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Friday 28 July 2017
Tampa Woman Sentenced to Prison for Misbranded Drugs Used in Connection with Buttocks InjectionRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich today sentenced Isabel Colmenares (56, Tampa) to a year and a day in federal prison for receiving misbranded items with the intent to defraud. The Court also ordered her to pay $15,500 in restitution to a victim who suffered adverse medical conditions from the injections.
Colmenares pleaded guilty on October 17, 2016.
According to court documents, in December 2015, Colmenares offered to provide buttocks injections to an undercover officer claiming to use purified hyaluronic acid in the injections. Instead, Colmenares planned to use silicone that she had purchased from an individual who imported it from Colombia, falsely labeling it as “mineral oil” to avoid inspection. Colmenares, who is not licensed in Florida to perform injections on any kind, had previously offered the same silicone injections for money.
This case was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelley Howard-Allen.
South Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate Stalking ChargeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Clover, South Carolina pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of interstate stalking, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
Nathaniel Earl Dunlap, 29, of Clover, South Carolina pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Dunlap placed false and fraudulent food delivery orders online, using the identity of other individuals, whereby placing the victim under substantial emotional distress.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for November 21, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Secret Service and United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Dunlap.
Sioux Falls Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that Ehab Abdulmutta Jaber, age 46, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Veronica L. Duffy on July 25, 2017, and pled guilty to an Indictment that charged him with Possession of Firearms by a Prohibited Person.
The maximum penalty for the offense is 10 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Jaber was attending an event at the Hilton Garden Inn South in Sioux Falls on April 9, 2017, when security officers noticed him using his phone to take a video of the crowd. As videotaping was not allowed at the venue, security asked Jaber to leave. Jaber went to his vehicle and posted a Facebook live feed in which he pulled firearms out of his vehicle and from his person. He made statements on the feed that law enforcement believed were terroristic threats. Jaber was arrested and five firearms were seized.
Jaber admitted to law enforcement that he was addicted to methamphetamine, which makes it illegal for him to possess firearms under federal law.
The investigation was conducted by the Sioux Falls Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Criminal Chief Dennis R. Holmes.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has been scheduled for October 16, 2017. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Sex Offender Sentenced for Failure to RegisterRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A North Grafton man was sentenced in federal court in Worcester today for failing to register as a sex offender.
Richard Sease, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to four years in prison and 10 years of supervised release. On Jan. 30, 2017, Sease pleaded guilty to failure to register as a sex offender.
In 1993, Mr. Sease was convicted of multiple sex offenses, including two counts of assault with intent to rape and indecent assault and battery on a person over 16. These offenses involved multiple victims, and as a result of these offenses, the defendant was designated a Level III sex offender and required to register for life.
After his release from prison, Sease was again convicted of multiple violent crimes for which he served additional time in prison. In 2013, after his release from jail, Sease left Massachusetts and moved to Ohio, and then to Pennsylvania, where he lived until he was arrested in 2015. Sease failed to update his sex offender registration when he left Massachusetts, and he never registered in Ohio or Pennsylvania.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and John Gibbons, U.S. Marshal of the U.S. Marshals Service, District of Massachusetts, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karin M. Bell of Weinreb’s Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Sentencings for July 21 - July 24, 2017Read the Press Release
Filiberto Santos-Escareno, 24, of Mexico, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson on July 24, 2017, for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the United States. Santos-Escareno was arrested in Casper, Wyoming. He received time served, plus ten days, was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment, and is subject to deportation upon release from custody. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Jose Santos Yuriar, 31, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on July 21, 2017, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and for money laundering. Yuriar was arrested in Phoenix, Arizona. He received 87 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $200.00 special assessment and $300.00 in restitution. This case was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Internal Revenue Service.
Brian Thomas Yuriar, 22, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on July 21, 2017, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and for conspiracy to launder money. Yuriar was arrested in Phoenix, Arizona. He received 87 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $200.00 special assessment and $300.00 in restitution. This case was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Internal Revenue Service.
Sells Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – This week, Alvin Edison Moreno, 53, of Sells, Ariz., a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins to 37 months in prison. Moreno had previously pleaded guilty to one count of abusive sexual contact of a minor. The minor victim is also a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation. Moreno will be placed on lifetime federal supervision and be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
The investigation in this case was conducted by both the Tohono O’odham Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Charisse Arce and Micah Schmit, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-16-0636-TUC-RCC-JR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2017-065_Moreno
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Seattle Man Arrested for the Attempted Extortion of Leagle.com and Several Other Media CompaniesRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Kamyar Jahanrakhshan, aka “Kamyar Jahan Rakhshan,” “Andy or Andrew Rakhshan,” “Andy or Andrew Kamyar,” and “Kamiar or Kamier Rakhshan,” 32, of Seattle, Washington, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with extortion by threats to cause damage to the Dallas, Texas hosting company for Leagle.com, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
According to the affidavit filed with the complaint, on December 30, 2014 Leagle.com, an aggregator of case law from Federal and certain State courts, was contacted by an individual by the name of Andrew Rakhshan by e-mail requesting that a URL linking to a court decision involving Rakhshan be deleted. Claiming that he was the plaintiff in the case, Rakhshan stated that he did not want the opinion available on the internet as it was tarnishing his reputation and violating his privacy. Rakhshan offered to pay a fee to have the post removed.
Between December 30, 2014 and January 16, 2015, Leagle.com received multiple e-mails signed by Andrew Rakhshan offering to pay for the removal of a court opinion in which Rakhshan was a party to. On January 24, 2015 Rakhshan again sent an e-mail claiming that he met a group of hackers online whom were willing to launch a massive cyber-attack on Leagle.com. Rakhshan claimed that he had no other options to resolve the matter. He threatened to use these hackers to conduct a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack to force Leagle.com to comply with his demands. On January 25, 2015, a large amount of traffic targeted the IP address for Leagle.com. The actions the company took could not mitigate the attack traffic. The attack subsided once the company removed the link to the court opinion.
Similar DDoS attacks were carried out by Rakhshan on Fairfax Media5, a media company in Australia and New Zealand; The Metro News, a daily newspaper; Canadian Broadcasting Corporation; and Canada.com, a social media discussion site. At times Rakhshan escalated his threats from DDoS attacks to threats of bomb attacks.
A criminal complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offense charged and must be made under oath before a magistrate judge. A defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. The government has 30 days to present the matter to a grand jury for indictment. The maximum statutory penalty for the offenses as charged is 5 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI Dallas cyber squad, Seattle cyber task force, Toronto police department, and the Australian federal police. Assistant U.S. Attorney C.S. Heath is in charge of the prosecution.
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Salt Lake City Man Sentenced to 330 Months in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – Donald Ray Fritcher, age 36, of Salt Lake City, will spend 330 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Dale A. Kimball, who imposed the sentence, also placed Fritcher on supervised release for life when he finishes his federal prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal criminal justice system.
“Protecting vulnerable victims is one of the highest priorities in my office. In Utah, we cannot, and will not, tolerate the exploitation of children. he significant sentence imposed in this case will help protect children in Utah communities from a dangerous predator,” U.S. Attorney John W. Huber said today.
As a part of a plea agreement reached with federal prosecutors, Fritcher admitted that between about July 1, 2015, and April 2016, he shared, through a file sharing program, images and videos of child pornography. These images included depictions of prepubescent and minor children posing in various stages of undress and in sexually explicit poses. He further stipulated that the images also depicted the sexual abuse of minor children. Fritcher had more than 600 images and videos in his possession. Included in the images were pictures taken by Fritcher of two minor victims.
Fritcher, a registered sex offender in Utah, has two previous state convictions for attempted sex abuse of a child. According to the indictment filed in the case, the pictures of the two minors were taken subsequent to his convictions in state court.
Federal authorities arrested Fritcher in Utah in May 2016. His arrest followed an investigation conducted by special agents of Homeland Security Investigations in Salt Lake City and Philadelphia working in collaboration with an investigator with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The Utah agent is a member of the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force.
"HSI takes very seriously our responsibility to rescue victims of child pornography, including the two victims in this case who no longer have to endure this abuse," said John Eisert, Acting Special Special Agent in Charge of HSI Denver. "Donald Fritcher's prison sentence sends a clear message to criminals like him who abuse our children: we will find you and we will bring you to justice.”
Fritcher was charged with production of child pornography and possession of child pornography in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in May 2016. He pleaded guilty to a felony information in February 2017 charging his with distribution of child pornography.
Princeton drug dealer pleads guilty to federal heroin crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Princeton heroin dealer pleaded guilty today to a federal drug charge, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Terrance Raheem Simmons, 41, entered his guilty plea to distribution of heroin.
Simmons admitted that on April 20, 2017, he sold heroin to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. The drug deal took place in Princeton.
Simmons faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on October 31, 2017.
The case was investigated by the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney John L. File is responsible for the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before Senior United States District David A. Faber.
This prosecution is 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 prescription drugs and heroin. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down illegal pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of opiate painkillers and heroin in communities across the Southern District.
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Philadelphia Man Charged with Twelve Counts of Drug DisitributionRead the Press Release
Richard Bernard, 38, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was charged today in a 12 count Indictment with distribution of heroin, two counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, possession with intent to distribute oxycodone, selling counterfeit federal reserve notes, possession of counterfeit federal reserve notes, manufacturing counterfeit federal reserve notes, assaulting a federal officer, possession of a firearm possession by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen.
If convicted of all of the charges against him the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment, at least three years of supervised release up to lifetime supervised release, and a $7,500,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Linwood C. Wright, Jr. and Sarah Damiani.
New Jersey Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of A ChildRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Michael Janeski, age 38, of Edison, New Jersey was sentenced on July 27, 2017, by United States District Court Judge Yvette Kane to serve 360 months’ imprisonment for sexual exploitation of a child.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Janeski was a resident of New Jersey and began messaging with a fourteen-year-old child residing in York County through an I-Phone messaging application called KIK Messenger. In the course of the messaging, Janeski persuaded the child to send him sexually exploitative photos and videos. After a few months, Janeski traveled to Pennsylvania to meet with the child and took her to a York area hotel.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Northern York County Regional Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea Schinnour prosecuted the case.
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Nassau County Man Arrested and Charged with Transporting Child Pornography over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces the arrest of Charles Cory Thornton (36, Yulee) on a criminal complaint charging him with transporting and attempting to transport child pornography over the Internet. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. His detention hearing is scheduled for August 2, 2017.
According to the criminal complaint, on July 20, 2017, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Thornton’s residence based on suspected online child exploitation activity. Thornton was not at home, but he was located and interviewed later that day at Naval Air Station Jacksonville where he worked as a machinist. During the interview, Thornton admitted, among other things, that he had been searching for child pornography for several years using a particular file sharing program, that he knew that other users were able to download images and videos from his computer, and that he was a “pedophile” and was sexually attracted to children. In subsequent interviews over the next two days, Thornton admitted that he had used a small camera hidden in a digital clock in a bathroom to produce videos of child pornography depicting three children during 2008 and 2009. Agents recovered this camera from Thornton’s home.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case 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.
Misdemeanor Immigration Prosecutions – July 2017Read the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – The following is a summary of misdemeanor immigration prosecutions from July 2017:
Marcelo Chavez-Vera, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced on July 20, 2017 to time served (14 days in jail) following his guilty plea to illegally entering the United States. Chavez-Vera admitted that on July 7, 2017, he entered the United States by boat from Canada on the Akwesasne reservation, where he was then picked up by an acquaintance driving a vehicle. Acting on a civilian tip, Border Patrol stopped the vehicle and arrested him.
Carlos Olivar-Varon, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced on July 20, 2017 to 20 days in jail following his guilty plea to illegally entering the United States. Olivar-Varon admitted that on July 7, 2017, he entered the United States by boat from Canada on the Akwesasne reservation, where he was then picked up by an acquaintance driving a vehicle. Acting on a civilian tip, Border Patrol stopped the vehicle and arrested him.
Michigan drug dealer pleads guilty to federal methamphetamine crimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Michigan man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a federal drug charge, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Willie McCall, 34, entered his guilty plea to distribution of methamphetamine.
McCall admitted that on February 7, 2017, he sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. The drug deal took place outside a local business near Nitro. Later that same date, when McCall was arrested, law enforcement found $100 of recorded buy money in his possession that was used in the controlled purchase.
McCall faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on October 26, 2017.
The case against McCall was investigated by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is in charge of the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston
This case is being prosecuted as part of an ongoing effort led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia to combat the illicit sale and misuse of illegal drugs, including methamphetamine. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, joined by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, is committed to aggressively pursuing and shutting down pill trafficking, eliminating open air drug markets, and curtailing the spread of illegal drugs in communities across the Southern District.
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Miami Resident Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for $23 Million Boiler Room Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
On July 26, 2017, Craig Sizer, 49, of Miami, Florida, was sentenced by United States District Judge Marcia G. Cooke to 180 months in prison for orchestrating two investment fraud schemes that targeted elderly and unsophisticated investors throughout the nation and defrauded over 700 victims out of $23 million. Sizer previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
From April 2009 to August 2015, Sizer and his co-conspirators Keith Houlihan, 49, of Boca Raton, Miguel (“Mike”) Mesa, 57, of Miami Lakes, Charles K. Topping, 40, of North Bay Village, Anita Sgarro, 54, of Marina Del Ray, California, Charles David Smigrod, 69, of Coconut Grove, Matthew William Wheeler, 33, of Miami, James Wayne Long, 60, of Miramar, Jack Willard Sini, 58, of Pembroke Pines, Juan M. Perez Ortega 47, of Miami Lakes, Martin Miller, 75, of New Haven, Connecticut, Jason David Hershberger, 40, of Fort Lauderdale, and Shawna Leigh Lynch, 44, of Fort Lauderdale, used false and fraudulent claims to solicit investors throughout the United States to buy shares of stock in Sanomedics International Holdings, Inc. (“Sanomedics”), a company that sold non-contact infrared thermometers for home healthcare and for dogs.
Sales agents used sales pitches that included several materially false statements, including that: stock sales did not include commissions or fees; sales agents were compensated with stock or paid by the hour; the stock could be sold after six months; the sales agents worked directly for Sanomedics; stock purchases were safe and secure; and famous and wealthy individuals, such as former CEOs of Apple Inc., PepsiCo, and IVAX Corp., and the “Dog Whisperer,” were either heavily invested in the company or were company representatives. In truth, the co-conspirator sales agents worked for Mesa and Sgarro in two boiler rooms, not for Sanomedics. Investors were never able to sell their stock. Approximately 90% of investor proceeds were misappropriated by the co-conspirators to cover commissions and fees. The co-conspirator sales agents were not paid by the hour and did not receive stock options, but were in fact paid hefty commissions. Additionally, there were no actual endorsements by celebrities or wealthy individuals. The investors relied on the fraudulent statements. As a result of the scheme, the co-conspirators defrauded over 700 people out of approximately $21 million.
Also, from approximately August 2014 to August 2015, Sizer, Mesa, Topping, Smigrod, Wheeler, Long, Sini, Perez, and Miller used a fraud scheme, similar to the one described above, to sell shares of stock in Fun Cool Free (“FCF”), a company that claimed to own a smartphone gaming portfolio with over 500 gaming applications. Mesa oversaw the boiler room that was utilized to facilitate the fraudulent scheme. The co-conspirators used false claims, including assertions that they worked directly for the company and that FCF was partners with Apple Computers, to defraud over 70 other investors out of $1.5 million.
Seven of Sizer’s co-conspirators previously pled guilty and were sentenced for their role with the fraudulent schemes, including the former CEO of Sanomedics, Keith Houlihan, who was sentenced to 111 months in prison and the manager of the Miami boiler room, Mike Mesa, who was sentenced to 100 months in prison. Co-conspirators Topping, Sgarro, Smigrod, Wheeler, and Long were previously convicted at trial by a Miami federal jury and are awaiting sentencing.
Mr. Greenberg commends the investigative efforts of the FBI in this matter. Mr. Greenberg also thanked the Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) for their assistance. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Cruz and Trial Attorneys Ryan D. Tansey and Kevin B. Hart from the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Mexican Citizen Sentenced for Immigration FraudRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Santiago Cayetano-Diaz, age 22, and a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today to time served (60 days in jail) for immigration fraud.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Thomas P. Brophy, Acting Director of the Buffalo Field Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
As part of his guilty plea, Cayetano-Diaz admitted that he possessed a counterfeit alien registration receipt card (commonly known as a green card) in Saratoga Springs, New York, on May 30, 2017, when he was arrested by ICE-ERO officers. Cayetano-Diaz also admitted that he is a citizen of Mexico, and that he was in the United States unlawfully.
Following his sentencing, Cayetano-Diaz was remanded to the custody of the Department of Homeland Security, for removal proceedings.
This case was investigated by ICE-ERO and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward P. Grogan.
Mexican Citizen Charged with Human SmugglingRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that on July 26, 2017, Silvino ORDUNA-Cabrera, a 40 year old Mexican citizen, made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Portland, Maine with respect to a criminal complaint charging alien smuggling. In addition, two other Mexican citizens who had previously been removed from the United States appeared with respect to complaints charging them with re-entry after removal. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deportation Officer arrested the defendants in Maine.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Marion County Man Indicted for Drug Distribution, Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury today indicted a Marion County man for methamphetamine distribution and gun charges, announced acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Gerido.
A two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges JASON LAMAR McSHERIDAN, 45, of Hamilton, with possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on Feb. 5, 2016, in Marion County. The indictment also charges McSheridan as a convicted felon possessing three firearms on that date, a Ruger .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Taurus .45-caliber pistol and a Winchester .30-30 caliber rifle.
McSheridan’s prior convictions are first-degree burglary, 2005, and unlawfully manufacturing a controlled substance, 2011, both in Calhoun County Circuit Court, according to the indictment.
The penalty for possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine is 10 years to life in prison and a maximum $10 million fine.
The maximum penalty for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
ATF investigated the case, which the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama is prosecuting.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Man Charged with Fatally Shooting MPD Officer Sentenced to 27 ½ years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A man charged with fatally shooting Memphis Police Department Officer Sean Bolton was sentenced today for being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition and armed carjacking. The defendant, Tremaine Wilbourn, 31, has pending state charges for capital murder. Lawrence J. Laurenzi, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentencing today.
On August 1, 2015, Wilbourn was in the passenger seat of a vehicle parked on a street in East Memphis when Officer Bolton approached the vehicle. Officer Bolton attempted to detain Wilbourn before the defendant pulled a 9mm pistol and shot Bolton several times.
Facts from hearings in the case outline that shortly after the shooting, Wilbourn used a firearm to carjack a man of a 2002 Honda Accord.
On July 28, 2017, the Honorable U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Wilbourn to 25 years’ imprisonment and 3 years supervised release. Wilbourn also received an additional 30 months of incarceration for violating his supervised release, which is to run consecutive to his 25-year sentence.
The state charges against Wilbourn for the murder of Officer Bolton are pending.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in conjunction with the Memphis Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
Long Island Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy and Tax Offenses Stemming from Stock "Pump and Dump" SchemeRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that THOMAS HEAPHY, JR., 42, of East Moriches, N.Y., waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to conspiracy and tax offenses stemming from his role in a securities fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately 2011 and July 2016, HEAPHY conspired with others, including Christian Meissenn, William Lieberman and Damian Delgado, to defraud investors through a stock “pump and dump” scheme. HEAPHY and his co-conspirators induced investors to purchase securities by making false and misleading representations in calls, emails and press releases concerning the securities and the issuing companies, thereby causing the price of those securities to become falsely inflated. The issuing companies, which were essentially shell companies with virtually no legitimate business activities, included Terra Energy Resources Ltd. (stock symbol “TRRE”); Mammoth Energy Group, Inc. (stock symbol “MMTE”), a company that later became Strategic Asset Leasing Inc. (stock symbol “LEAS”); Trilliant Exploration Corporation (stock symbol “TTXP”); Hermes Jets, Inc. (stock symbol “HRMJ”), which later became Continental Beverage Brands Corporation (stock symbol “CBBB”); Dolat Ventures, Inc. (stock symbol “DOLV”), and Fox Petroleum, Inc. (stock symbol “FXPT”).
HEAPHY’s numerous misrepresentations induced investors to purchase securities, thus causing the share price of the securities to become artificially inflated. Certain of HEAPHY’s co-conspirators then sold their own preexisting positions in the securities at a profit. They then allowed he price of the securities to fall, leaving investors with worthless and unsalable stock. As a result, victim investors lost millions of dollars.
HEAPHY received approximately 25 percent of all money that he induced individuals to invest. His personal gain from the scheme totaled approximately $719,000. HEAPHY disguised the income by having the funds flow through the trust accounts of various attorneys, including Corey Brinson in Connecticut, into bank accounts in the name of various shell entities under HEAPHY’s control. HEAPHY’s failure to pay taxes on this income resulted in a loss of $147,345 to Internal Revenue Service.
HEAPHY pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of tax evasion, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer on October 20, 2017.
At sentencing, HEAPHY will be ordered to pay restitution to his victims, as well as back taxes, interest and penalties to the Internal Revenue Service.
On November 8, 2016, Meissenn, also known as “Christian Nigohossian,” of Suffield, Conn., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and one count of tax evasion. He awaits sentencing.
On January 20, 2017, Brinson, of Hartford, pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity. On April 13, 2017, he was sentenced to 36 months of imprisonment.
On May 10, 2017, Lieberman, of Boca Raton, Fla., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and one count of tax evasion. He awaits sentencing.
On May 12, 2017, Delgado, of Orlando. Fla., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and one count of tax evasion. He awaits sentencing.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Connecticut Department of Banking and the Hartford and Stamford Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Avi M. Perry and Peter S. Jongbloed.
Citizens with information that may be helpful to this ongoing investigation, or who believe they may have been victimized by this scheme, are encouraged to contact the FBI at (203) 777-6311.
Littleton Couple Convicted of Income Tax Evasion and Bankruptcy Fraud Following Two-Week TrialRead the Press Release
DENVER -- Acting United States Attorney Bob Troyer and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Steven Osborne announced that today a jury found Daryl F. Yurek, age 62, and Wendy M. Yurek, age 62, both of Littleton, Colorado guilty of tax evasion and bankruptcy fraud. The guilty verdicts were the result of a two-week trial before U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martinez. The jury deliberated for approximately 3 hours before reaching their verdict. The Yurek’s, who were indicted by a federal grand jury on October 7, 2015, were allowed to remain free on bond until their sentencing by Judge Martinez. Daryl Yurek’s sentencing is scheduled for December 14, 2017 at 9:30 a.m., and Wendy Yurek’s sentencing is scheduled for December 15, 2017 also at 9:30 a.m.
According to the indictment and evidence presented at trial, Daryl Yurek was a partner in Bolder Venture Partners from 1999 through 2012, and Wendy Yurek was a partner from 2008 through 2012. Daryl Yurek acted as a consultant to start-up and growing companies and provided a variety of services, including temporary management and fundraising. Daryl Yurek also exerted significant control over other companies, including ID Watchdog, and Veracity Credit Consultants.
The Yureks reported tax due and owing for tax years 1999 and 2004 of $624,127 and $53,978, respectively. In 2006, the Yureks submitted an Offer in Compromise to the IRS attempting to settle their tax obligation for $75,000. With the Offer in Compromise, the Yureks indicated the reason for the offer was “Doubt as to Collectability – ‘I have insufficient assets and income to pay the full amount.’”. Later, in September 2010, the Yureks filed with the United States Bankruptcy Court in the District of Colorado a Voluntary Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Petition. During the bankruptcy proceeding, Daryl Yurek testified that their primary reason for pursuing bankruptcy was "the $1.2 million that the IRS wants."
However, during the period the Yureks claimed to be unable to pay their tax liability, the Yureks caused Bolder Venture Partners and Veracity Credit Consultants to pay substantial personal expenses for the Yureks. In March, 2006, the Yureks purchased a downtown Denver loft as their personal residence for $1.3 million in the name of one of their sons. Between 2006 and 2011, Veracity Credit Consultants made mortgage payments of $526,511.99 for the Yureks’ loft, while Bolder venture Partners paid $43,866 for the loft’s Condo Association Fees. Additionally, between 2006 and 2010, Veracity Credit Consultants made $115,719 in rental payments for a vacation home in Tabernash, Colorado used by the Yureks. Daryl Yurek’s Pinehurst Country Club membership and associated expenses paid by Veracity Credit Consultants between 2007 and 2012 totaled approximately $90,810.74.
Furthermore, the Yureks committed numerous affirmative acts of evasion, including submitting false statements to the IRS on IRS Forms 433-A, IRS Collection Information Statement for Wage Earners and Self-Employed Individuals, as well as Daryl Yurek transferring shares he held in ID Watchdog to Veracity Credit Consultants and to his sons while falsely claiming to the IRS that he had not made any transfers for less than full value.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Daryl Yurek faces up to 5 years in prison per count for tax evasion, bankruptcy fraud and false oath in connection with bankruptcy, as well as up to 3 years in prison for making and subscribing to a false document. Wendy Yurek faces up to 5 years in prison per count for tax evasion and bankruptcy fraud.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys from the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Economic Crimes Section, including Pegeen D. Rhyne, with Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Andrews assisting on the asset forfeiture.
Lake County Man Arrested on Federal “Ice” ChargesRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – A Lake County man has been indicted on federal drug charges. Lawrence J. Laurenzi, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the indictment today.
Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Department arrested Will Jones in the early morning hours of July 27, 2017, in Lake County, Tennessee.
A federal grand jury in Jackson, Tennessee returned a three count indictment against Jones for distributing actual methamphetamine ("ice") on July 17, 2017, but the indictment remained under seal until yesterday’s arrest.
This arrest was the result of an approximately 10-month investigation in which law enforcement officials have seized over a kilo of actual methamphetamine, approximately $148,000 dollars in cash, a loaded handgun and three vehicles.
If convicted, Jones faces up to life imprisonment and $20,000,000 fine.
This case is being investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and Lake County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Powell and Beth Boswell are prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Jury Convicts Three Florida Men for Trafficking Hundreds of Packages of Methamphetamine from California to Florida and GeorgiaRead the Press Release
Ft. Myers, Florida – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces that a federal jury today found Brown Laster, Jr. (37, Tampa), also known as “AB” and “Rooster;” Jerry Browdy (44, Riverview), also known as “JB,” “Red,” and “Cuz;” and Wesley Petiphar (30, Davenport), also known as “Wildman,” guilty of conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. Each faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 25 years, up to life, in federal prison. The sentencing hearings are scheduled for October 30, 2017.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Laster, Browdy, and Petiphar were part of a conspiracy to ship kilograms of methamphetamine from Sacramento, California to various hotels in Florida and Georgia via Federal Express. The evidence showed that, throughout 2015, the men had sent approximately 40 packages of methamphetamine through the mail per week. The packages were delivered to coconspirators who had been recruited to wait at the hotels for the packages of methamphetamine to arrive. The packages were then delivered to local drug traffickers. In addition, witness testimony revealed that the men enforced the conspiracy through violence, including one incident where a cooperating witness had a gun placed in his mouth with such force that the gun knocked out some of his front teeth.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office (Georgia), the Placer County Sheriff’s Office (California), the Lakeland Police Department, and the Miami-Dade Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Baeza and Mike Leeman.
Hutchinson Man Sentenced to 262 Months in Prison for Producing and Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Gregory G. Brooker today announced the sentencing of JEREMY DAVID MOUNT, 41, for producing and receiving child pornography. MOUNT, who pleaded guilty on February 9, 2017, was sentenced on July 27, 2017, before U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minn.
“This case exemplifies what can be achieved when law enforcement agencies- nationally and internationally- work together to stop a predator,” said Assistant United States Attorney Katharine Buzicky. “These are some of the most difficult types of cases to work, but seeing defendants, like Jeremy Mount, receive just sentences and knowing that one more child is safe from harm makes it all worthwhile.”
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to bringing to justice those who sexually exploit children,” said Alex Khu, special agent in charge of HSI St. Paul. “Jeremy Mount will be incarcerated for nearly 22 years for his heinous acts. This case exemplifies the long reach of HSI, and its ability to coordinate and pursue investigative efforts with our international law enforcement partners.”
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, in February 2016, Homeland Security Investigations received a lead from an undercover officer with the Kent Police Department in the United Kingdom regarding an individual who was sharing child pornography images online. After obtaining a search warrant, HSI identified the individual as MOUNT and executed a search warrant of his apartment in Hutchinson. Law enforcement agents identified dozens of child pornography images MOUNT traded and possessed using a computer and email account, as well as a cell phone containing several dozen images of a preschool-age child to whom he had access.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
In addition, if you know of any child who may have been a victim of exploitation, please contact the National Center for Missing or Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or visit NCMEC’s web site at www.missingkids.com.
This case is the result of an investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Hutchinson Police Department, McLeod County Attorney’s Office, and the Kent Police Department in the United Kingdom.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katharine T. Buzicky.
Defendant Information:
JEREMY DAVID MOUNT, 41
Hutchinson, Minn.
Convicted:
- Receipt of child pornography, 1 count
- Production and attempted production of child pornography, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 262 months in prison
- 20 years of supervised release
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Greenwood Man Sentenced to 10 Years on Child Porn ChargesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ----United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that David Paul Fuller, age 55, of Greenwood, was sentenced in federal court in Greenville, for possession of child pornography, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A. United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain, of Anderson, sentenced Fuller to 120 months in the Bureau of Prisons.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that this case originated from the take down of a child pornography website in Switzerland. Agents were able to identify the IP address of Fuller as active on the website. This information and further investigation led to the execution of a search warrant on Fuller’s home. When asked by agents if they would find child pornography on his computer, Fuller said “I hope not.” Upon further questioning he admitted to visiting websites to view what he described as “questionable material.” Agents seized his computers and subjected them to a forensic examination. The examination revealed hundreds of images of children, some of which were pre-pubescent, engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Fuller has a prior child pornography conviction and was thus subject to a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence.
The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office handled the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ 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, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Franklin, Tennessee Man Facing Federal Charges Resulting from Hit & Run of Bicyclist on Natchez Trace ParkwayRead the Press Release
Marshall Neely, III, 58, of Franklin, Tenn., was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury and charged with reckless aggravated assault; lying to a federal agent; and obstruction of justice, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jack Smith of the Middle District of Tennessee.
The federal indictment is a result of an incident on July 8, 2017, on the Natchez Trace Parkway, where a bicyclist was struck by a vehicle and injured. The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Marshall Neely, III, failed to stop and left the scene of the incident.
“Middle Tennessee is an area where bicycle traffic is abundant and growing daily,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jack Smith. “Our roads are used both by recreational bicyclists as well as a growing number of citizens who use alternative methods of transportation to get to and from their workplaces. To achieve the sense of community that we all want for our area we must respect the rights of others in our community to live and move about the area. That means drivers of automobiles respecting the right of bicyclists to use our roads and bicyclists respecting the right of drivers to use our roads as well. The wanton recklessness exhibited by this defendant could easily have taken the life of the victim in this case. Such indifference to human life cannot be tolerated as it places all our bicycling citizens in grave danger. Whenever such blatant disregard for our citizen’s safety occurs on roadways under federal jurisdiction, you can expect that this U.S. Attorney’s Office will move swiftly to seek the appropriate avenue of justice.”
According to the indictment, on the morning of July 8, 2017, two individuals were riding bicycles along the Natchez Trace Parkway in Williamson County, Tennessee, when a black Volvo struck one of the individuals from behind. The impact caused the bicyclist to be thrown from his bicycle and he sustained injuries which required him to be transported by ambulance to the Williamson County Medical Center for treatment. Despite the impact, the driver of the Volvo did not slow down or stop but instead, continued on.
As the indictment alleges, the incident was captured on video by a helmet-mounted camera being used by the other bicyclist. This video was later posted to the internet and used to identify the owner of the vehicle as Marshall Neely, III.
Late in the afternoon on July 8, 2017, the indictment alleges that Neely’s son went to the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department and reported that the vehicle that struck the bicyclist belonged to his father and stated that he recognized the “Dartmouth, “Rice,” and “Boston” stickers on the back windshield, as depicted in the video. When law enforcement officers arrived at Neely’s home that evening, the indictment alleges that the Volvo was parked in the grass behind the garage and the “Dartmouth” and “Rice” stickers had been removed from the back windshield. Officers also noted that residue from a cleaning agent was visible on the right front of the vehicle where it had struck the bicyclist.
The indictment further alleges that shortly after observing the condition of the Volvo, officers found Neely in his home and unconscious on the floor. After being roused by law enforcement officers, Neely told the officers that while he was driving on the Parkway, earlier that morning, a bicyclist threw his bicycle at him. The indictment also alleges that Neely admitted to removing the stickers from his vehicle to prevent him from being identified.
Neely was arrested at his home earlier today by U.S. National Park Service Rangers and will appear before a U.S. Magistrate later today.
If convicted, Neely faces 2-12 years in prison on the reckless aggravated assault charge; up to 5 years in prison for lying to a federal agent; and up to 20 years in prison for obstructing justice.
This case was investigated by the National Park Service and the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Beth Myers.
Four South Florida Residents Guilty of Conspiring to Commit Sweepstakes Mail FraudRead the Press Release
Three Florida residents were found guilty by a Miami jury on July 26, 2017, for participating in a sweepstakes mail fraud scheme.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Antonio J. Gomez, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division, made the announcement.
Matthew Pisoni, 44, of Fort Lauderdale, Marcus Pradel, 41, of Boca Raton, and Victor Ramirez, 37, of Aventura, were found guilty of conspiring to commit mail fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349, after a five-week trial. Pisoni, Pradel and Ramirez face a maximum statutory penalty of twenty years in prison at their sentencing on October 13, 2017, at 9:30 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Gayles. John Leon, 49, of Wilton Manors, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 13, 2017.
The trial evidence established that the four defendants, Pisoni, Pradel, Ramirez and Leon, falsely notified individuals by mail that they had won a substantial prize. The letters the defendants sent fraudulently represented that the recipients needed to pay the defendants a fee ranging from $20 to $50 to redeem their purported winnings. During the course of the mail fraud conspiracy, more than one hundred thousand victims in the United States and abroad were fraudulently induced to pay the fees by the defendants’ misleading claims that they had won a prize. The fraudulent letters directed victims to pay the fees in cash or by check or money order payable to fictitious companies. The defendants then either processed the victims’ payments through independent payment processors or deposited them into shell bank accounts controlled directly and indirectly by the defendants and their co-conspirators. In total, over $25 million in victim payments went into the defendants’ and co-conspirators’ bank accounts.
Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the IRS-CI, USPIS, Federal Trade Commission, the Aventura Police Department, and other local and international law enforcement agencies. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elijah Levitt, and H. Ron Davidson.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Former St. Joseph Business Owner Pleads Guilty in $1.5 Million Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a former St. Joseph, Mo., business owner pleaded guilty in federal court today to her role in a nearly $1.5 million tax fraud scheme.
Dinorah Lynn Stoll-Weaver, 49, of St. Joseph, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to failing to pay over employee payroll taxes to the IRS.
Co-defendants Dawn Langlais (Stoll-Weaver’s sister), 59, and Langlais’s daughter, Jennifer Sturgis, 38, both of St. Joseph, have also pleaded guilty. Langlais pleaded guilty to failing to pay over employee payroll taxes to the IRS. Sturgis pleaded guilty to making false statements on a tax return. All three defendants also admitted that they failed to report their income on their personal federal income tax returns.
From 2001 through early 2010, Stoll-Weaver owned and, with the assistance of Langlais, operated Homeward Bound Health Services, Inc., a home health provider located in St. Joseph. In 2010, Homeward Bound’s name was changed to Silver Linings, Inc., and nominee owners were put in place who signed the checks but made no business decisions. Stoll-Weaver and Langlais continued to operate Silver Linings until it closed in 2013.
Langlais employed her daughter, Sturgis, and other relatives at Homeward Bound and Silver Linings.
Homeward Bound and Silver Linings withheld and collected federal income taxes, Social Security taxes, and Medicare taxes from employees and then kept those withheld taxes instead of paying them over to the IRS. The total criminal tax loss attributed to Homeward Bound and Silver Linings for failure to pay employment taxes due and owing from 2001 to 2012 is $1,459,727.
Homeward Bound and Silver Linings also withheld from employee paychecks and kept child support payments, employee IRA contributions, and medical and dental insurance payments. The theft of these payments had negative collateral consequences for their employees.
Stoll-Weaver, Langlais and Sturgis admitted they received income from Homeward Bound and Silver Linings, which they failed to report on their individual federal income tax forms, and as a result, underpaid their federal income taxes.
Stoll-Weaver willfully failed to make an income tax return or pay personal income taxes from 2009 to 2012, for a total personal tax loss of $34,264.
Langlais willfully failed to make an income tax return or pay personal income taxes from 2010 to 2012, for a total personal tax loss of $56,860.
Sturgis willfully failed to make an income tax return or pay personal income taxes from 2007 to 2012, for a total personal tax loss of $148,347, including relevant conduct.
Additionally, from 2009 to 2012, Stoll-Weaver and Sturgis each claimed personal federal income tax refunds, knowing that Homeward Bound and Silver Linings had not paid any income taxes to the IRS.
Under federal statutes, Stoll-Weaver and Langlais are each subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. Sturgis is subject to a sentence of up to three years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by IRS – Criminal Investigation.
Former Spring Hill, Tennessee Woman Indicted for Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Lori Desiere, 45, a former Spring Hill, Tennessee resident, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in Nashville, Tenn., and charged with seven counts of wire fraud for executing a $120,000 fraud scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jack Smith of the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to the indictment, between 2011-2013, Desiere stole over $120,000 from her former employer, Connect Hearing, a retail network of hearing care centers with locations across the country. The indictment alleges that Desiere used her position as the billing and account manager at the Brentwood, Tenn. billing and call center, to fraudulent process and divert customer refunds to bank accounts under her control.
Desiere faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count, and other monetary penalties.
- case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan R. Raybould of the Middle District of Tennessee is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Former Spring Hill Police Officer Indicted for Federal Civil Rights ViolationRead the Press Release
Former Spring Hill Police Officer Christopher Patrick Odom, 27, of Spring Hill, Tennessee, was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury and charged with a criminal civil rights violation for engaging in unwanted sexual contact while on duty as a police officer, announced Jack Smith, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“Every police officer takes an oath to uphold the Constitution and when they circumvent this oath by violating the civil rights of individuals, which they are sworn to protect, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will hold them accountable”, said Acting U.S. Attorney Jack Smith.” “We will always strive to protect the honor and integrity of the many fine men and women of law enforcement who honor their oath and serve and protect our communities every day.”
According to the indictment, on June 25, 2016, while acting under color of law, Odom engaged in unwanted sexual contact with a victim by placing her hand on his penis, in violation of her constitutional right to be free from unwanted sexual contact by a person acting under color of law.
Odom was arrested yesterday afternoon by agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and will make an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate later today.
If convicted, Odom faces up to 12 months in prison and a $100,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and in consultation with the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Henry Leventis and Sara Beth Myers are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Former Monroe County Deputy Sheriff Charged with Stealing Property from A Department of Defense ProgramRead the Press Release
Surplus military supplies purchased by the Sheriff’s Office were missing
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A former Monroe County Deputy Sheriff was charged this week by felony Information with wire fraud for devising a scheme to sell and/or give away surplus military property, obtained from a Department of Defense program, including a camper and ATV, announced United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr.
Larry Dale Martin, 34, of Glasgow, Kentucky, was charged Wednesday with a single count of wire fraud. A date for his initial appearance and guilty plea has not been scheduled with the court.
Martin, while a Deputy with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), coordinated the Department of Defense (DoD) 1033 Program and was responsible for making and submitting MCSO’s online DoD Program property requests.
The program authorized the DoD to transfer excess DoD property to law enforcement agencies for “bona fide law enforcement purposes that assist in their arrest and apprehension mission.” Under the terms of participation, the MCSO could dispose of or sell, for the MCSO’s benefit, most property obtained from the DoD 1033 Program, one year after it was received.
Between December 31, 2011, and 2014, Martin is charged with devising a scheme, by engaging in wire communications, to order property and arrange for pick-up of property from the Program, which Martin allegedly sold or gave away, for his own personal benefit or the benefit of others, without the knowledge of the MCSO. Property included an industrial ice maker, a 2005 Trail-Lite Dual Axle Camper, and a Kawasaki Mule ATV.
If convicted at trial, Martin could have been sentenced to no more than 20 years in prison, fined $250,000 and served a three year period of supervised release.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Weiser and is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Kentucky Attorney General’s Public Integrity Unit.
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The indictment of a person by a Federal Information is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty
Former Melrose Park Police Detective Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Dealing Drugs Stolen from Police Evidence RoomRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former Melrose Park Police Detective has been sentenced to eleven years in federal prison for dealing narcotics stolen from the police evidence room.
In the spring of 2014, GREGORY SALVI obtained a kilogram of cocaine that the Melrose Park Police Department had stored in the evidence room after seizing it during an investigation. He then sold the cocaine to an individual for cash. Later in 2014 and early 2015, Salvi sold additional grams of heroin and cocaine that he had removed from the evidence room.
Salvi, 44, of Melrose Park, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of attempted possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, and one count of carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Judge Amy J. St. Eve on Wednesday sentenced Salvi to 72 months in prison on the drug charge and 60 months in prison for the firearm charge, to be served consecutively.
The sentence was announced by Joel R. Levin, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Michael J. Anderson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“There is no question that defendant’s actions were a disgrace to his police department and a significant breach of the public trust,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick M. Otlewski and Nicole Kim argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Salvi not only breached the trust that his local police department gave him when he swore to uphold and protect the law, but he also breached the community’s trust in him as an officer and in his local police community.”
The gun charge stemmed from an incident in April 2015, when Salvi, carrying a loaded handgun and driving a law enforcement vehicle, went to a storage facility in Hanover Park to obtain approximately five kilograms of cocaine. Salvi intended to transport the cocaine to two individuals in exchange for cash. Unbeknownst to Salvi, the individuals were cooperating with law enforcement.
Former Government Contractor Sentenced to 60 Months for His Participation in Bribery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A former owner of a government contracting company that serviced the Military Sealift Command (MSC) was sentenced to 60 months in prison, and to pay a $15,000 fine, for his participation in a bribery conspiracy from approximately 1999 to 2014, in which he provided a contracting official at MSC with almost $3 million in bribes. Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente of the Eastern District of Virginia made the announcement.
U.S. District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen today sentenced Joseph P. Allen, 56, of Panama City, Florida, following his guilty plea on April 19, to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.
According to the statement of facts included in Allen’s guilty plea, Allen conspired with a government contracting official, Scott B. Miserendino, Sr., 58, formerly of Stafford, Virginia, to use Miserendino’s position at MSC to enrich themselves through bribery. Specifically, beginning in about 1999, Miserendino used his position and influence at MSC to facilitate and expand Allen’s company’s commission agreement with a third-party telecommunications company that sold maritime satellite services to MSC. Unknown to MSC or the telecommunications company, throughout the scheme, Allen paid half of the commissions he received from that telecommunications company to Miserendino as bribes.
For his role in the scheme, Miserendino was charged in a five-count indictment on May 4, with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services mail fraud, one count of bribery, and three counts of honest services mail fraud. His trial is currently scheduled for October 31, before U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca Beach Smith. The charges and allegations against Miserendino contained in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Norfolk offices of the FBI, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Sean F. Mulryne and Molly Gaston of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Haynie of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
Former GSA Official and Husband Sentenced for Nepotism SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former senior official with the General Services Administration and her husband were sentenced today to 18 months and 1 year in prison, respectively, for engaging in a nepotism hiring scheme.
Helen Renee Ballard (aka Renee Ballard), 52, and Robert S. Ballard (aka Steve Ballard), 56, both of Brandywine, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make false statements on March 23. Renee Ballard was the Director of the Central Office Contracting Division of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) from May 2006 to May 2011 and worked for GSA until 2016. From 2010 through July 2014, Renee Ballard and her husband, Steve Ballard, engaged in a scheme to enrich themselves by obtaining employment with federal contractors and the U.S. government through false and misleading statements concerning Steve Ballard’s relation, education, and qualifications. As part of the more than $200,000 scheme, Renee and Steve Ballard fraudulently induced a federal contractor to hire Steve Ballard. The Arlington based contractor then placed Steve Ballard on a federal contract awarded by GSA and supervised by Renee Ballard. Later, Renee Ballard attempted to hire Steve Ballard for a federal civil service position within GSA under her supervision.
In addition, Renee and Steve Ballard caused over 139 false employment applications to be submitted to federal agencies, including the FBI, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, U.S. State Department, U.S. Transportation and Security Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Education, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Labor, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, and the Internal Revenue Service. These applications falsely misrepresented Steve Ballard’s education and qualifications, including that he had earned or taken classes toward a master’s degree and was certified in government contracting at Levels I, II, and III. In order to corroborate these false representations, Renee and Steve Ballard obtained and submitted fake certification documents. Furthermore, the Ballards sent Steve Ballard’s false resume to the Executive Office of the President in an attempt to obtain employment there. Subsequently, Steve Ballard submitted false applications to at least six different private contractors who worked, at times on-site, with the federal agencies, including GSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Co-conspirator Donna C. Hughes, 32, of Lanham, Maryland, who served as a contracting officer at GSA and reported directly to Renee Ballard, pleaded guilty on April 21 in case 1:17-cr-66. Hughes was sentenced today to 1 year of probation for her role in the conspiracy.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Carol Fortine Ochoa, Inspector General, GSA, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Claude Hilton. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Uzo Asonye and Katherine Wong prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:16-cr-136.
Former Eielson Airman Sentenced for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
Fairbanks, Alaska – Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Stephen Wyzatecki, 25, formerly an Airman stationed at Eielson Air Force Base, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline to 38 months in prison, to be followed by an eight-year term of supervised release, for possessing child pornography.
According to documents filed in this case and arguments made at today’s sentencing, on four occasions between November 2015 and April 2016, law enforcement agents identified the defendant’s computer offering files of child pornography through the internet. Law enforcement agents searched the defendant’s residence on Eielson Air Force Base on Oct. 12, 2016. Located on the defendant’s computer were 895 images and 69 videos of child pornography. Among the files possessed by the defendant were videos of prepubescent girls being sexually assaulted, and pictures of the genitalia of children as young as five years old.
When questioned by law enforcement agents, the defendant admitted to searching for and downloading child pornography. The defendant admitted that his use of the file-sharing network to download images of child pornography had been ongoing for approximately one year, that he viewed images weekly, and that the last time he had viewed child pornography was two days before the search.
In pronouncing his sentence, Judge Beistline commented that the images downloaded by the defendant were “graphic and involved numerous young girls” being filmed while they were being sexually assaulted. Judge Beistline noted that every time an image is viewed, the victim shown in that image is “re-victimized.” With his sentence, Judge Beistline sought to protect the children who are molested in order to feed the online marketplace of child pornography. “In Alaska, and throughout the country,” said Judge Beistline, “we just want to protect our children.”
The case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets/Crimes Against Children/Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children through sex trafficking, as well as to identify and recover victims. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Reardon prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of the Department of Justice’s ongoing Project Safe Childhood (PSC) initiative which was launched to increase federal prosecutions of sexual predators of children, and to reduce the number of internet crimes against children including child pornography trafficking. As a part of PSC, the United States Attorney’s Office has teamed with state and local agencies and organizations to increase law enforcement presence on the Internet, and to educate the public about safe internet use,
thereby reducing the risk that children might fall prey to online sexual predators. For additional information on the PSC initiative, please go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov or call the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska and ask to speak with the PSC coordinator.
Former Deputy Sentenced to 240 Months in Federal Prison for Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Kevin Wayne Taylor (40), a resident of Phenix City, Alabama and former Lee County Deputy Sheriff, was sentenced on Thursday, July 27, 2017 to 240 months in federal prison for receipt and possession of child pornography, announced A. Clark Morris, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama. There is no parole in the federal system.
The Alabama State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) arrested Taylor on these charges in August 2016 following an investigation that began when a 10-year-old victim reported that he had inappropriately touched her and taken pictures of her genital area with a cell phone. After receiving the report, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office immediately forwarded it to the SBI who executed a search warrant at Taylor’s residence and seized several computer devices. Some of the devices contained images and videos of child sexual abuse. Evidence indicates that Taylor had been collecting these images for approximately eleven years. When learning of the evidence in this case, Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones promptly terminated Taylor’s employment.
The cell phone used to take pictures of the child victim was not located during the search. Taylor told law enforcement that he had lost the phone and it was damaged. Prior to the investigation, Taylor had applied for a position as a School Resource Officer.
Following his 20-year prison sentence, Taylor will be subject to supervised release for the remainder of his life. Taylor remains in the custody of the United States Marshals pending placement by the Bureau of Prisons.
“Kevin Taylor was a child predator disguised as a law enforcement officer who was charged with protecting our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Morris. “Taylor not only failed to protect our community, but infected our community by preying on children. I thank the agents and prosecutors in this case for their hard work in obtaining such a strong sentence. This prosecution should send a message to others that the protection of our children will always be a priority, and those that victimize our children will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
“No matter who you are, ALEA will pursue criminals that target children,” stated Alabama’s Secretary of Law Enforcement Hal Taylor. “While the vast majority of our law enforcement serve with honor and integrity, those officers that break the law will be treated like every other criminal we investigate.”
Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones stated, “My office will continue its work to identify threats to the community and we will not tolerate anything but professional conduct from those who serve in our ranks. When matters such as this are brought to our attention, we will take swift action and assist agencies in any way possible to ensure these types of crimes are dealt with properly.”
This case was investigated by the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Hollie Worley Reed and Curtis Ivy, Jr., prosecuted the case.
Former Chief Accounting Officer Sentenced to 33 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – The former Chief Accounting Officer for a Memphis business conglomerate was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison. Lawrence J. Laurenzi, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
Jim Tyson "Ty" Jenkins, 46, pleaded guilty in April to mail fraud. According to information presented in court at the time of his guilty plea, Jenkins, the former Chief Accounting Officer for Blake Enterprises, defrauded Blake and an affiliate company, Reliable Finance, of approximately $1.1 million between 2011 and March 2017. Jenkins carried out the fraud by authorizing loans against the cash values of life insurance policies issued by Voya Financial and owned by the Reliable Finance retirement plan.
In addition to his duties as CAO, Jenkins was administrator for Reliable’s retirement plan. Jenkins contacted Voya and requested loans against the policies. Voya mailed loan proceeds checks to Reliable. Jenkins deposited the checks to Reliable bank accounts at First Tennessee Bank and InSouth Bank. Jenkins, who was authorized to transact business on the accounts, thereafter stole the funds by writing checks payable to himself, depositing them to his personal account at Regions Bank, and using the funds for his personal benefit.
On July 28, 2017, the Honorable John T. Fowlkes Jr., sentenced Jenkins to 33 months in federal prison. As part of his sentence, Jenkins was also ordered to pay $999,020.82 in restitution and serve a 3-year term of supervised release following his release from prison.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Carroll L. Andre III prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
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Florida Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Using Stolen IDs to File Fraudulent Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Broward County, Florida tax return preparer pleaded guilty today to conspiring to file and filing fraudulent tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg for the Southern District of Florida.
According to documents filed with the court, Frantz Petit-Dos, 41, owned two tax preparation businesses in Lauderhill, Florida: Imperial Taxation and Multi-Services Corp. and Aleluya Universal Accounting Services Inc., with Luczor Fertilien, 39, and David Joseph, 37. From approximately 2010 through 2016, Petit-Dos, Fertilien and Joseph filed fraudulent returns for their clients seeking refunds to which the clients were not entitled, by reporting fictitious business income, fraudulent education and fuel tax credits and claiming deceased individuals as dependents. They also filed returns in the names of individuals whose identities had been stolen. Petit-Dos did not report the illegal proceeds he received from this scheme on his personal tax returns and admitted to causing a tax loss of more than $550,000. On July 14, Fertilien and Joseph pleaded guilty to their involvement in this scheme.
Petit-Dos is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6 before U.S. District Court Judge William P. Dimitrouleas. He faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison on the conspiracy count and a maximum sentence of three years in prison on the false return count. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. Fertilien and Joseph are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 22.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and Acting U.S. Attorney Greenberg thanked special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Karadbil and Assistant Chief Greg Tortella of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.
Florida Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Using Stolen IDS to File Fradulent Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Broward County, Florida tax return preparer pleaded guilty today to conspiring to file and filing fraudulent tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
According to documents filed with the court, Frantz Petit-Dos, 41, owned two tax preparation businesses in Lauderhill, Florida: Imperial Taxation and Multi-Services Corp. and Aleluya Universal Accounting Services Inc., with Luczor Fertilien, 39, and David Joseph, 37. From approximately 2010 through 2016, Petit-Dos, Fertilien and Joseph filed fraudulent returns for their clients seeking refunds to which the clients were not entitled, by reporting fictitious business income, fraudulent education and fuel tax credits and claiming deceased individuals as dependents. They also filed returns in the names of individuals whose identities had been stolen. Petit-Dos did not report the illegal proceeds he received from this scheme on his personal tax returns and admitted to causing a tax loss of more than $550,000. On July 14, Fertilien and Joseph pleaded guilty to their involvement in this scheme.
Petit-Dos is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6 before U.S. District Court Judge William P. Dimitrouleas. He faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison on the conspiracy count and a maximum sentence of three years in prison on the false return count. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. Fertilien and Joseph are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 22.
Acting U.S. Attorney Greenberg and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg thanked special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Karadbil and Assistant Chief Greg Tortella of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Fifth Defendant Sentenced for Violent Crime Spree Last SummerRead the Press Release
Charlottesville, VIRGINIA – A fifth individual involved in a series of armed robberies last summer in Albemarle and Greene counties was sentenced today in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Charlottesville, Acting United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle announced.
Demetrius Steppe, 20, of Ruckersville, Va., was sentenced today to 180 months in federal prison. Steppe previously pled guilty to two counts of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Steppe was sentenced for his involvement in three armed robberies. The first of these robberies occurred on June 8, 2016 when Steppe, Terence Tyree and Kentavia Jones robbed the Papa John’s Pizza establishment in Greene County. The second robbery occurred on June 12, 2016 when Steppe and Isaiah Wilson robbed the 7-11 convenience store in Albemarle County. In this robbery, used an assault rifle to intimidate and threaten the store clerk. The third robbery occurred on June 17, 2016 when and Tyree returned to the Papa John’s Pizza establishment in Greene County for a second time. During each of these robberies, the defendants – while dressed in all black and wearing masks and gloves – brandished firearms at the clerks and demanded money and cell phones.
In total, these four defendants, as well as Jaquarius Johnson and Chelsea Scott, were responsible for five armed robberies of commercial establishments throughout June and July 2016. The targets were comprised of convenience stores and pizza restaurants in Albemarle and Greene Counties. addition, defendants Terence Tyree, Jaquarius Johnson and Kentavia Jones were responsible for a violent home invasion in Albemarle County occurring on July 18, 2016. separate hearings earlier this week, Terence Tyree, Kentavia Jones, Jaquarius Johnson and Isaiah Wilson were sentenced to federal prison time for their respective roles in the above robberies and the home invasion. For their respective conduct, Tyree, was sentenced to 360 months, Jones was sentenced to 225 months, Johnson was sentenced to 126 months and Wilson was sentenced to 68 months.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Albemarle County Police Department and the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Albemarle County and Greene County Commonwealth Attorneys Offices. Assistant United States Attorneys Ronald M. Huber and Christopher Kavanaugh prosecuted the case for the United States.
Federal, State and Local Effort Yields 19 Indictments for Illegal Possession of Firearms and Federal Drug Charges with Three Additional Cases PendingRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Lawrence J. Laurenzi, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced today 19 indictments charging 22 defendants with illegal possession of firearms and use of firearms during violent crimes.
"At the ‘Fed Up’ press conference, held earlier this week, local, state and federal agencies pledged to exhaust every available resource to bring criminals to justice. These indictments represent our stated commitment to aggressively pursue people who illegally possess firearms. Our community is ‘Fed Up’ with mindless violence and we will work tirelessly to ensure safer communities for all of our citizens," said Lawrence Laurenzi, Acting U.S. Attorney, Western District of Tennessee.
These cases were collective investigative efforts of the Safe Streets Task Force, which includes the Memphis Police Department; Shelby County Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) Task Force includes the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office; Memphis Police Department; the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. These organizations all work jointly to address gun-related crimes through aggressive investigation and prosecution. The PSN Task Force meets weekly to examine every gun crime committed in Shelby County as well as gun crimes from other counties submitted by the ATF.
The charges and allegations in the indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Federal Gun Prosecutions up 23 Percent After Sessions MemoRead the Press Release
Today, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that, following the memorandum from Attorney General Sessions to prioritize firearm prosecutions, the number of defendants charged with unlawful possession of a firearm increased nearly 23 percent in the second quarter of 2017 (2,637) from the same time period in 2016 (2,149).
“Violent crime is on the rise in many parts of this country, with 27 of our biggest 35 cities in the country coping with rising homicide rates,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “Law abiding people in some of these communities are living in fear, as they see families torn apart and young lives cut short by gangs and drug traffickers. Following President Trump’s Executive Order to focus on reducing crime, I directed federal prosecutors to prioritize taking illegal guns off of our streets, and as a result, we are now prosecuting hundreds more firearms defendants. In the first three months since the memo went into effect, charges of unlawful possession of a gun – mostly by previously convicted felons – are up by 23 percent. That sends a clear message to criminals all over this country that if you carry a gun illegally, you will be held accountable. I am grateful to the many federal prosecutors and agents who are working hard every day to make America safe again.”
In February, immediately after the swearing-in of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, President Trump signed an Executive Order that directs the Attorney General to seek to reduce crime and to set up the Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety. The Task Force has provided Sessions with recommendations on a rolling basis. In March, based on these recommendations, Attorney General Sessions sent a memorandum to Department of Justice prosecutors, ordering them to prioritize firearms offenses.
In the three months immediately following the Attorney General’s memo – April, May and June – the number of defendants charged with unlawful possession of a firearm (18 U.S.C. 922) increased by nearly 23 percent compared to those charged over the same time period in 2016. The number of defendants charged with the crime of using a firearm in a crime of violence or drug trafficking (18 U.S.C. 924), increased by 10 percent.
Based on data from the Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA), in Fiscal Year 2016 (starting October 1), 11,656 defendants were charged with firearms offenses under 18 U.S.C. 922 or 924. EOUSA projects that in Fiscal Year 2017, the Department is on pace to charge 12,626 defendants with these firearms crimes. That would be the most federal firearms cases since 2005. It would also be an increase of eight percent from Fiscal Year 2016, 20 percent from 2015, and an increase of 23 percent from 2014.
Federal Grand Jury Returns Multiple Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury today indicted three men on gun charges connected to an April burglary at a Tarrant pawnshop, announced acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Gerido.
A two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges GABRIEL NATHANIEL POWELL, 18, of Center Point, with stealing 17 guns from Scott’s Jewelry and Pawn, a licensed firearms dealer, on April 5, and with selling or trading the 17 stolen guns. The indictment lists the firearms as three Century Arms model NPAPM70 rifles, one Leader Arms model AR 12 shotgun, one Sig Sauer model 716 rifle, six .40-caliber Glock pistols, one .45-caliber Glock pistol, three 9mm Glock pistols and two 10mm Glock pistols.
In separate indictments, the grand jury charged RYAN ARTHUR JOHNSON, 23, and REGINALD LAMAR BONNER, 37, both of Birmingham, with possessing stolen firearms on April 5. Johnson’s indictment charges him with possessing a stolen 10mm Glock model 20 Gen4 pistol. Bonner’s indictment charges him with possessing two stolen Glock handguns, one a 9mm pistol and one a 10mm pistol.
Bonner’s indictment also charges him as a convicted felon in possession of firearms for the two Glock pistols. According to the indictment, Bonner has the following prior convictions: possession of a controlled substance, Jefferson County District Court, 2008; possession of a controlled substance by fraud, Jefferson County Circuit Court, 2009; third-degree burglary and possession of burglar’s tools, Jefferson County Circuit Court, 2011.
The grand jury indicted five other men, in separate indictments, as convicted felons in possession of firearms. Those charges are as follows:
CHASTAN DACE MORROW, 34, of Arab, for possessing a Hi-Point .380 handgun on Oct. 16, 2015, in Marshall County, after being convicted in Humphreys County, Tenn., in 2006, for initiating the manufacture of methamphetamine, and for second-degree assault in Cullman County in 2007.
ANTOINE DORMAN, 29, of Oxford, for possessing a Hunter Arms 20-gauge double-barrel shotgun on Aug. 16, 2016, in Calhoun County, after being convicted of third-degree burglary and third-degree robbery in Calhoun County Circuit Court in 2008, and of third- and second-degree burglary and first-degree receiving stolen property in 2009, also in Calhoun County Circuit Court.
DONTERIO NAVELL KEITH, 27, of Talladega, for possessing a Davis Industries .380-caliber pistol on Jan. 1, 2017, in Talladega County, after being convicted in Talladega County Circuit Court of second-degree receiving stolen property in 2011 and of third-degree burglary in 2012, and being convicted in Clay County Circuit Court of third-degree and first-degree theft of property in 2014.
LOGAN MILAM, 22, of Childersburg, for possessing a Rohm .22-caliber revolver after being convicted of third-degree burglary and second-degree unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance in Talladega County Circuit Court in 2016.
MICHAEL JUSTIN PARKER, 30, of Lincoln, for possessing a Taurus 9mm pistol after being convicted in Talladega County Circuit Court of second-degree unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance in both 2012 and 2009.
The maximum penalty for stealing weapons from a licensed firearms dealer is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for possessing a stolen firearm is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
ATF investigated the cases, which the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama is prosecuting.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Fairfield Man for Avondale CarjackingRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury today indicted a Fairfield man for an armed car-jacking in Birmingham’s Avondale community in March, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David W. Archey.
A two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges MANUEL ALI TOWNS, 28, with taking a Nissan Altima from an individual on March 14 by force, violence and intimidation, and with intent to cause death or serious bodily harm. The indictment identifies the victim of the carjacking by the initials, B.M.D.
The indictment’s second count charges Towns with discharging a firearm during the carjacking.
The maximum penalty for carjacking is 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The penalty for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence is a minimum of 10 years in prison, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed for the crime. The charge carries a maximum $250,000 fine.
The FBI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Simpson is prosecuting.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts 10 Men for Illegally Returning to U.S. After DeportationRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury today indicted 10 men for being in the United States illegally after previous deportation, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Special Agent in Charge Ray Parmer.
Of the 10 indicted for illegal re-entry after deportation or removal, six had been removed from the country following a felony conviction.
Those six are ARMANDO ISRAEL ESCOBAR-JACKES, 39, MARGARITO MARTINEZ-MARTINEZ, 29, NESTOR DANIEL MORALES-GUTIERREZ, 39, SILVINO SANTOS-GARCIA, 39, and JESUS VELASQUEZ-GARCIA, 32, all Mexican nationals, and JULIO GASPAR-RODRIGUEZ, 38, a Guatemalan national.
According to the separate indictments filed in U.S. District Court, the men were removed from the United States as follows:
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Escobar-Jackes in 2007, 2008, 2009, twice in 2011 and, subsequent to a felony conviction, in 2012. He most recently was found in Jefferson County on May 25.
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Martinez-Martinez in 2014 following an aggravated felony conviction. Found in Tuscaloosa County on June 11.
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Morales-Gutierrez in 2009 following a felony conviction. Found in Jackson County on June 19.
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Santos-Garcia in 2015 following a felony conviction. Found in Madison County on July 12.
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Velasquez-Garcia, twice in 2012, one following a felony conviction. Found in Shelby County on July 5.
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Gaspar-Rodriguez in 2001 and, following an aggravated felony conviction, in 2010 and 2011. Found in Jackson County on June 22.
The four other defendants indicted for re-entry after previous removal are WILMER ESEQUIAS DIAZ-DELEON, 34, LEONARDO LUNA, 31, TIMOTEO MONTEJO-SANCHEZ, 40, and CLEIDER ALEX ROJAS-ROULRO, 32, all Mexican nationals.
According to their separate indictments, each previously was removed from the country as follows:
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Diaz-Deleon in 2013. He most recently was found in Morgan County on June 30.
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Luna in 2016 and three times in 2012. Found in Blount County on June 25.
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Montejo-Sanchez four times in 2011. Found in Jefferson County on July 14.
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Rojas-Roulro in 2016. Found in Marshall County on June 10.
ICE investigated the cases, which the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama is prosecuting.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Federal Court Shuts Down Long Island Tax Return PreparersRead the Press Release
A federal court in New York permanently enjoined Elias Linares, Margea Zaldivar, and their businesses Taxes La Universal Corp., Universal Taxes & Staffing Corp. and Taxes La Universal II Corp., from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. Linares and Zaldivar agreed to a civil injunction order entered against them, which requires them and their businesses to cease tax return preparation and notify current and former clients of the injunction.
According to the government’s complaint, Linares and Zaldivar, through their businesses located in Freeport and Roosevelt, New York, routinely prepared federal tax returns for customers that contained false or erroneous claims for education tax credits, fuel tax credits and the Earned Income Tax Credit. For example, the complaint alleges that Linares and Zaldivar falsely claimed education tax credits, including listing the Department of Education as an educational institution at which their customers incurred fictitious educational expenses. During the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) investigation of Linares, Zaldivar, and their businesses, the IRS sent questionnaires to their customers whose returns contained suspicious items, according to the complaint. One of these customers dropped off the IRS’s questionnaire at Taxes La Universal and picked it up when it was completed, according to the complaint. This questionnaire stated that the customer attended a local community college, and during an interview with the IRS, this customer stated that this information was not true, according to the complaint.
The complaint alleges that these types of return preparer misconduct allowed Linares and Zaldivar to understate their customers’ tax liabilities and claim undeserved refunds. As alleged in the complaint, IRS examinations of 51 returns prepared by Linares, Zaldivar, or their businesses show that all 51 contained false or erroneous claims resulting in a collective tax deficiency of over $479,000.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS's Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2017. The IRS has some tips on their website for choosing a tax preparer. In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Edmond Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling $454,000 from Metro Employer and Signing a False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – KAY ANN LOCKE, of Edmond, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and signing a false federal income tax return, in connection with a $454,000 embezzlement from Delta Promotions Team Corporation, a metro company, announced Mark A. Yancey, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.
On July 14, 2017, Locke was charged by information with one count of wire fraud and one count of filing a false federal income tax return. From 2005 until April 2016, Locke worked as a bookkeeper at Delta Promotions Team Corporation in Oklahoma City. As part of her job, Locke could access bank accounts of her employer and use a Delta Promotions credit card for authorized purchases. Today, Locke pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud by using her employer’s credit card for an unauthorized purchase in December 2015 for her personal benefit. As part of her plea, Locke further admitted that she embezzled funds from her former employer from around 2010 through April 2016, and stipulated that the total loss to Delta Promotions from her embezzlement scheme was $454,824.69.
In addition to pleading guilty to wire fraud, Locke pleaded guilty to signing a false tax return. She admitted that on March 15, 2016, she signed a personal federal tax return for the 2015 calendar year that she knew was false because it reported only $29,337 in total income. At today’s plea hearing, Locke admitted that she omitted on the 2015 return more than $120,000 of embezzled income for that year from Delta Promotions. As part of her plea, Locke further admitted that she owes $97,843 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service for taxes owed from 2010 through 2015.
At sentencing, Locke faces up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud count, plus three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Locke also faces up to three years in prison on the tax count, in addition to one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Locke will be sentenced in approximately 90 days. Reference is made to the information and other public filings for further information.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations and United States Secret Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris M. Stephens.
Dunkirk Man Sentenced on Cocaine ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Javier Pagan, Jr., 32, of Dunkirk, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, cocaine, was sentenced to time served by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who handled the case, stated that between 2013 and June 10, 2015, law enforcement officers have been investigating a drug trafficking organization led by defendants David Jesus Pagan and Rafael Burgos, Jr. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that the defendants distributed multiple kilograms of cocaine throughout the Dunkirk area.
Javier Pagan was arrested in June of 2013 along with David Jesus Pagan, Burgos, Samuel Hernandez as well as Alvin Torres, Jr. and Angel Pierluissi. Search warrants were executed at the time of the arrests at six properties which resulted in the recovery of more than seven kilograms of cocaine and approximately $175,000 in cash as well as an AR-15 assault rifle with a 30 round magazine.
All defendants have been convicted in this case.
Today’s sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Office, the Dunkirk Police Department, under the direction of Chief David C. Ortolano, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Joseph A. Gerace, the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy S. Whitcomb, and the Chautauqua County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Patrick Swanson.
Dover Men Federally Indicted for Stealing Twenty Firearms from Dover Pawn ShopRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that a federal grand jury charged Dennell Harrison, 43, and Taron Walker, 32, both of Dover, Delaware, with stealing and conspiring to steal firearms from Capital Pawn, a federally licensed firearms dealer, and with being felons illegally in possession of firearms. The maximum penalties for these charges are ten years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both.
According to the Indictment, Harrison and Walker broke through an exterior wall of Capital Pawn on the evening of November 21, 2016, and stole 20 firearms, including handguns, a shotgun, and semi-automatic rifles.
Acting U.S. Attorney Weiss offered the following statement, “Removing illegal guns from the street continues to be a top priority for the United States Department of Justice in our battle against violent crime. Those who look to traffic in firearms will face severe consequences.”
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Dover Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives are investigating and Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham L. Robinson of the District of Delaware is prosecuting the case. Should anyone have information about any of the missing guns, please contact 1-888-ATF-TIPS.
Dominican National Sentenced for Heroin and Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a heroin and fentanyl trafficking organization operating primarily in Southeastern Massachusetts.
Eric Matos, 37, a Dominican national residing in Lawrence, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to 121 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Matos, who has previously been deported, will be deported again upon completion of his sentence. On March 8, 2017, Matos pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin.
In October 2015, Matos was arrested and charged along with 24 others in connection with a heroin trafficking ring operating in southeastern Massachusetts; an April 2016 superseding indictment brought the number of defendants charged in the case to 26. These charges are the result of a 15-month investigation into heroin and fentanyl trafficking in Taunton and surrounding communities.
Matos supplied at least 200 grams of heroin and at least 296 grams of fentanyl to the drug operation led by co-defendant Dedwin Cruz-Rivera and his brothers Francis Gonsalez-Romero and Manuel Romero-Gonsalez. Matos supplied other heroin and fentanyl dealers as well.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Michael Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Kanwit of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.