for three years.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative, which seeks to enforce the ADA’s prohibition of discrimination against disabled individuals by health care providers, including hospitals. Through the Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative, U.S. Attorneys’ offices across the nation and the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division target their enforcement efforts on this critical area for individuals with disabilities—access to medical services and facilities. The Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative is a multi-phase initiative that includes effective communication for people who are deaf or have hearing loss, physical access to medical care for people with mobility disabilities, and equal access to treatment for people who have HIV/AIDS.
The Department of Justice has a number of publications available to assist entities in complying with the ADA, including a Business Brief on Communicating with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Hospital Settings, at www.ada.gov/hospcombr.htm. For more information on the ADA and to access these publications, visit www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TTY). ADA complaints may be filed by email to [email protected] .
The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Christina Fogg in collaboration with Disability Rights Section of the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice.
German Ship Management Company and Corporate Vessel Owner Indicted for Falsification of Pollution RecordsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Portland, Maine, returned a nine-count indictment today charging MST Mineralien Schiffarht Spedition Und Transport GmbH (MST) and Reederei MS “Marguerita” GmbH & Co. Geschlossene Investment KG (Reederei) with failing to keep accurate pollution control records and falsifying records, the Justice Department announced.
The charges stem from the falsification of records in 2016 and 2017 designed to cover up overboard discharges of oily mixtures and machinery space bilge water from the Liberian-flagged cargo vessel, M/V Marguerita. On at least eight occasions between September 2016 and June 2016, the M/V Marguerita entered United States waters and ports with a false and misleading Oil Record Book available for inspection by the U.S. Coast Guard. The Oil Record Book failed to accurately record transfers and discharges of oily wastewater on the vessel.
The vessel’s management company, MST Mineralien Schiffarht Spedition Und Transport, and the vessel’s owner, Reederei MS “Marguerita,” both of Germany, are charged with failing to maintain an accurate oil record book as required by the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, a U.S. law which implements the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, commonly known as MARPOL. The companies were also charged with falsification of records with the intent to impede, obstruct, or influence inspections and examinations of the M/V Marguerita by the U.S. Coast Guard.
An indictment is merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The case was investigated by the Coast Guard Investigative Service. The case is being prosecuted by John Cashman and Shane Waller of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section.
Geneseo Man Pleads Guilty to Stolen Valor OffensesRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – William R. Jones, 67, of Geneseo, Ill., entered pleas of guilty today to theft of government funds and making false statements about his military service to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, announced Patrick D. Hansen, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois. Sentencing has been scheduled for Dec. 12, 2017.
During court hearings and according to court documents, the government established that Jones entered service in the armed forces of the United States in 1971 via the Air National Guard. Thereafter, Jones served in various Reserve or National Guard components. Jones retired from the military in 2002 as a Lieutenant Colonel. At no time did Jones ever serve in the Southeast Asia or Republic of Vietnam (RVN) theater of combat operations or in any other theater of combat operations.
In 2003, after retirement, Jones sought disability benefits, based on claims in statements to the VA that he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder attendant to combat service in the RVN. Jones falsely claimed that he had been a Special Operations air crewman on an AC-130 Spectre gunship and was shot down and wounded. Jones claimed that he had been awarded a Bronze Star Medal with V for Valor and a Purple Heart for RVN service. The VA denied the claims after checking Jones’ military service records and determining that he was never in RVN.
Jones, however, continued to press for claims for disability based on combat service, submitting a false DD-214 to the VA and causing the American Legion and public officials to petition or write the VA in support of the defendant based on Jones’s false representations. As a result of these false representations, Jones received $71,472 from the VA for combat-related disability.
On Oct. 31, 2013, Jones caused the American Legion to submit to the VA on his behalf a new claim with supporting documents that included a copy of an article from the Geneseo, Ill., newspaper. The article was based on false information provided by Jones about his purported combat service, including copies of several false certificates for combat awards, a false certificate from MACV SOG (Vietnam Special Operations Group) attesting to Jones’s purported SOG service, a false certificate representing that “Staff Sergeant Jones” had received an Enlisted Aircrew badge in November 1971, and a letter dated 2008 from then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama stating that the defendant was a RVN veteran.
In addition, on July 16, 2013, Jones submitted to the office of U.S. Senator Richard J. Durbin a “Privacy Act Release” form that contained false information indicating that Jones had served in combat in Vietnam in 1972; that Jones had been assigned to Special Operations in Vietnam; and, that Jones was shot down in enemy territory but rescued by U.S. Marines three weeks later. In fact, as Jones well knew, he never served in Vietnam; was never assigned to Special Operations in Vietnam, and, was never shot down and rescued by U.S. Marines. As a result of these false statements to Senator Durbin, the Senator conveyed the false statements to the VA in support of the defendant’s claim for disability benefits.
The statutory maximum penalty for theft of government funds (one count) is 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The maximum penalty for making false statements is five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Jones also may be ordered to pay restitution to the VA.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Allegro. The charges are the result of an investigation by the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Garfield Heights man sentenced to 11 years in prison for pointing a gun at the head of a teller during bank robberyRead the Press Release
A Garfield Heights man was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for using a firearm to rob the Key Bank on Turney Road, said Justin E. Herdman, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.
Levert A. Bates, 54, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison He previously pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Bates and Marc A. Montgomery robbed a Key Bank in Garfield Heights on November 30, 2016. robbers stole approximately $55,376 from the bank and pointed a gun at the head of a teller during the robbery, according to court documents and statements.
“The defendant’s actions put people’s lives in danger and traumatized the victims,” Herdman said. “Sending this defendant back to prison helps make our commuity safer.”
"The actions of these two individuals brought great fear to the bank employees and customers that day,” Anthony said. “Law enforcement will continue to work tirelessly to identify individuals that choose to commit such violent actions and ensure they are held accountable.”
Montgomery was previously convicted for his role in the robbery and is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 28.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan R. Miller is prosecuting the case following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Garfield Heights Police Department.
Fort Smith, Arkansas Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate Transportation of Stolen PropertyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that THOMAS CHARLES BARDRICK, age 20, of Fort Smith, Arkansas, pled guilty to INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION OF STOLEN PROPERTY, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2314 and 2, punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, and up to a $250,000.00 fine or both.
The Indictment alleged that on or about April 15, 2015, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, THOMAS CHARLES BARDRICK, did unlawfully transport in interstate commerce stolen goods, wares and merchandise, that is, six (6) zero turn mowers, of the value of $5,000.00 or more knowing the same to have been stolen.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Sallisaw Police Department, the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Steven P. Shreder, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Dean Burris represented the United States.
Former Winnebago Tribal Council Officer Sentenced for Theft from an Indian Gaming EstablishmentRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Robert C. Stuart announced today that on August 21, 2017, Chief United States District Court Judge Laurie Smith Camp sentenced Louis Houghton, age 70, of Winnebago, Nebraska for his conviction for theft from an Indian gaming establishment. Houghton was sentenced to five years of probation and 150 hours of community service. He was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $36,500.
Houghton was a member of the tribal council of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska and served in an officer capacity as the council’s Secretary. Beginning in 2013 and continuing through September of 2014, began taking unauthorized disbursements from the WinnaVegas Casino and Resort in the total amount of $36,500. These disbursements were in the form of gift certificates which he did not pay for and deposits to a re-loadable debit card. The disbursements were in addition to the salary received from the Winnebago Tribe as a tribal council member. However, the disbursements were not paid through the payroll department of the Winnebago Tribe and were never authorized at a regular or special meeting of the tribal council. Further, the disbursements were concealed from the Winnebago Gaming Commission which oversaw the operations of the casino and was required to approve financial transactions of the casino.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Former Fort Worth High School Teacher Sentenced on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
FORT WORTH, Texas — Matthew Anthony Keller, 25, of Watauga, Texas, was sentenced this morning before Senior U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means to 240 months in federal prison on a federal child pornography charge, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Keller, who, according to police reports, taught at Southwest High School in Fort Worth, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography in October 2016. He has been in custody since the time of his arrest in July 2016.
“I’m always deeply disturbed by those who produce child pornography, said U.S. Attorney Parker, but it’s particularly appalling when the child is victimized by a teacher, someone in a trusted position.”
According to documents filed in the case, on August 6, 2014, Keller persuaded a minor victim to produce and send a nude, sexually explicit video to him. Keller met the minor victim, who first advised him he was 18-years-old and then later admitted he was 13-years-old, on a website. Two years later, the parents of the then 15-year-old male (MV1) notified a police department in Macomb County, Michigan, that they had discovered a relationship between their son and Keller. The parent advised that Keller was a 24-year-old high school teacher who exchanged nude photos and videos with MV1 for approximately 18 months.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”
U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office, and the Eastpointe, Michigan Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Saleem prosecuted.
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Former Covington Resident Sentenced to Jail for Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that a former North Shore resident who had left the country last year before being charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and arrested in early 2017, was sentenced today.
BILAL AHMED, a/k/a “Bill,” age 42, formerly of Covington, devised a scheme to defraud others of money and property. As part of this scheme, AHMED posed as a wealthy individual who stood to receive millions of dollars from his native country of Pakistan. During the conspiracy, AHMED presented false documents, including a fraudulent $100,000,000 loan document to others. As a result of AHMED’s false and fraudulent representations, he caused at least two wirings to be made in interstate commerce.
According to court records, AHMED agreed as part of his guilty plea that he left the United States for Canada in June 2016, approximately two months after the wirings took place. AHMED was arrested in January 2017, in the Western District of Michigan, and then indicted in February 2017, in the Eastern District of Louisiana. AHMED was then detained pending his guilty plea and sentencing.
United States District Judge Jay Zainey sentenced AHMED to a total of thirteen months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Following completion of his sentence, AHMED will be surrendered to the custody of the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement for immigration proceedings. Judge Zainey also ordered that AHMED pay $81,569 in restitution to the victim in the case.
U.S. Attorney Evans commended Special Agents of Homeland Security Investigations and St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Deputies, who investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hayden Brockett was in charge of the prosecution.
Former Cashier for U.S. Navy Morale Welfare and Recreation Center in Japan Pleads Guilty to Theft of Nearly $100,000Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Filipino woman who fled from Japan to the United States before being arrested in Overland Park, Kansas has pleaded guilty to stealing the equivalent of nearly $100,000 at a U.S. Naval base in Japan.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, made the announcement.
Cynthia Lopez Creseni pleaded guilty on Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, to theft of public money for stealing the equivalent of $99,068 from the Morale Welfare and Recreation Center (MWR) at the Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641.
According to admissions made in connection with the plea, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) was notified about the theft of approximately $85,500 and ¥ 1,620,000 (aggregate value of $99,068) from a safe assigned to Creseni at the MWR cash cage. Creseni, who had worked at the base in various positions since 2000, served as the lead cashier of the game/slot room at the time of the theft.
Creseni officially reported the funds missing from her assigned safe after returning from a vacation to the United States in February 2015. Creseni, who denied taking the money, was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.
Interviews of Creseni’s co-workers revealed that she might have had some financial problems. When investigators attempted to interview Creseni at her residence in Japan, they learned that she had vacated her home, sold it and moved to the Philippines. Efforts were made to locate Creseni in the Philippines, but were unsuccessful. Agents learned that Creseni entered the United States on July 15, 2015.
On Jan. 24, 2017, Creseni was located in Overland Park, Kansas and arrested by federal agents for immigration violations for overstaying her visa.
Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 4, 2018.
This case is being investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service with assistance from Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Sasha N. Rutizer of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Moore of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Missouri are prosecuting the case.
Florence Man Sentenced in Federal Court on Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Urban Oshea, II, age 48, of Florence, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Florence, for Conspiracy to Manufacture and Pass Counterfeit Securities, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. United States District Judge Bryan Harwell sentenced Oshea to 15 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years supervised release. Oshea was also ordered to pay over $31,000 in restitution to victims of the fraud.
The evidence presented the guilty plea hearing established that during the period from August 2015 through January of 2016, Oshea and others were involved in a conspiracy to manufacture and pass counterfeit securities (checks) of organizations.
The co-conspirators would make counterfeit checks using genuine bank account and routing numbers they obtained from checks they stole out of mailboxes in Horry and Georgetown Counties.
The defendant would then use fraudulent driver's licenses bearing his photograph but in other persons' names which matched the names on the counterfeit checks, to pass these counterfeit checks at various businesses.
The defendant would use the checks to purchase merchandise at one store, then he would go to another store in the same chain and exchange the merchandise for cash.
The case was investigated by officers of the Horry County Police Department and agents of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office handled the case.
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E-Recycling Executive Sentenced to 21 Months Federal CustodyRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca S. Kanter (619) 546-7304 and C. Seth Askins (619) 546-6692
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 21, 2017
SAN DIEGO – Robert Erie, the former Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of E-World Recyclers, LLC, was sentenced today to 21 months custody for trafficking in counterfeit goods. His conviction relates to a contract he obtained to destroy counterfeit merchandise seized by the federal government. Instead of destroying or “e-recycling” the counterfeit goods as he was required to do (and as he certified), Erie instead diverted the counterfeit merchandise and trafficked in it for commercial advantage.
E-World Recyclers was an electronic recycling service company which operated out of Vista, California. In late 2009, E-World received a sub-contract to perform electronic recycling services related to counterfeit goods seized by Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”). Between approximately November 4, 2009, and December 18, 2009, E-World received approximately 38 shipments containing approximately 1,888 pallets of counterfeit goods seized by CBP.
Erie instructed E-World employees to sign documents to submit to government agencies certifying the destruction of CBP-seized counterfeit goods. In fact, Erie knew that the goods had not all been destroyed. Instead, on approximately December 24, 2009, Erie rented a personal storage unit in San Marcos, California, and transported some of the CBP-seized counterfeit goods to his personal storage unit, including watches bearing counterfeit marks related to Paneri, Cartier, Romain Jerome, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Rolex, Chanel, Bebe, Brietling, Omega Graham, Corum, Gucci, Ed Hardy, Coach and Dolce Gabbana, and headphones bearing counterfeit marks related to Bose. Erie maintained the storage unit through September 8, 2011, when federal agents executed a court-authorized search warrant and seized, among other things, (1) 2,275 counterfeit watches bearing marks registered to Chanel, Gucci, Coach, Ed Hardy and other companies; (2) 524 counterfeit pens bearing mark(s) registered to Montblanc; and (3) 12 counterfeit in-ear headphones bearing mark(s) registered to Bose.
In the meantime, after removing the counterfeit goods from E-World but prior to federal agents search and seizure, Erie trafficked in the counterfeit merchandise for his own commercial advantage. For example, on approximately January 25, 2010, for Eroe sent at least four separate shipments consisting of multiple boxes of CBP-seized counterfeit watches to business associates who were affiliated with a glass company in Ohio to whom E-World owed money.
Judge Anthony J. Battaglia imposed a two-level upward adjustment for obstruction of justice based on Erie’s alteration of e-mails in an attempt to thwart the prosecution. Specifically, the Court found that in approximately February 2010, Erie altered e-mail correspondence from September 2009 between himself and a Cycle Chem representative, which defendant then sent in approximately August 2011, to his then criminal defense attorney. The defendant’s criminal defense attorney then sent the altered e-mail correspondence to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in order to dissuade the U.S. Attorney’s Office from seeking criminal charges against defendant for his unlawful trafficking in CBP-seized counterfeit merchandise. The alteration of the e-mails had the effect of falsely suggesting that the contractor from whom E-World had obtained the subcontract had giving Erie permission to redistribute and/or remarket the counterfeit watches, which it had not.
Amanda Thandi, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, San Diego Field Office, said, “The collaborative investigation effort between DHS OIG and HSI played a pivotal role in the successful prosecution of this case. The DHS OIG’s vigilant oversight of government contractors like E-World Recyclers is imperative to safeguard taxpayer dollars.”
“Bob Erie was trusted to do one thing with the counterfeit goods illegally being imported at the land and sea borders: Keep it out of the stream of commerce by assuring its destruction or recycling,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Alana W. Robinson. “Instead, he used the seized counterfeit goods to advance his own personal agenda and commercial advantage, to the detriment of the trademark holders, the United States, and ultimately his own company. This crime was especially egregious because of Erie’s attempts to obstruct justice by falsifying e-mails, which were sent to the United States Attorney’s Office in an effort to avoid prosecution. The United States will continue to vigorously enforce intellectual property crimes and protect the property interests of American companies against abusers like Erie.”
He pleaded guilty on February 23, 2017, and admitted that the retail value of the infringed items trafficked by defendant was at least $1,450,000. In addition to the sentence of 21 months’ custody, Erie was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. Erie, who was released on bond during the pendency of the proceedings, was ordered to surrender on September 5, 2017 to the Bureau of Prisons.
Erie was previously convicted and sentenced in June 2013 to five years’ probation for being a felon in possession of a firearm (11cr5796-AJB.)
DEFENDANTS Case Number 14cr3660-AJB
Robert Erie Age: 53 Carlsbad, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Traffic in Counterfeit Goods – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371
Maximum penalty: 5 years’ imprisonment and $250,000 fine
AGENCIES
Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General
Homeland Security Investigations, Intellectual Property & Trade Investigations
Drug Trafficker Who Fled During Trial CapturedRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney P. Kevin Mokhtari (619) 546-8402
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 22, 2017
SAN DIEGO – A man who fled in the middle of his three-day cocaine trafficking trial was arrested yesterday after being a fugitive for two months. Itai Enriquez-Rodriguez, 21, was arrested after being located in Gilroy near San Jose, California.
On July 7, 2016, Enriquez-Rodriguez was arrested at the Otay Mesa, California Port of Entry after being caught with three kilograms of cocaine in his vehicle. Shortly after his arrest, Enriquez-Rodriguez was released on bond. Following an investigation by Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Enriquez-Rodriguez was indicted on conspiracy to import cocaine and importation of cocaine charges. Enriquez-Rodriguez persisted in his not-guilty plea and went to trial.
On June 21, 2017, Enriquez-Rodriguez’s trial began. At the end of the first day of trial, the Honorable Marilyn L. Huff ordered Enriquez-Rodriguez to return the following morning. The next morning, however, Enriquez-Rodriguez failed to appear. The parties recessed that morning to attempt to locate Enriquez-Rodriguez. During that recess, HSI agents discovered a Facebook post by Enriquez-Rodriguez’s brother depicting him and his brother, defendant Enriquez-Rodriguez. The brother’s Facebook account also included a photo of a man with a handgun with the caption, “He who laughs last, laughs the best. And I’m in no hurry.” Both of the images were posted to Facebook the same morning Enriquez-Rodriguez fled.
Finding that Enriquez-Rodriguez had voluntarily absented himself from trial, Judge Huff ruled the trial could continue in absentia. Trial concluded on June 23, 2017 with the jury finding Enriquez-Rodriguez guilty of conspiracy to import cocaine and importation of cocaine.
Over the next two months, the U.S. Marshals Service and HSI followed leads to help identify fugitive Enriquez-Rodriguez’s whereabouts. On August 21, 2017, the Marshals Service obtained information that Enriquez-Rodriguez was hiding out in his hometown of Gilroy, California. Following that lead, the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Enriquez-Rodriguez in a vehicle outside his girlfriend’s residence.
On August 18, 2017, Enriquez-Rodriguez was indicted by a federal grand jury on bail jumping charges.
Enriquez-Rodriguez’s sentencing on the cocaine trafficking charges is scheduled for October 23, 2017 at 9:00 am before the Honorable Marilyn L. Huff.
DEFENDANT Case Numbers 17cr0059-H, 17cr2379-H
Itai Enriquez-Rodriguez Age: 21 Gilroy, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Import Cocaine; Importation of Cocaine – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 952, 960, 963
Maximum penalty: 20 years’ imprisonment and $1,000,000 fine
Bail Jumping – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 3146.
Maximum penalty: 10 years’ imprisonment and $250,000 fine
AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
United States Marshals Service*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Court Orders Defendant to Repay $66,938.00 to the IRS for Filing Fraudulent Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steve Butler of the Southern District of Alabama announces that Senior United States District Court Judge, William H. Steele, sentenced Destina Yetta Parker aka Desinta Yetta Parker on August 22, 2017 to serve a term of five (5) years on probation. The defendant pled guilty on April 25, 2017 to the charges of Aiding and Assisting the Preparation of a False or Fraudulent Return Statement in violation of 26 USC § 7206(2) and Willfully Failing to File a Tax Return in violation of 26 USC § 7203. Judge Steele ordered the defendant to pay restitution in the amount of $66,928.00, as a condition of her probation.
The investigation revealed that the defendant, who is a registered tax preparer, electronically filed seventeen income tax returns with unverifiable Household Help (HSH) income for the tax years 2011 and 2012. Most of the returns reported just enough unverifiable HSH income to qualify for the maximum amount of Earned Income Credit and thus receive a larger income tax refund. Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service learned from the defendant’s clients that many of the clients were unaware of HSH income. Some of the clients admitted that they never performed the work indicated on their tax returns. The defendant failed to file a personal income tax return for the tax year 2013.
The case was investigated by the Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lawrence J. Bullard and Michael D. Anderson for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
Complaint Filed Against Indian Brotherhood Gang Members for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Today, Acting United States Attorney Loretta F. Radford announced that a one-count Federal Complaint was filed against Kody Bill Clark, a/k/a “Seminole,” from Mulhall, Oklahoma, age 34, Daniel Wayne Strunk, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, age 43, and Stephanie Renee Tyson, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, age 30, charging Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
According to documents filed in the case, Strunk and Tyson travelled to Clark’s residence in Mulhall, Oklahoma, on July 11, 2017, to obtain approximately one-quarter pound of methamphetamine from Clark.
On their return to Tulsa, Strunk and Tyson were stopped by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol near Sand Springs, Oklahoma. A narcotics detecting K-9 officer was deployed and gave a positive alert that indicated the presence of illegal narcotics, and a search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of 175.9 grams of methamphetamine.
The arrest of Clark, Strunk, and Tyson is part of an ongoing criminal investigation of the Indian Brotherhood Gang, and its criminal activities, in the Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, and Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) are leading this investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the United States Marshal’s Service (USMS), and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and Task Force Officers assigned to the DEA-HIDTA. Assistant United States Attorney Robert T. Raley will prosecute the case.
Carrollton Man Sentenced to 204 Months in Federal Prison on Federal Child Pornography ConvictionRead the Press Release
DALLAS — A 42-year-old illegal alien from Honduras, Elmer Franky Ortiz, who was living in Carrollton, Texas, pleaded guilty in April 2017 to one count of receipt of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay to 204 months in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
According to documents filed in the case, the Garland Police Department was alerted that Ortiz had received a video of a minor female between the ages of four and six years old engaging in sexually explicit conduct. An investigation conducted by Garland Police, Carrollton Police, and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) found that Ortiz possessed 141 videos of child pornography on his home computer and that he had shared some of these videos on the internet with others.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”
The ICE HSI, Garland Police Department, and Carrollton Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane Read prosecuted.
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California Woman Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison on International Federal Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – Susan Ann Villeneuve, 62, of Escalon, California, was sentenced today on international fraud charges that started in 2014 when sixteen individuals were arrested in South Africa, Canada, California, Wisconsin, New York and Indiana, pursuant to an eight-count federal indictment filed in the Southern District of Mississippi, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Harold Brittain and Raymond Parmer, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New Orleans.
Villeneuve was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to a total of 84 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. She was also ordered to pay $32,857 in restitution for losses to 10 of her counterfeit check victims. When released from prison, she will serve three years of supervised release. She previously pled guilty to the charges.
The case involved a West African transnational organized crime enterprise involved in numerous complex financial fraud schemes over the internet. This mass marketing fraud included romance scams, re-shipping scams, fraudulent check scams and work-at-home scams, along with bank, financial and credit card account take-overs.
The investigation was initiated in October 2011, by HSI agents in Gulfport after U.S. law enforcement officers were contacted by a female victim in Mississippi who was the victim of a sweetheart scam. The victim received a package in the mail requesting that she reship the merchandise to an address in Pretoria, South Africa. The investigation later revealed that the merchandise was purchased using stolen personal identity information and fraudulent credit card information of persons in the United States. Investigators identified hundreds of victims of this scam in the United States, resulting in the loss of millions of U.S. dollars. Villeneuve was responsible for sending out over $26 million in counterfeit checks to victims across the country by USPS, UPS and FedEx.
If you believe you were the victim of criminal fraud committed by any of the defendants, you may contact the government at the email address [email protected].
The investigation in this case was led by the HSI Gulfport office in partnership with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, South African Police Service, Toronto Police, HSI Cyber Crimes Center, Treasury Executive Office of Asset Forfeiture, HSI Ontario, HSI Charleston, Interpol South Africa, HSI Pretoria and HSI Atlanta.
The case in Mississippi was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Annette Williams, Trial Attorney Conor Mulroe with the DOJ Organized Crime and Gang Section, and Peter Roman, Senior Counsel for the Computer Crimes Intellectual Property Section.
Burlington County, New Jersey, Pharmacist Convicted of Illegally Distributing Opioids from ‘Pill Mills’Read the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Medford, New Jersey, pharmacist was convicted today for his role in illegally distributing and dispensing oxycodone from two pharmacies located in Medford, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Michael Ludwikowski, 45, the owner of Olde Medford Pharmacy and Medford Family Pharmacy, was convicted of six counts in an indictment charging him with illegally distributing and dispensing oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance, and maintaining a drug-involved premises. He was convicted following a five-week trial before U.S. District Judge Jerome B. Simandle in Camden federal court. The jury deliberated for three days before returning the guilty verdict.
The trial follows the guilty plea of co-defendant David M. Goldfield, also a pharmacist (who Ludwikowski had hired to work at Olde Medford Pharmacy), to engaging in a conspiracy to dispense controlled substances with Ludwikowski, and the pleas of Dontees Jones, Matthew Lawson, and Patrick Clark, all long-term customers of Ludwikowski, and Krystal Wood, a former employee of Olde Medford Pharmacy.
“For the people of New Jersey and across the United States, the suffering, loss of life, and enormous financial losses attributed to the opioid epidemic are all too real,” Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick said. “In the midst of this crisis, Ludwikowski – a pharmacist who had a duty to ensure that prescription opiates were dispensed only for legitimate medical purposes – knowingly sold them to customers with fake prescriptions or to individuals whom he knew to be addicts. He didn’t just fail in his professional responsibilities: he actively contributed to the opioid crisis, and as the jury decided today, broke federal laws in the process.”
“Opioid and prescription drug abuse have been spreading throughout our country. We are determined to investigate and prosecute those who unlawfully distribute oxycodone within our community,” Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher of the FBI’s Newark office said. “Today’s conviction highlights the commitment of the FBI and our partners to combat the growth of this epidemic that continues to impact our society.”
Carl J. Kotowski, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Jersey Division said, “The current opioid epidemic is widespread and is tearing families apart. A pharmacist has a responsibility to play a role in curtailing this problem. In this case, the defendant chose to ignore that responsibility and instead was more interested in profiting on people’s addictions.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From March 2008 through August 2013, Ludwikowski, the pharmacist-in-charge of Olde Medford Pharmacy, and his employee, Goldfield, knowingly distributed and dispensed oxycodone and other controlled substances to individuals, including addicts, who presented phony prescriptions.
Ludwikowski ordered large quantities of oxycodone from a national distributor. The distributor established thresholds for the quantity of controlled substances that it supplied to certain pharmacies. Ludwikowski and his pharmacies received large quantities of 30mg oxycodone pills, even though he knew the painkiller was not going to be used for legitimate medical reasons.
In some instances, the customers presented fraudulent prescriptions for a non-narcotic substance that had been “washed,” or “bleached,” through a chemical process that removed the original writing. The customers then rewrote the prescriptions for their drug of choice, oxycodone. Ludwikowski and Goldfield also ignored concerns raised by an employee who pointed out an obviously altered prescription.
Customers who used the fraudulent prescriptions generally paid in cash and provided gifts to Ludwikowski and Goldfield. In some instances, these customers filled fraudulent prescriptions for oxycodone multiple times a week.
In furtherance of the scheme, Ludwikowski and another pharmacist he employed – referred to in the indictment as “Pharmacist 3” – reached an agreement with a physician –referred to in the indictment as “Doctor 1” – to “steer” Doctor 1’s patients to Ludwikowski’s pharmacies. In a text message from Pharmacist 3 to Ludwikowski on Jan. 11, 2013, Pharmacist 3 wrote: “I talked to [Doctor 1] and he is going to direct all of his patients to us he is the pain doc in Cherry Hill.”
Each of the five substantive counts of illegal distribution of oxycodone carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The count of maintaining a drug-involved premises carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI’s Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gallagher; the DEA New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Kotowski; the Medford Police Department under the direction of Chief Richard J. Meder; the Moorestown Police Department under the direction of Chief Lee R. Lieber; the Florence Police Department under the direction of Chief John Bunce; and the Lumberton Police Department under the direction of Chief Tony Diloreto, with the investigation leading to today’s conviction.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin C. Danilewitz and Senior Litigation Counsel Jason M. Richardson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Devlin of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Unit.
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking MinorRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that BRANDON WILLIAMS, also known as “14K,” 37, of Bridgeport, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 74 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for sex trafficking a minor girl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in July and August 2015, WILLIAMS caused a minor female, who he knew was under the age of 18, to engage in commercial sex acts. The minor victim’s sexual services were advertised on the internet websites Backpage and Cityvibe, and WILLIAMS rented hotel rooms in which he and the minor victim stayed.
Judge Shea ordered WILLIAMS to pay $1980 in restitution to the victim.
WILLIAMS has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on August 26, 2015. On March 3, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking of a minor.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Bridgeport Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarala V. Nagala and David E. Novick.
Bradford Man Charged with Receipt, Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Bradford, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
The two-count indictment named Daniel Thomas Sutton, 29, of Bradford, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment presented to the court, Sutton received and possessed computer images and movies depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police 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.
Bayou Vista man pleads guilty to stealing from mailRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a former Morgan City Post Office custodian pleaded guilty to stealing from U.S. mail.
Jerome Guidry, 39, of Bayou Vista, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to one count of theft of mail by a postal service employee. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. According to the guilty plea, the Morgan City Police Department responded to a report that a $50 retail store gift card never reached its recipient. The U.S. Postal Service-Office of Inspector General agents investigated the report and interviewed Guidry on January 4, 2017. Guidry admitted to taking the gift card. Agents searched his vehicle and found additional gift cards. His home was also searched, and a U.S. Postal Service money order for $500 was found. Guidry admitted to stealing the money order from a greeting card that had been mailed to New York.
Guidry faces up to five years in prison, one year of supervised release, restitution and a $250,000 fine.
The U.S. Postal Service-Office of Inspector General and the Morgan City Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo is prosecuting the case.
Baldwin County Resident Sentenced to Minimum Mandatory 60 Months for Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
The Acting United States Attorney Steve Butler announces that Ramiro Enriquez-Olivares, an 18 year old, resident of Robertsdale, Alabama was sentenced today to 60 months incarceration followed by two years of supervised release for possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The sentencing judge ordered that Mr. Enriquez-Olivares be turned over to immigration authorities upon completion of his sentence for deportation proceedings.
On May 16, 2017, Mr. Enriquez-Olivares pled guilty to possession of four firearms when possessing with intent to distribute approximately seven ounces of marijuana.
Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement along with the Baldwin County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and presented it to the U. S. Attorney's Office for prosecution. The prosecutor assigned to the case is Assistant United States Attorney, Gina S. Vann.
Aryan Circle Member Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for the Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
FORT WORTH, Texas — Scott Edward Grigsby, aka “Skinny Pup,” 44, of White Settlement, Texas, was sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge John McBryde to 240 months in federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Grigsby pleaded guilty in May 2017 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Grigsby has been in custody since his arrest in April 2017.
According to documents filed in the case, in 2015 and 2016, Grigsby, a member of the street/prison gang Aryan Circle, received methamphetamine on multiple occasions from various sources of supply in the Fort Worth area. Grigsby then distributed the methamphetamine to others, including officers working in an undercover capacity.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Department of Public Safety investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Smith prosecuted.
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