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31 August 2017
Eight Members and Associates of the Westside Crips Criminal Street Gang including one Hotel Manager Plead Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy Relating to Narcotics Trafficking, Prostitution and Other CrimesRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Alessandra P. Serano (619) 546-8104 or Joseph Orabona (619) 546-7951
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 31, 2017
SAN DIEGO – Seven alleged gang members and associates of the Westside Crips and one hotel manager of two national brand hotels in Oceanside entered guilty pleas in federal court today, admitting to their participation in a racketeering conspiracy involving narcotics trafficking, prostitution of women and other crimes. One other member pleaded guilty to the same charge last week.
Ameer Roby (aka “Tiny Dum Dum”), Michael Sullivan (aka “Du-Low”), Shane Anderson (aka “Tiny Westwood and aka “Tiny West”), Demetrius McFarland (aka “Mechii Ruu”), Richard Cleveland (aka “Face”), Umesh Oza (aka “Kevin”), and Larry Monroe admitted to their respective membership and association with the Westside Crips, who primarily operated in Oceanside and elsewhere. Peter Miranda (aka “Fat Boy,” “Baby Rocks,” and “Lil’ Burger”) pleaded guilty on August 24, 2017 and admitted to his role in the racketeering conspiracy. Sentencing for all defendants is scheduled for November 27, 2017 before District Judge John A. Houston.
According to court documents, the members of the conspiracy were involved in drug trafficking, prostitution, attempted murder, assaults, and robberies. Their criminal activity primarily occurred between 2004 through February 2017. According to court documents, members of Westside Crips are akin to a crime family, where all members work together committing various crimes for the purpose of making money. The indictment alleges that the defendants took on different responsibilities within the criminal enterprise. Some sold narcotics. Others managed prostitutes and transported them all over the country. The hotel manager provided a safe haven for the alleged gang members to conduct their illegal activities.
For that reason, the defendants are charged with racketeering conspiracy—the statute traditionally used for organized-crime syndicates and mobsters. But as members, associates, and facilitators of criminal street gangs such as these, join forces and become more sophisticated and prolific in their illicit business pursuits, this statute is an effective tool to address all aspects of the criminal conduct.
The four remaining defendants involved in the racketeering conspiracy with the Westside Crips criminal street gang are scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge John A. Houston on September 22, 2017 for a status hearing.
“Gang members and associates and those who assist them continue to plague our community with violence, drugs and other crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Alana W. Robinson. “Our office will continue to use any and all resources to combat the problem.”
“The members of this violent organization were involved in drug trafficking as well as violent crimes,” said DEA San Diego Special Agent in Charge William R. Sherman. “Combining law enforcement resources and getting these violent drug traffickers off the streets is, and will continue to be a DEA priority.”
“The Oceanside Police Department would like to thank the U.S. Attorney's Office and other law enforcement agencies for their collaboration and hard work during this operation,” said Oceanside Police Chief Frank McCoy. “It is collective efforts like this that highlight why the San Diego Region is a model for other law enforcement agencies to emulate, to keep their communities safe.”
“For over a decade, this sophisticated street gang terrorized the streets of Oceanside and the surrounding areas for profit,” said IRS Criminal Investigation’s Special Agent in Charge R. Damon Rowe. “Our agency plays a unique role in federal law enforcement’s resolve to dismantle the criminal gang enterprises terrorizing our streets. Our agents target the profit and financial gains of these organizations, following the money in an effort to disrupt these organizations and bring their members to justice.”
DEFENDANTS Case Number 17cr0270-JAH
Ameer Roby aka “Tiny Dum” Age: 36 Oceanside, CA
Michael Sullivan aka “Du-Low” Age: 33 Oceanside, CA
Peter Miranda aka “Lil’ Burger” Age: 33 Oceanside, CA
Shane Anderson aka “Tiny West” Age: 25 Oceanside, CA
Demetrius McFarland aka “Mecchi Ruu” Age: 23 Oceanside, CA
Richard Cleveland aka “Face” Age: 37 Oceanside, CA
Larry Monroe Age: 59 Oceanside, CA
Umesh Oza aka “Kevin” Age: 32 Oceanside, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 18, United States Code, Section 1962(d) - Conspiracy to Conduct Enterprise Affairs Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity; Title 18, United States Code, Section 1963 - Criminal Forfeiture
Maximum Penalties: 20 years’ incarceration, a fine of $250,000, three years of supervised release
As to Defendant Monroe only:
Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a) – Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine
Maximum Penalties: life in prison with a mandatory minimum 10 years’ incarceration, a fine of $10,000,000, five years of supervised release
AGENCIES
North County Narcotics Task Force
Drug Enforcement Administration
Oceanside Police Department
Internal Revenue Service
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person was sentenced on August 21, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Wacey James Long, age 29, was sentenced to 25 months in custody, followed by 3 years of supervised release, forfeiture of the firearm, and a mandatory special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Long was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 15, 2017. He pled guilty on June 6, 2017.
On September 16, 2016, during the execution of a search warrant, law enforcement found and seized a short-barreled shotgun and drug paraphernalia from the apartment Long resided in with another person. Long admitted to using methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. Because he is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance, he is unable to lawfully possess firearms.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney SaraBeth Donovan prosecuted the case.
Long was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Durham Man Sentenced to Prison on Money Laundering ChargeRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. – A Durham resident was sentenced on August 30, 2017, for money laundering, announced Sandra J. Hairston, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.
DAGLISH OMARI OSORO, 30, of Durham, North Carolina, pleaded guilty on May 1, 2017, to one count of engaging in a monetary transaction involving funds derived from the filing of a fraudulent tax return in the name of a third party. He was sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas D. Schroeder to 17 months imprisonment followed by 3 years supervised release. OSORO was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $184,445.00.
According to court documents and proceedings, OSORO orchestrated a scheme using others to have eleven (11) to fourteen (14) false individual income tax returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service requesting tax refunds be deposited into a Wachovia/Wells Fargo bank account in the name of OSORO and other members of the conspiracy. Of these false tax returns, only one passed the inspection of the IRS so that a tax refund in the amount of $184,495.00 was authorized and wired to the Wachovia/Wells Fargo bank account on November 18, 2011. OSORO contacted his co-conspirators to inform them of the deposit and they then began to withdraw the funds from ATM’s, in-person branch withdrawals in the amounts of $25,000.00 to $48,000.00 and transfers to other accounts. By December 2011, at least $100,000.00 of the tax refund was withdrawn before the bank accounts were closed for fraud and thereby freezing the remaining balance.
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by AUSA Frank Chut and SAUSA Kennedy Gates.
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Dual Canadian/Chinese Citizen Arrested for Attempting to Steal Trade Secrets and Computer InformationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A dual citizen of Canada and China was arrested and charged today in connection with attempting to steal trade secrets and computer information from a Raynham-based medical technology company.
Dong Liu, a/k/a Kevin, 44, was charged in a criminal complaint with one count of attempted theft of trade secrets and one count of attempted access to a computer without authorization and in excess of authorized access with the intent to obtain information from a protected computer. Liu was detained following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston this afternoon.
According to the charging documents, Medrobotics Corporation, which is headquartered in Raynham, Mass., manufactures and markets a unique robot-assisted device that provides surgeons with access to, and visualization of, hard-to-reach places in the human body for minimally invasive surgery. The company has invested millions of dollars in next-generation robotics technology that is not yet patented.
It is alleged that around 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 28, 2017, Medrobotics’ CEO spotted a man, later identified as Liu, sitting in a conference room inside the company’s secured space with what appeared to be three open laptop computers. He was not a company employee or contractor, so the CEO asked Liu whom he was there to visit. Liu named one company employee whom the CEO knew was out of the country for a few weeks; Liu then identified another employee whom the CEO knew had not scheduled such a meeting; Liu then named the CEO himself, which the CEO knew was not to be true.
Liu allegedly claimed to be working with a Chinese patent law firm. He showed the CEO his LinkedIn biography, in which Liu claimed to lead his firm’s intellectual property practice in medical devices, among other things. When police responded to the CEO’s call and talked with Liu, Liu gave conflicting explanations about how he had entered the building. A check of Medrobotics’ visitor log book revealed that neither Liu nor any other visitor had signed into the building that day, despite a company policy that requires visitors to log in.
According to charging documents, Liu told the CEO that he had entered Medrobotics just before 5:00 p.m. Further investigation revealed that Liu had been seen in the company’s lobby taking a video of a monitor displaying public corporate information around 5:00 p.m. and again around 6:00, well before he was discovered in the conference room. The investigation also revealed that Liu had been contacting Medrobotics employees via LinkedIn.
When Liu was arrested by the local police for trespassing, he possessed two laptop computers, an iPad, two portable hard drives, 10 cellphone SIM cards, two digital camcorders, at least two flash drives, and other data equipment. Some of these types of equipment can be used to obtain data from computer networks and to video record otherwise-secret physical documents and products. Further investigation will be required to reveal whether Liu’s attempts to obtain computer information or trade secrets were successful.
The charge of attempted theft of trade secrets provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000, or twice the financial gain or loss, restitution, and forfeiture. The charge of attempted access to a computer to obtain information unlawfully provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000, or twice the financial gain or loss, restitution, and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Raynham Police Chief James W. Donovan; and Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn made the announcement today. Medrobotics cooperated with authorities during the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott L. Garland of Weinreb’s National Security Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Doylestown Man Charged with Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
Eleasar Rodriguez-Torres, a/k/a “Rogelio Rodriguez-Martinez,” of Doylestown, PA, was charged today by Indictment with illegal reentry after deportation, announced Acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen. The indictment alleges that on or about July 31, 2017, Rodriguez-Torres, an alien, and native and citizen of Mexico, was found in the United States after having been deported from the United States on or about August 13, 2009, February 25, 2012, April 23, 2012, November 14, 2012, February 27, 2013, April 1, 2013, and January 27, 2014.
If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of two years.
The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ERO”), and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth M. Schlessinger.
An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Charged with Conspiring and Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS and Al-Nusrah FrontRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today charging Dilshod Khusanov, 31, a citizen of Uzbekistan, with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and al-Nusrah Front, both designated foreign terrorist organizations. The defendant, arrested earlier this morning in Villa Park, Ill., is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge M. David Weisman in Chicago.
Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana J. Boente, Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Rohde for the Eastern District of New York, Assistant Director in Charge William F. Sweeney, Jr. of the FBI’s New York Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Anderson of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office and Commissioner James P. O’Neill of the NYPD made the announcement.
As alleged in the indictment and other court filings, Khusanov belonged to a group of likeminded individuals who provided financial support for persons in the U.S. travel to Syria to join ISIS or al-Nusrah Front. Four other members of this support group and two persons who attempted to travel to Syria to join ISIS have been indicted in a separate related case. The investigation began when Abdurasul Juraboev, one of Khusanov’s co-conspirators, came to the attention of law enforcement. Juraboev posted on an Uzbek-language website that propagates ISIS’s ideology his offer to engage in an act of martyrdom on U.S. soil on behalf of ISIS, such as killing the then President of the U.S. Barack Obama. The investigation subsequently revealed that Juraboev and another co-conspirator, Akhror Saidakhmetov, planned to travel to Turkey and then to Syria for the purpose of waging violent jihad on behalf of ISIS.
Saidakhmetov was arrested on Feb. 25, 2015, at John F. Kennedy International Airport where he was attempting to board a flight to Istanbul, Turkey. Juraboev previously purchased a plane ticket to travel from New York to Istanbul and was scheduled to leave the U.S. in March 2015. Abror Habibov, Dilkhayot Kasimov, Azizjon Rakhmatov and Akmal Zakirov – were charged in the related case with funding Saidakhmetov’s efforts to join ISIS. Juraboev pleaded guilty on Aug. 14, 2015, while Saidakhmetov pleaded guilty on January 19 and Abror Habibov on August 29 – all to charges of conspiring to provide material support to ISIS.
As alleged in the indictment and other court filings, Khusanov, a legal permanent resident of the U.S., helped to fund the efforts of Saidakhmetov and others to join ISIS or al-Nusrah Front. In particular, Khusanov and Zakirov discussed providing their own money to cover Saidakhmetov’s travel expenses. Khusanov also agreed to raise money from others to fund Saidakhmetov’s travel. In the week leading up to Saidakhmetov’s scheduled departure, Khusanov transferred money into Zakirov’s personal bank account, which funds were intended to facilitate Saidakhmetov’s travel to join ISIS. Khusanov and others also provided financial assistance for other persons from the U.S. to join either ISIS or al-Nusrah Front.
If convicted, Khusanov faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. The charges in the superseding indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. If convicted of any offense, the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court after considering the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon, Douglas M. Pravda, Peter W. Baldwin and David K. Kessler of the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Steven Ward of the Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Barry Jonas of the Northern District of Illinois.
Defendant Charged with Conspiring and Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
Earlier today, an indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, charging Dilshod Khusanov with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and al-Nusrah Front, both designated foreign terrorist organizations. The defendant, arrested earlier this morning in Villa Park, Illinois, is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge M. David Weisman at the U.S. Courthouse, 219 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois.
The charges were announced by Bridget M. Rohde, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Dana J. Boente, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), New York Field Office, Michael J. Anderson, Special Agent-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Chicago Field Office, and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD).
“Those who seek to fight for foreign terrorist organizations like ISIS and al-Nusrah Front cannot accomplish their goal without financial support,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Rohde. “This Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will work tirelessly to identify and hold accountable individuals like the defendant who provide such financial support, as well as to eliminate such support.” Ms. Rohde expressed her gratitude to the Chicago FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Chicago Police Department, and the Illinois State Police for their assistance during the investigation.
“As alleged, Khusanov conspired to provide funding enabling multiple terrorists to attempt travel to Syria to join groups like ISIS or al-Nusrah. The FBI has a long history of successfully targeting not only the associates of criminal groups, but also group leadership,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “This case is no different. It demonstrates the Joint Terrorism Task Force’s unwavering commitment to arresting and convicting both those seeking to join terrorist groups and those who conspire to support their efforts.”
“This is the latest example of the work the Joint Terrorism Task Force does every day in New York City to protect us from those seeking to join terrorist organizations or fund their operations,” said Police Commissioner O’Neill. “I’m thankful to the work by the detectives, agents, and prosecutors whose work on this case—and many like it—led to today’s arrest.”
As alleged in the indictment and other court filings, Khusanov belonged to a group of like-minded individuals who provided financial support for persons in the United States to travel to Syria to join ISIS or al-Nusrah Front. Four other members of this support group and two persons who attempted to travel to Syria to join ISIS have been indicted in a separate related case. The investigation began when Abdurasul Juraboev, one of Khusanov’s co-conspirators, came to the attention of law enforcement. Juraboev posted on an Uzbek-language website that propagates ISIS’s ideology his offer to engage in an act of martyrdom on U.S. soil on behalf of ISIS, such as killing then-President of the United States Barack Obama. The investigation subsequently revealed that Juraboev and another co-conspirator, Akhror Saidakhmetov, planned to travel to Turkey and then to Syria for the purpose of waging violent jihad on behalf of ISIS. Saidakhmetov was arrested on February 25, 2015, at John F. Kennedy International Airport where he was attempting to board a flight to Istanbul, Turkey. Juraboev had previously purchased a plane ticket to travel from New York to Istanbul and was scheduled to leave the United States in March 2015. Abror Habibov, Dilkhayot Kasimov, Azizjon Rakhmatov, and Akmal Zakirov were charged in the related case with funding Saidakhmetov’s efforts to join ISIS. Juraboev pleaded guilty on August 14, 2015; Saidakhmetov pleaded guilty on January 19, 2017; and Habibov pleaded guilty on August 29, 2017 – all to charges of conspiring to provide material support to ISIS.As alleged in the indictment and other court filings, Khusanov helped to fund the efforts of Saidakhmetov and others to join ISIS or al-Nusrah Front. In particular, Khusanov and Zakirov discussed providing their own money to cover Saidakhmetov’s travel expenses. Khusanov also agreed to raise money from others to fund Saidakhmetov’s travel. In the week leading up to Saidakhmetov’s scheduled departure, Khusanov transferred money into Zakirov’s personal bank account, which funds were intended to facilitate Saidakhmetov’s travel to join ISIS. Khusanov and others also provided financial assistance for other persons from the United States to join either ISIS or al-Nusrah Front.
If convicted, Khusanov faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security & Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon, Douglas M. Pravda, Peter W. Baldwin, and David K. Kessler are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Assistant United States Attorneys Barry Jonas and Peter Flanagan of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, and Trial Attorney Steven Ward of the Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division of the Department of Justice.
The Defendant:
DILSHOD KHUSANOVAge: 31
Nationality: Uzbekistan
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-475 (WFK)
Decatur Man Indicted for Drug-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury today indicted a Decatur man on drug-trafficking and firearms charges, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and federal Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bret Hamilton.
An indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges JESSIE SANCHEZ, 24, with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in Morgan County between November 2015 and Dec. 14, 2016.
The indictment also charges Sanchez with possessing with intent to distribute at least 50 grams of methamphetamine in two locations in Morgan County on June 9, 2016, and possessing cocaine on that date with intent to distribute it. The indictment further charges Sanchez with possessing a Ruger 9mm pistol on June 9, 2016, in furtherance of the drug possession on that date and the overall drug conspiracy.
On Dec. 14, 2016, Sanchez possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in Morgan County and possessed a Taurus 9mm pistol in furtherance of that drug possession and the larger drug conspiracy, the indictment charges.
The penalty for conspiracy to distribute and for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine is 10 years to life in prison and a $10 million fine. The maximum penalty for possession with intent to distribute cocaine is 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense carries a minimum five-year prison sentence, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed for the crime, and a maximum $250,000 fine.
DEA investigated the case in conjunction with the Decatur Police Department and the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Stuart Burrell is prosecuting the case.
An indictment carries only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Cuong Cao “Calvin” Dang Sentenced to 7 ½ Years in Prison for Role in $37M Cisco Fraud and Related CrimesRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Cuong Cao “Calvin” Dang was sentenced to 90 months in prison for his role in a scheme to sell products stolen from Cisco Systems by its employees, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch, and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Batdorf. The sentence was handed down today in San Jose by the Honorable Edward J. Davila, U.S. District Judge, following the entry of two guilty plea agreements. In the first plea agreement, Dang admitted to running a business that bought and sold merchandise stolen from Cisco. In the second plea agreement, Dang admitted to blackmailing a person by threatening to tell the government about the person’s involvement with the fraud scheme.
According to the plea agreement, Dang, 47, of San Jose, Calif., owned and operated Network Genesis, based in San Jose, from approximately January 2006 until January 23, 2013. Dang admitted to having a small network of Cisco employees who delivered stolen Cisco merchandise to Network Genesis for resale to customers both in and outside California. Dang admitted that, to cover his tracks, he changed the serial numbers on the stolen merchandise and created fraudulent “test sheets” to give to customers. (A test sheet shows the diagnostic information, including the serial number, for a particular part.) Dang also admitted using nominees to launder the illicit proceeds, enabling him to obtain large amounts of cash without having the money go through bank accounts associated with him or his businesses.
On October 30, 2013, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment in which Dang and seven other defendants were charged with various offenses related to Dang’s scheme. For his part, Dang was charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349; six substantive mail fraud counts, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341; two counts of engaging in financial transactions (money laundering) using criminally derived proceeds, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957; and six counts of money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956(a)(1)(A)(i) and (a)(1)(B)(i).
On December 11, 2015, Dang entered into the first of two plea agreements. In this plea agreement, Dang pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, one count of mail fraud, one count of money laundering, and one count of money laundering of criminally derived proceeds. Dang admitted that Network Genesis’s business was “overwhelmingly that of buying and selling merchandise stolen from Cisco” by its employees. Dang also admitted that from January 2006 until Network Genesis was raided by federal law enforcement officers in January 2013, sales revenues totaled approximately $37,000,000. Despite entering into this plea agreement and admitting this criminal conduct, Dang did not cease all of his criminal activity.
As part of his original plea agreement, Dang participated in interviews with agents for the government to provide detailed information about all of his Network Genesis activities. Dang promised to provide details of financial transactions in which he participated and government agents specifically asked Dang about the details of any other instances of potentially unlawful financial transactions in which he may have participated. Instead of providing all such details, Dang and his wife renewed contact with an individual with whom Dang had engaged in financial transactions in the past and blackmailed the individual. Specifically, Dang and his wife demanded that the individual pay $350,000 in exchange for not telling the government about the transactions. With Dang’s agreement, Dang’s wife told the individual that if Dang and his wife were not paid hundreds of thousands of dollars, Dang would “leave [the] name on the list” and tell the government about the individual. Over time, the individual paid approximately $270,000 to Dang and his wife in exchange for Dang’s silence.
On March 9, 2017, a grand jury indicted Dang and charged him with obstruction of justice, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1510; contempt, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 401(3); and blackmail, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 873. Dang pleaded guilty to all three charges yesterday. His wife, Ly Thi Be Le, was also charged in the same indictment with obstruction of justice and blackmail. She pleaded guilty to the blackmail charge. Le’s sentencing is scheduled for December 11, 2017.
Dang’s co-defendants include Loc Xuan Hoang, Thuy Nguyen, Long Pham, Emily Le, David Huynh, and Edwin Lin. Judge Davila has sentenced Loc Xuan Hoang to 14 months’ imprisonment, Thuy Nguyen to 15 months’ imprisonment, Long Pham to 12 months and 1 day in prison, and Edwin Lin to time served. Sentencings for Emily Le and David Huynh, are scheduled to take place in 2018.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Davila also sentenced Dang to serve a three-year period of supervised release. The amount of restitution to the blackmail victim will be determined at the December 11, 2017, sentencing hearing. Judge Davila ordered Dang to begin serving his sentence immediately.
Assistant United States Attorney Amie Rooney is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Elise Etter and Lakisha Holliman. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation, with the assistance of the Santa Clara Regional Enforcement Allied Computer Team (R.E.A.C.T.) Task Force.
Convicted Felon Charged with Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Garrett Marcus Matthews, 32, of Reading, was charged today by indictment[1] with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen. According to the indictment, on March 25, 2017, Matthews was in possession of a Glock GmbH, Model 23, caliber .40 S&W, semi-automatic pistol with serial number PVP005, and a Glock GmbH, Model 27, caliber .40 S&W, semi-automatic pistol with serial number LPH954.
If convicted, Matthews faces a mandatory-minimum term of 15-years’ imprisonment, a maximum term of life imprisonment, up to five-years of supervised release, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a $100 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney José R. Arteaga.
[1] An Indictment or Information is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Convicted Felon Charged with Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Gilbert Lemar Bates, 42, of Philadelphia, was charged today by indictment[1] with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced acting United States Attorney Louis D. Lappen. According to the indictment, on May 11, 2017, Bates was in possession of Ruger, Model P345, .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun bearing serial number 665-04763 and loaded with seven live rounds of .45 caliber ammunition, and on May 18, 2017, Bates was in possession of Smith & Wesson, Model 10-7, .38 caliber revolver bearing serial number 53984, which was loaded with six live rounds of .38 caliber ammunition.
If convicted, Bates faces a maximum term of ten-years’ imprisonment, up to three-years of supervised release, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a $100 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney José R. Arteaga.
[1] An Indictment or Information is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Chula Vista Resident Guilty of Illegal Importation of $3 Million of AbaloneRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie K. Pierson
(619) 546-7976
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 30, 2017
SAN DIEGO – Chula Vista resident Yon Pon Wong pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally importing $3 million of abalone.
In pleading guilty, Wong, doing business as Lucky Company, admitted that he imported the abalone using commercial invoices that falsely identified the seller. The 43 importations Wong referred to occurred between February of 2012, and July of 2015, and involved a total of approximately 67,500 kilograms (148,500 pounds) of abalone. The invoices falsely stated the seller to be Exportadora De Mariscos De Mexico, SA de CV, at the false address of Calle Cubilete No 110, Fracc Capistrano, Tijuana, Mexico. As part of his plea, Wong agreed to forfeit $500,000 of proceeds of the illegal importation.
Abalone is a highly regulated fishery in Mexico. The laws of Mexico require that commercial invoices have sufficient information on them to allow tracking of the seafood to its lawful origin. An invoice lacking the true name and address of the vendor does not permit authorities on either side of the border to trace the origin of the product.
“NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement is committed to the prevention, deterrence, and elimination of illegal trafficking of marine species,” said James Landon, Director of NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement. “It is our priority to protect species, such as abalone, that are listed by NOAA Fisheries as species of concern, or that are identified as threatened or endangered.”
“Wong’s guilty plea represents the commitment of our agents to bring to justice the individuals and companies seeking to defraud the government,” said Dave Shaw, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego. “HSI hopes that the prosecution of seafood import companies and its principals will send a strong message to others seeking to violate U.S. trade laws. HSI will continue to work with its local and international law enforcement partners to enforce these laws.”
“One of the highest priorities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement is to investigate individuals and companies that are involved in the unlawful commercial trafficking and smuggling of protected animals and plants here and around the world,” said Dan Crum, Assistant Special Agent in Charge. “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, along with our agency partners, will work tirelessly to dismantle wildlife trafficking schemes, and ensure that those engaged in the illegal black market are held accountable.”
Wong was ordered to appear before U.S. District Court Judge Larry A. Burns on November 20, 2017, at 9:00 am for sentencing.
DEFENDANT Criminal Case No. 17cr2443-LAB
Yon Pon Wong Age: 65 Chula Vista, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
False Labeling, 16 U.S.C. § 3372(d)(1) and 3373(d)(3)(A)(i)
Maximum penalty: 5 years’ prison, fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss caused by the offense, restitution, forfeiture of proceeds generated from the, three years of supervised release.
AGENCIES
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Law Enforcement
Homeland Security Investigations
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement
Chinese National Sentenced to Three Years for Attempting to Illegally Export High-Grade Carbon Fiber to ChinaRead the Press Release
Fuyi Sun, aka “Frank,” 53, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (China), was sentenced today to three years in prison for violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) in connection with a scheme to illegally export to China, without a license, high-grade carbon fiber, which is used primarily in aerospace and military applications. Sun pleaded guilty on April 21.
Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana J. Boente and Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim for the Southern District of New York made the announcement. U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein issued the sentence.
“Today, Sun is being held accountable for attempting to procure high grade carbon fiber – a material which has dual aerospace and defense applications – for a source he identified as the Chinese military,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Boente. “Identifying and prosecuting those who seek to violate IEEPA and other laws designed to protect our strategic commodities from those who may wish us harm remains a top priority of the National Security Division.”
“For nearly five years, Fuyi Sun tried to skirt U.S. export laws to obtain high-grade carbon fiber for the Chinese government. He spent thousands of dollars and took years of covert actions to avoid detection of his plan to purchase this highly protected material,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kim. “Unbeknownst to Sun, however, he wasn’t making a deal with an unscrupulous company – he was dealing with undercover federal law enforcement agents, who foiled his clandestine plot.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint and Indictment filed against Sun, and statements made in court filings and proceedings in open court:
Since approximately 2011, Sun has attempted to acquire extremely high-grade carbon fiber, including Toray type M60JB-3000-50B carbon fiber (M60 Carbon Fiber). M60 Carbon Fiber has applications in aerospace technologies, unmanned aerial vehicles (commonly known as drones) and other government defense applications. Accordingly, M60 Carbon Fiber is strictly controlled for nuclear non-proliferation and anti-terrorism reasons. As part of these restrictions, the export of M60 Carbon Fiber to China without a license is prohibited.
In furtherance of his attempts to illegally export M60 Carbon Fiber from the U.S. to China without a license, Sun contacted what he believed was a distributor of carbon fiber – but which was, in fact, an undercover entity created by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and “staffed” by HSI undercover special agents (the UC Company). Sun inquired about purchasing the M60 Carbon Fiber without the required license. In the course of his years-long communications with the undercover agents and UC Company, Sun suggested various security measures that he believed would protect them from “U.S. intelligence.” Among other such measures, at one point, Sun instructed the undercover agents to use the term “banana” instead of “carbon fiber” in their communications. Consequently, soon thereafter he inquired about purchasing 450 kilograms of “banana” for more than $62,000. In order to avoid detection, Sun also suggested removing the identifying barcodes for the M60 Carbon Fiber, prior to transshipment, and further suggested that they identify the M60 Carbon Fiber as “acrylic fiber” in customs documents.
On April 11, 2016, Sun traveled from China to New York for the purpose of purchasing M60 Carbon Fiber from the UC Company. During meetings with the undercover agents on April 11 and 12, among other things, Sun repeatedly suggested that the Chinese military was the ultimate end-user for the M60 Carbon Fiber he sought to acquire from the UC Company, and claimed to have personally worked in the Chinese missile program. Sun further asserted that he maintained a close relationship with the Chinese military, had a sophisticated understanding of the Chinese military’s need for carbon fiber, and suggested that he would be supplying the M60 Carbon Fiber to the Chinese military or to institutions closely associated with it.
On April 12, 2016, Sun agreed to purchase two cases of M60 Carbon Fiber from the UC Company. On that date, Sun paid the undercover agents purporting to represent the UC Company $23,000 in cash for the carbon fiber, as well as an additional $2,000 as compensation for the risk he believed the UC Company was taking to illegally export the carbon fiber to China without a license. Sun was arrested the next day.
***
Mr. Boente and Mr. Kim praised the extraordinary investigative work of the New York Field Office of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the New York Field Office of the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement; and the Northeast Field Office of the Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Mr. Kim also thanked the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Podolsky, Patrick Egan and Nick Lewin of the Southern District of New York, and Trial Attorney David Recker of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division are prosecuting the case.
Chinese National Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to 3 Years in Prison for Attempting to Illegally Export High-Grade Carbon Fiber to ChinaRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Dana J. Boente, the Acting Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division of the Department of Justice (“NSD”), announced that FUYI SUN, a/k/a “Frank,” a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (“China”), was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to three years in prison for violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”) in connection with a scheme to illegally export to China, without a license, high-grade carbon fiber, which is used primarily in aerospace and military applications. SUN pled guilty on April 21, 2017, before United States District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, who also imposed today’s sentence.
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “For nearly five years, Fuyi Sun tried to skirt U.S. export laws to obtain high-grade carbon fiber for the Chinese government. He spent thousands of dollars and took years of covert actions to avoid detection of his plan to purchase this highly protected material. Unbeknownst to Sun, however, he wasn’t making a deal with an unscrupulous company– he was dealing with undercover federal law enforcement agents, who foiled his clandestine plot.”
NSD Acting Assistant Attorney General Dana J. Boente said: “Today, Sun is being held accountable for attempting to procure high grade carbon fiber – a material which has dual aerospace and defense applications – for a source he identified as the Chinese military. Identifying and prosecuting those who seek to violate IEEPA and other laws designed to protect our strategic commodities from those who may wish us harm remains a top priority of the National Security Division.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint and Indictment filed against SUN, and statements made in court filings and proceedings in open court:
Since approximately 2011, SUN has attempted to acquire extremely high-grade carbon fiber, including Toray type M60JB-3000-50B carbon fiber (“M60 Carbon Fiber”). M60 Carbon Fiber has applications in aerospace technologies, unmanned aerial vehicles (commonly known as “drones”), and other government defense applications. Accordingly, M60 Carbon Fiber is strictly controlled for nuclear non-proliferation and anti-terrorism reasons. As part of these restrictions, the sale of M60 Carbon Fiber to China without a license is prohibited.
In furtherance of his attempts to illegally export M60 Carbon Fiber from the United States to China without a license, SUN contacted what he believed was a distributor of carbon fiber – but which was, in fact, an undercover entity created by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) and “staffed” by HSI undercover special agents (the “UC Company”). SUN inquired about purchasing the M60 Carbon Fiber without the required license. In the course of his years-long communications with the undercover agents and UC Company, SUN repeatedly suggested various security measures that he believed would protect them from “U.S. intelligence.” Among other such measures, at one point, SUN instructed the undercover agents to use the term “banana” instead of “carbon fiber” in their communications. Consequently, soon thereafter he inquired about purchasing 450 kilograms of “banana” for more than $62,000. In order to avoid detection, SUN also suggested removing the identifying barcodes for the M60 Carbon Fiber, prior to transshipment, and further suggested that they identify the M60 Carbon Fiber as “acrylic fiber” in customs documents.
On April 11, 2016, SUN traveled from China to New York for the purpose of purchasing M60 Carbon Fiber from the UC Company. During meetings with the undercover agents on April 11 and 12, among other things, SUN suggested that the Chinese military was the ultimate end-user for the M60 Carbon Fiber he sought to acquire from the UC Company, and claimed to have personally worked in the Chinese missile program. SUN further asserted that he maintained a close relationship with the Chinese military, had a sophisticated understanding of the Chinese military’s need for carbon fiber, and suggested that he would be supplying the M60 Carbon Fiber to the Chinese military or to institutions closely associated with it.
On April 12, 2016, SUN agreed to purchase two cases of M60 Carbon Fiber from the UC Company. On that date, SUN paid the undercover agents purporting to represent the UC Company $23,000 in cash for the carbon fiber, as well as an additional $2,000 as compensation for the risk he believed the UC Company was taking to illegally export the carbon fiber to China without a license. SUN was arrested the next day.
* * *
SUN, 53, is from Shanghai, China.
Mr. Kim and Mr. Boente praised the extraordinary investigative work of the New York Field Office of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the New York Field US Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office; and the Northeast Field Office of the Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Mr. Kim also thanked the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit and its Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Podolsky, Patrick Egan, and Nick Lewin are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney David Recker of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Cambria County Man Admits He Possessed Pornographic Photos and Videos of ChildrenRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Northern Cambria, Pa. pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of possession of child pornography, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
Anthony P. Mason, Jr., 24, of Northern Cambria, Pa., pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson.
In connection with the guilty plea, on April 19, 2016, Mason knowingly possessed pictures and videos in individual computer graphic files which were produced using prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The computer graphic files were shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.
Judge Gibson scheduled sentencing for December 12, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney John J. Valkovci, Jr., is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Laurel Highlands Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Mason.
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 better 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.
Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun ChargesRead 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 Jose Dejesus, 35, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and being a felon in possession of ammunition before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul C. Parisi, who handled the case, stated that on November 10, 2016, Buffalo Police officers executed a search warrant at 224 Virginia Street. After entering the residence, officers found the defendant in the rear bedroom. Officers recovered 16 envelopes containing heroin, 17 pieces of paper containing cocaine, and a plastic bag of marijuana. Officers also found a digital scale and packaging materials in the rear bedroom as well as a 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition. Dejesus was convicted in state court of a felony in 2003 and is prohibited from legally possessing ammunition.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 14, 2017 before Judge Arcara.
Brazilian National Charged with Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Geovane Jose Ferreira, 34, a Brazilian national, was charged today in federal court in Boston with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
According to the indictment, Ferreira was previously deported on Dec. 17, 2003. On Aug. 2, 2017, law enforcement officers in Essex encountered Ferreira and determined him to be unlawfully present in the United States.
Ferreira faces a sentence of no greater than two years in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Black Elk Energy Offshore Operations LLC. Convicted of Worker Safety and Clean Water Act Violations in Connection to Offshore ExplosionRead the Press Release
Black Elk Energy Offshore Operations LLC (BEE), a privately held limited liability company headquartered in Houston, Texas, was sentenced today on eight felony violations of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) and one misdemeanor count of violating the Clean Water Act before the Honorable U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
The charges stemmed from events causing an explosion in November 2012 on an offshore oil production platform that resulted in the deaths of three workers and injuries to several others. This case is also related to the recent conviction of Wood Group PSN in the Western District of Louisiana for their role in operations on the platform.
In accordance with a plea agreement, the Court ordered BEE to pay a $4.2 million monetary penalty. However, due to BEE’s bankruptcy, the $4.2 million agreed monetary penalty will be a general unsecured claim against BEE’s bankruptcy estate entitled to a pro rata distribution from the trust with other allowed unsecured claims against BEE. On Aug. 11, 2015, four of BEE’s creditors filed an involuntary chapter 7 bankruptcy case against BEE in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. The case converted to a voluntary chapter 11 case shortly thereafter. Under a Chapter 11 plan of liquidation confirmed on July 13, 2016, BEE’s assets were transferred into two trusts, and a trustee will administer distributions to creditors from funds in one of the trusts.
According to the court documents, beginning on Nov. 3, 2012, after pipeline repairs, BEE undertook platform repairs to include replacing equipment and installing a divert valve on the platform’s Lease Automatic Custody Transfer (LACT) unit and tying it into the sump line piping. The LACT system was the last point in the production process prior to the oil leaving West Delta 32 and entering the sales transmission pipeline.
Some of the construction projects on West Delta 32 required “hot work,” or welding, grinding, and/or any other activity that may produce a spark. Hot work on an oil production facility is a hazardous activity capable of causing injury or death. Title 30 of the Code of Federal Regulations requires that written permission, commonly referred to as a “hot work permit,” be issued by the welding supervisor or designated person in charge (PIC) before any hot work on a production platform begin. At a maximum, a hot work permit is valid for 12 hours. Once a hot work permit expires, all the precautionary steps should be complete before a new hot work permit is issued.
Starting on or about Nov. 8, 2012, Christopher Srubar, a co-defendant and Wood Group PSN employee and West Delta 32 PIC, issued hot work permits for the construction work related to the West Delta 32 projects. However, Srubar stopped issuing hot work permits and conducting all-hands safety meetings and instead delegated the permitting to the Wood Group PSN “C” operator. Neither Srubar nor the “C” operator conducted a daily pre-work inspection with the construction crew, staffed by Grand Isle Shipyards (GIS), nor did they designate a fire watch for the hot work areas.
On or about Nov. 15, 2012, hot work commenced on the LACT unit with the knowledge of co-defendants Don Moss and Curtis Dantin. Moss and Dantin did not ask Srubar if he completed a safety check of the area. In addition, they did not complete a pre-work inspection or issue a warning to the GIS crews to step welding on the sump line piping. Instead, Dantin instructed some of the crew to begin the welding of the sump line piping for the LACT unit upgrade. The single hot work permit the “C” operator issued for Nov. 16 did not state that the LACT unit or sump line piping as areas that were safe for hot work.
Workers started to make cuts to the sump line piping leading to the Wet Oil Tank, causing liquid to spill from the piping. At approximately 9:00 a.m., hydrocarbon vapors that escaped from the Wet Oil Tank ignited, causing a series of explosions in the three oil tanks on the platform. The fire and explosions resulted in the deaths of GIS employees Avelino Tajonera, Elroy Corporal, and Jerome Malagapo. Other workers were seriously burned and physically injured.
BEE admitted that its employees and agents were negligent in the manner in which they planned and executed the hot work on West Delta 32 platform, and that the acts of their agents and employees violated the regulations in 30 C.F.R. § 250.113 promulgated under the OCSLA.
Co-defendant GIS faces manslaughter charges, and Dantin, Srubar, and Moss face criminal violations of the Clean Water Act in the Eastern District of Louisiana. The OCSLA charges against GIS, Moss, Srubar, and Dantin, were dismissed by the district court and are pending an interlocutory appeal by the government to the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, argued on May 1, 2017.
The U.S. Department of the Interior-Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-CID conducted the investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Greenfield and Nicholas Moses, and Senior Trial Attorney Kenneth Nelson of the Environment and Natural Resources Division prosecuted the case.
Baton Rouge Woman Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
BATON ROUGE, LA – Acting United States Attorney Corey R. Amundson announced today that DORIS S. PITCHER, age 66, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge James J. Brady to theft of government funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641. As a result of her conviction, PITCHER faces a potential prison term of up to ten years as well as restitution.
PITCHER’s mother received monthly Retirement Survivor Insurance (“RSI”) benefit payments from the United States Social Security Administration (“SSA”). In approximately 1989, PITCHER became the authorized payee of these benefit payments on behalf of her mother. As the authorized payee, PITCHER was supposed to use the funds to assist in paying for her mother’s food, housing, clothing, medical expenses, personal items, and other expenses. Another of PITCHER’s responsibilities was to inform SSA when her mother died so that they could terminate the benefit payments.
In May 2000, PITCHER’s mother died; however, PITCHER did not notify the SSA about her death. Instead, from approximately 2000 through 2015, the defendant continued to receive the monthly RSI benefit payments in Baton Rouge on behalf of her mother. The monthly payments from the SSA ranged from $244 to $296 per month. In total, the defendant received $49,863 on behalf of her mother, after her mother’s death.
Acting U.S. Attorney Amundson stated: “Federal benefit fraud continues to be a tremendous problem in the United States. When criminals steal funds intended for legitimate purposes, their conduct victimizes not only our federal agencies but also all taxpayers. Our office will continue to work in conjunction with the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General to aggressively identify and prosecute defendants like this who mistakenly believe that their theft of government money will go undetected.”
This investigation was handled by the United States Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Brady Casey.
Authorities Announce Formation of Working Group to Fight Hurricane Harvey-Related Illegal ActivityRead the Press Release
Representatives from numerous federal and state law enforcement agencies have formed a working group to investigate and prosecute illegal activity related to Hurricane Harvey.
Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez made the announcement along with Acting U.S. Attorney Corey R. Amundson of the Middle District of Louisiana, who serves as the Acting Executive Director of the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF); Harris County District Attorney (DA) Kim Ogg; Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton; Director Shamoil T. Shipchandler of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Fort Worth Regional Office; Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of the FBI; Special Agent in Charge David Green of the Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Special Agent in Charge D. Richard Goss of IRS Criminal Investigations (CI); Special Agent in Charge Douglas W. Thigpen of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS); Regional Director Dama Brown of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
“This disaster has brought and will continue to bring unprecedented human and financial loss to our communities, and victims of this event have already suffered staggering devastation,” said Martinez. “The last thing that victims of this damage need is to be victimized again. Under the lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina, we bring a comprehensive law enforcement focus to combat any criminal activity arising from the tragedy of Hurricane Harvey and the rebuilding efforts underway.”
While each of these agencies has a history of working together, bringing them together into one focused group is an optimal way to address the varied threats resulting from Hurricane Harvey. The working group will involve all levels of law enforcement and includes representatives from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, NCDF, Harris County DA’s Office, Texas Attorney General’s Office, SEC, FBI, DHS-OIG, HSI, IRS-CI, USSS, FTC and the ATF.
Authorities are already receiving calls about scams in our area and have forwarded complaints to the relevant agencies.
“We intend to use all of the resources at our disposal to both help our registrants and to hold those accountable who try to use this disaster to take advantage of other people,” said Chairman Jay Clayton of the SEC. “There is no place for fraud or shady practices in the rebuilding and recovery of the communities in Texas and Louisiana that have been affected by Hurricane Harvey.”
“As we all work to rebuild the Houston/Gulf Coast region and look for ways to help, it's important to perform due diligence before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations or individuals offering to provide assistance to those affected by Harvey, whether the solicitations are in person, via email or telephone,” said Turner. “The FBI is dedicated to investigating and preventing this type of fraud, especially when it involves preying on individuals during times of great need.”
“As we have witnessed throughout this disaster, the best of the American spirit shines through with neighbors and strangers helping one another. Sadly, at the same time, these situations also bring out those that would try to prey upon those who are willing to give of themselves to help out,” said Dawson. “Rest assured that HSI will, in coordination with our fellow law enforcement partners, bring its investigative resources to bear to stop those that would seek to take advantage of this situation for their personal and illegal gain.”
Natural disasters often bring out the best in human compassion and spirit, they can also lead to unscrupulous individuals and organizations taking advantage of those in need of and/or providing government services. Examples of typical illegal activity under the jurisdiction of each of the agencies in the working group include:
- Impersonation of federal law enforcement officials
- Identity theft
- Fraudulent submission of claims to insurance companies and the federal government
- Fraudulent activity related to solicitations for donations and charitable giving
- Fraudulent activity related to individuals and organizations promising high investment returns from profits from recovery and cleanup efforts
- Price gouging
- Theft, looting, and other violent crime
Consumers also can report scams and other consumer issues to the FTC and get help if they think they may be a victim of identity theft.
Members of the public are encouraged to contact the NCDF to report all types of disaster fraud. The U.S. Department of Justice established the NCDF following Hurricane Katrina when billions of dollars in federal disaster relief poured into the Gulf Coast region. Its mission has expanded to include suspected fraud from any natural or manmade disaster and includes more than 30 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The team includes law enforcement agents who review those reports and make referrals to the appropriate investigative agencies. The NCDF provides de-confliction, coordination and expertise in handling disaster fraud matters and is focused on protecting disaster victims and any funds dedicated to disaster victims.
The Disaster Fraud Hotline is 1-866-720-5721 and is staffed by a live operator 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Members of the public can also send an email or fax information to 225-334-4707.
In addition, the Texas Attorney General’s Office is asking Texans to please contact their Consumer Protection Division and file a complaint if they feel they have encountered price gouging or have been scammed or fall victim to a charities fraud. They can call the toll-free hotline at 800-621-0508, send an email or file a complaint on via the web.
The SEC provided this information yesterday and continues to monitor the market impact of Hurricane Harvey and encourage affected entities and investment professionals to contact Commission staff with questions and concerns.
For additional information, you may also visit FEMA’s Hurricane Harvey resource page.
The Department of Justice also announced yesterday Tips on Avoiding Fraudulent Charitable Contribution Schemes.
Authorities Announce Formation of Working Group to Fight Hurricane Harvey-Related Illegal ActivityRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - Representatives from numerous federal and state law enforcement agencies have formed a working group to investigate and prosecute illegal activity related to Hurricane Harvey.
Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez made the announcement along with Acting U.S. Attorney Corey R. Amundson of the Middle District of Louisiana who serves as the Acting Executive Director of the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF), Harris County District Attorney (DA) Kim Ogg, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Director Shamoil T. Shipchandler of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) - Fort Worth Regional Office, Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of the FBI, Special Agent in Charge David Green of the Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG), Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Special Agent in Charge D. Richard Goss of IRS – Criminal Investigations (CI), Special Agent in Charge Douglas W. Thigpen of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Regional Director Dama Brown of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
“This disaster has brought and will continue to bring unprecedented human and financial loss to our communities, and victims of this event have already suffered staggering devastation,” said Martinez. “The last thing that victims of this damage need is to be victimized again. Under the lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina, we bring a comprehensive law enforcement focus to combat any criminal activity arising from the tragedy of Hurricane Harvey and the rebuilding efforts underway.”
While each of these agencies has a history of working together, bringing them together into one focused group is an optimal way to address the varied threats resulting from Hurricane Harvey. The working group will involve all levels of law enforcement and includes representatives from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, NCDF, Harris County DA’s Office, Texas Attorney General’s Office, SEC, FBI, DHS-OIG, HSI, IRS-CI, USSS, FTC and the ATF.
Authorities are already receiving calls about scams in our area and have forwarded complaints to the relevant agencies.
“We intend to use all of the resources at our disposal to both help our registrants and to hold those accountable who try to use this disaster to take advantage of other people,” said Chairman Jay Clayton of the SEC. “There is no place for fraud or shady practices in the rebuilding and recovery of the communities in Texas and Louisiana that have been affected by Hurricane Harvey.”
"As we all work to rebuild the Houston/Gulf Coast region and look for ways to help, it's important to perform due diligence before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations or individuals offering to provide assistance to those affected by Harvey, whether the solicitations are in person, via email or telephone,” said Turner. “The FBI is dedicated to investigating and preventing this type of fraud, especially when it involves preying on individuals during times of great need.”
“As we have witnessed throughout this disaster, the best of the American spirit shines through with neighbors and strangers helping one another. Sadly, at the same time, these situations also bring out those that would try to prey upon those who are willing to give of themselves to help out,” said Dawson. “Rest assured that HSI will, in coordination with our fellow law enforcement partners, bring its investigative resources to bear to stop those that would seek to take advantage of this situation for their personal and illegal gain.”
Natural disasters often bring out the best in human compassion and spirit, they can also lead to unscrupulous individuals and organizations taking advantage of those in need of and/or providing government services. Examples of typical illegal activity under the jurisdiction of each of the agencies in the working group include:
· Impersonation of federal law enforcement officials
· Identity theft
· Fraudulent submission of claims to insurance companies and the federal government
· Fraudulent activity related to solicitations for donations and charitable giving
· Fraudulent activity related to individuals and organizations promising high investment returns from profits from recovery and cleanup efforts
· Price gouging
· Theft, looting, and other violent crime
Consumers also can report scams and other consumer issues to the FTC and get help if they think they may be a victim of identity theft.
Members of the public are encouraged to contact the NCDF to report all types of disaster fraud. The U.S. Department of Justice established the NCDF following Hurricane Katrina when billions of dollars in federal disaster relief poured into the Gulf Coast region. Its mission has expanded to include suspected fraud from any natural or manmade disaster and includes more than 30 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The team includes law enforcement agents who review those reports and make referrals to the appropriate investigative agencies. The NCDF provides de-confliction, coordination and expertise in handling disaster fraud matters and is focused on protecting disaster victims and any funds dedicated to disaster victims.
The Disaster Fraud Hotline is 1-866-720-5721 and is staffed by a live operator 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Members of the public can also send an email or fax information to 225-334-4707.
In addition, the Texas Attorney General’s Office is asking Texans to please contact their Consumer Protection Division and file a complaint if they feel they have encountered price gouging or have been scammed or fall victim to a charities fraud. They can call the toll-free hotline at 800-621-0508, send an email or file a complaint on via the web.
The SEC provided this information yesterday and continues to monitor the market impact of Hurricane Harvey and encourage affected entities and investment professionals to contact Commission staff with questions and concerns.
For additional information, you may also visit FEMA’s Hurricane Harvey resource page.
The Department of Justice also announced yesterday Tips on Avoiding Fraudulent Charitable Contribution Schemes.
Various personnel will also be available for any additional information, comments or interviews regarding this effort. Members of the media wishing to speak with anyone are asked to send an email with your request and preferred times and the office will respond accordingly.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions to Speak at 30th Annual Law Enforcement ConferenceRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Steve Butler of the Southern District of Alabama announces that United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions will be the keynote speaker at the 30th annual Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee (LECC) conference. The United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern, Northern, and Middle Districts of Alabama are sponsoring the conference. The Southern District is hosting the event.
Attorney General Sessions will be speaking at 11:00 a.m., September 1, 2017, in the Grand Ball Room of the Perdido Beach Resort, 27200 Perdido Beach Boulevard, Orange Beach, AL.
The media is invited to attend this portion of the conference only. Preset for the media will take place at 10:00 am and final access is set for 10:30 am. For further information, contact Eric Day (USAO Public Information Officer) at 251-709-6565 or Tommy Loftis (FBI Public Affairs Specialist) at 251-654-7104.
Atlanta Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Smuggle Cocaine through Cyril E. King AirportRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Makimba Barry, 41, of Atlanta, Ga., pleaded guilty today before District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute not less than 50 and not more than 150 kilograms of cocaine, Acting United States Attorney Joycelyn Hewlett announced. Sentencing is scheduled for January 4, 2018.
According to the plea agreement filed with the court, Barry was a member of a drug trafficking organization from 2011 through 2016. During the course of the conspiracy, Barry was responsible for 32 shipments of more than 236 kilograms of cocaine from St. Thomas to Florida. On each smuggling operation, Barry traveled from Miami to St. Thomas where he would pick up 10 or more kilograms of cocaine. The following day, Barry would deliver the cocaine and partial payment to Neal Chesterfield, then immediately return to Florida. Chesterfield, a law enforcement officer, would then smuggle the cocaine through the Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas using his work credentials to bypass United States Customs and TSA. Chesterfield, who was paid $2,750 per kilogram of cocaine, was arrested on September 3, 2016 minutes before boarding a Spirit Airlines flight to Ft. Lauderdale. In his possession was approximately 22 kilograms of cocaine and over $26,000 in cash that he had received as payment from Barry.
Barry faces a sentence of not less than 10 years in prison and not more than life, and a fine of up to $10 million. Barry remains detained pending sentencing.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Delia Smith.
Alleged Marijuana Growers in Siskiyou County Charged for Conspiring to Bribe SheriffRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Chi Meng Yang, 31, of Montague, and his sister Gaosheng Laitinen, 36, of Mt. Shasta Vista, were charged today for conspiring to commit bribery, bribery of a public official, conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, and manufacturing marijuana, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to the criminal complaint, on May 17, 2017, Yang met with Siskiyou County Sheriff Jon Lopey in Yreka. During the meeting, Yang offered $1 million to the Sheriff in exchange for his assistance with an interstate marijuana distribution business that Yang and others were in the process of organizing. Yang explained his role to be that of a representative for several families, himself included, that were currently cultivating marijuana in Siskiyou County. After the meeting, the Sheriff immediately reported it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Federal agents asked the Sheriff to continue meeting with Yang.
At the request of, and in conjunction with the FBI and DEA, the Sheriff contacted Yang and indicated a willingness to work with him and the marijuana growers he represented. The subsequent meetings were audio and video recorded by the FBI. Laitinen attended some of those meetings. During those meetings, Yang and Laitinen talked with the Sheriff about how he could assist them. Because Yang’s offer of $1 million was contingent on Yang securing and profiting from certain out-of-state marijuana licenses, Yang and Laitinen promised to pay the Sheriff a total of $80,000 if he would exempt eight properties from the Siskiyou County ban against outdoor marijuana grows. They sought protection from raids or other law enforcement actions on these eight properties where outdoor marijuana was being grown. In furtherance of this plan, Yang and Laitinen gave the Sheriff several initial payments, totaling $10,500 in cash. These funds were immediately turned over to the FBI as evidence.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), North State Marijuana Investigation Team (NSMIT), Tehama Interagency Drug Enforcement (TIDE), Shasta Interagency Narcotics Task Force (SINTF), Siskiyou Unified Major Investigations Team (SUMIT), and California Highway Patrol (CHP). Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael M. Beckwith is prosecuting the case.
Yang was arrested today and is scheduled to make an initial court appearance on September 1, 2017, in Sacramento. If convicted of the charges in the complaint, Yang and Laitinen face the following maximum statutory penalties: (1) five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy charge; (2) 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the bribery charge; and (3) a minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine for the drug charges. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
3 Defendants Charged with Distributing Kilogram Quantities of CocaineRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA – A federal indictment was unsealed last week charging Rafeal Lateef Baker, also known as “Channel 4,” age 42, of Brunswick, Georgia, Takashia Atkinson, age 31, of Brunswick, Georgia, and Kenneth Anthony Moore, also known as “Smooth”, age 47, of Freeport, Texas, with conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
Baker, who was already serving a supervised release sentence for a prior federal drug trafficking conviction, was arrested last week in Brunswick, Georgia, and was detained pending trial. Moore was arrested last week by FBI agents in Freeport, Texas, and remains in custody pending transport from Texas to the United States District Court in Brunswick, Georgia. Atkinson remains a fugitive despite efforts by law enforcement to locate and arrest her. Anyone with information about the location of Atkinson are encouraged to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Brunswick Police Department.
The indictment of Baker, Atkinson and Moore was part of “Operation Bloody Prince,” a law enforcement operation targeting gang activity and drug trafficking in and around Brunswick. Acting United States Attorney Durham noted that the indictment is only an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the Government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation of Baker, Moore and Atkinson was led by the FBI’s Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force, the Glynn County Police Department and the Brunswick Police Department, with assistance from the FBI in Houston as well as the Houston Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Brian T. Rafferty is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. For additional information, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (912) 201-2522.
30 August 2017
Wilkes-Barre Man Indicted on Drug Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Larry Gilliam, age 36, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania was indicted on August 29, 2017, by a federal grand jury for carefentail and heroin trafficking as well as possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that Gilliam sold heroin laced with carfentanil on July 19 and 21, 2017, and possessed with intent to distribute carfentanil and heroin on July 22, 2017. The indictment also alleges that Gilliam possessed three firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activity. Gilliam is also charged with unlawfully possessing an AK-47 pistol, a Springfield semi-automatic pistol and a Smith and Wesson semi-automatic pistol as a previously convicted felon.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Kingston and Wilkes-Barre Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney Evan Gotlob is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case was also brought as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Partnership (“VCRP”), a district wide initiative to combat the spread of violent crime in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the VCRP consists of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies whose mission is to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes with firearms.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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West Hartford Man Admits Importing Pill Press from China to Make Fake Oxycodone Pills Containing HeroinRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that PABLO TEXIDOR, 40, of West Hartford, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to importing a tableting machine and tableting dies to manufacture fake oxycodone pills that contain heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 15, 2017, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials inspected a parcel from China that was being shipped to TEXIDOR’s West Hartford residence. The parcel, which was described as containing “machine spare parts,” contained one set of tablet press dies.
Pill presses are often used by individuals engaged in the manufacturing of distribution-quantities of pills or capsules. A pill die is used with a pill press to cut and mark tablets.
The investigation revealed that five parcels had been shipped previously from China to TEXIDOR’s residence. Four of the parcels were described as containing “machine spare parts,” and one parcel was described as containing a “hole puncher machine for sample.”
On March 30, 2017, DEA agents searched TEXIDOR’s residence and seized a tableting press, seven pill dies, 99 fake oxycodone pills, a bag containing approximately four grams of heroin, and a bag containing approximately 500 grams of a binding powder. A subsequent lab test revealed that the pills contained no oxycodone, but instead contained heroin.
TEXIDOR pleaded guilty to one count of importation of any product used to manufacture a controlled substance, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of four years. Judge Shea scheduled sentencing for November 28, 2017.
TEXIDOR was released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the DEA’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad, Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with the assistance of the West Hartford Police Department. The DEA Tactical Diversion Squad includes officers from the Bristol, Greenwich, Hamden, Milford, New Haven, Shelton, Vernon and Wilton Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Spector.
Two Charged in Federal Court with Smuggling Counterfeit CigarettesRead the Press Release
Benjamin G. Greenberg, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Justin D. Green, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA OCI), Miami Field Office; Mark Selby, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Miami Field Office; and Scott Israel, Sheriff, Broward County Sheriff’s Office (BSO), announced that Abhishek Shukla and Harish Shabhai Panchal, both citizens of India, appeared in Federal District Court in Miami today to be formally arraigned on an indictment charging them and two companies, Jubilee Tobacco Industries Corp., and Pelican Tobacco (India) Private Limited, both incorporated under the laws of India, with conspiring to smuggle counterfeit cigarettes into the United States.
According to the indictment, the defendants are charged with conspiring with the intent to defraud and mislead, and selling and dispensing and causing the sale and dispensing of a counterfeit tobacco product, to wit cigarettes, the containers and labeling of which bore the trade name of Newport cigarettes, a tobacco product listed with the FDA pursuant to Title 21, United States Code, Section 387(e)(i)(1), in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 331(qq)(3) and 333(a)(2), and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2 (Counts 2 and 4); and that they intentionally trafficked in goods, that is approximately 68,600 cartons of cigarettes, while knowingly using a counterfeit mark on and in connection with such cigarettes, the use of which counterfeit marks was likely to cause confusion, to cause mistake, and to deceive. The counterfeit marks were spurious marks identical to and substantially indistinguishable from the marks of the United States domestic manufacturer of Newport brand cigarettes, which marks were then in use by and registered to that manufacturer on the principal register of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2320(a) and 2 (Counts 3 and 5).
Shukla and Panchal each face the following potential prison sentences: up to five years on Count 1, up to three years on Counts 2 and 4, and ten years on each of Counts 3 and 5. Additionally, they face possible fines of up to $250,000 on each count, followed by supervised release of up to five years. Jubilee faces a fine of up to $500,000 on Count 1 and Pelican faces a possible fine of $500.000 per Count. This case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Kathleen M. Williams.
According to court records, including allegations contained in the indictment, beginning as early as March 2015 and continuing through August 16, 2017, the defendants initiated contact with an individual cooperating with FDA-OCI, offering counterfeit cigarettes for sale. Through internet negotiations, agreement was reached for a 20-foot container to be shipped from India to Miami, Florida, laden with counterfeit Newport brand cigarettes. Payment for the shipment was made in installments through international wire transfers to bank accounts in India and in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. On November 1, 2016, the container arrived in the USA and was seized with the assistance of United States Customs and Border Protection Officers at the Port of Miami. If distributed in the State of Florida, the un-taxed importation would have an approximate value of $1.2 million. Analysis conducted by FDA’s Forensic Chemistry Center concluded that the cartons, packs, and cigarettes were all counterfeit.
Within two weeks of the arrival, the coconspirators sought out the undercover agents offering another shipment, twice as large. By April 2017, deposits totaling $55,000 had been made to accounts in the name of Pelican for counterfeit Newport cigarettes. On June 9, 2017, the container arrived at the Port of Miami and was seized with the assistance of United States Customs and Border Protection Officers, and turned over to FDA Special Agents. If distributed in the State of Florida, the un-taxed importation would have an approximate value of $3.2 million.
According to acts described in the conspiracy charge, Shukla and Panchal travelled to Miami in August 2017 to meet with the undercover agents in order to promote further business dealings. During the recorded meeting, they advised the agents that they had been partners for twelve years and personally oversaw the production of all the product being offered. They also assured the agents that they could counterfeit any American-made menthol cigarette with no problem, as well as other trademarked brands and that they could produce tobacco blends which would closely match the legitimate product.
An indictment merely contains accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of FDA OCI, ICE-HSI and BSO, for their assistance with this long-term investigation. Mr. Greenberg also thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection for their support. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Watts-FitzGerald of the Economic & Environmental Crimes Section.
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.
Tips on Avoiding Fraudulent Charitable Contribution SchemesRead the Press Release
The National Center for Disaster Fraud reminds the public to be aware of and report any instances of alleged fraudulent activity related to relief operations and funding for victims. Unfortunately, criminals can exploit disasters, such as Hurricane Harvey, for their own gain by sending fraudulent communications through email or social media and by creating phony websites designed to solicit contributions.
Tips should be reported to the National Center for Disaster Fraud at (866) 720-5721. The line is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additionally, e-mails can be sent to [email protected], and information can be faxed to (225) 334-4707.
The U.S. Department of Justice established the National Center for Disaster Fraud to investigate, prosecute, and deter fraud in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when billions of dollars in federal disaster relief poured into the Gulf Coast region. Its mission has expanded to include suspected fraud from any natural or manmade disaster. More than 30 federal, state, and local agencies participate in the National Center for Disaster Fraud, which allows the center to act as a centralized clearinghouse of information related to disaster relief fraud.
The public should remember to perform due diligence before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations or individuals offering to provide assistance to those affected by the hurricane and tornadoes. Solicitations can originate from social media, e-mails, websites, door-to-door collections, flyers, mailings, telephone calls, and other similar methods.
Before making a donation of any kind, consumers should adhere to certain guidelines, including:
- Do not respond to any unsolicited (spam) incoming e-mails, including clicking links contained within those messages, because they may contain computer viruses.
- Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as members of charitable organizations or officials asking for donations via e-mail or social networking sites.
- Beware of organizations with copy-cat names similar to but not exactly the same as those of reputable charities.
- Rather than follow a purported link to a website, verify the legitimacy of nonprofit organizations by utilizing various Internet-based resources that may assist in confirming the group’s existence and its nonprofit status.
- Be cautious of e-mails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files because the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
- To ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes, make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.
- Do not be pressured into making contributions; reputable charities do not use such tactics.
- Be aware of whom you are dealing with when providing your personal and financial information. Providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.
- Avoid cash donations if possible. Pay by credit card or write a check directly to the charity. Do not make checks payable to individuals.
- Legitimate charities do not normally solicit donations via money transfer services. Most legitimate charities’ websites end in .org rather than .com.
Tips on Avoiding Fraudulent Charitable Contribution SchemesRead the Press Release
The National Center for Disaster Fraud reminds the public to be aware of and report any instances of alleged fraudulent activity related to relief operations and funding for victims. Unfortunately, criminals can exploit disasters, such as Hurricane Harvey, for their own gain by sending fraudulent communications through email or social media and by creating phony websites designed to solicit contributions.
Tips should be reported to the National Center for Disaster Fraud at (866) 720-5721. The line is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additionally, e-mails can be sent to [email protected] (link sends e-mail), and information can be faxed to (225) 334-4707.
The U.S. Department of Justice established the National Center for Disaster Fraud to investigate, prosecute, and deter fraud in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when billions of dollars in federal disaster relief poured into the Gulf Coast region. Its mission has expanded to include suspected fraud from any natural or manmade disaster. More than 30 federal, state, and local agencies participate in the National Center for Disaster Fraud, which allows the center to act as a centralized clearinghouse of information related to disaster relief fraud.
The public should remember to perform due diligence before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations or individuals offering to provide assistance to those affected by the tornadoes. Solicitations can originate from social media, e-mails, websites, door-to-door collections, flyers, mailings, telephone calls, and other similar methods.
Before making a donation of any kind, consumers should adhere to certain guidelines, including:
- Do not respond to any unsolicited (spam) incoming e-mails, including clicking links contained within those messages, because they may contain computer viruses.
- Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as members of charitable organizations or officials asking for donations via e-mail or social networking sites.
- Beware of organizations with copy-cat names similar to but not exactly the same as those of reputable charities.
- Rather than follow a purported link to a website, verify the legitimacy of nonprofit organizations by utilizing various Internet-based resources that may assist in confirming the group’s existence and its nonprofit status.
- Be cautious of e-mails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files because the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
- To ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes, make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.
- Do not be pressured into making contributions; reputable charities do not use such tactics.
- Be aware of whom you are dealing with when providing your personal and financial information. Providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.
- Avoid cash donations if possible. Pay by credit card or write a check directly to the charity. Do not make checks payable to individuals.
- Legitimate charities do not normally solicit donations via money transfer services. Most legitimate charities’ websites end in .org rather than .com.
Three Webster City Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Three men who conspired to distribute methamphetamine were sentenced August 30, 2017, to 16 ½, 15 and 11 ½ years in federal prison.
Soon Phatdouang, 44; Touy Khamsai, 42 and Van Khamsai, 42 all from Webster City, Iowa, received the prison terms after their guilty pleas to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Van and Phatdouang also pled guilty to a possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime count. Touy pled guilty to a second count of distribution of methamphetamine, and agreed to a sentencing enhancement for possession of a firearm while distributing methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea, each admitted to their involvement in a conspiracy that distributed methamphetamine in the Webster City, area. On a number of occasions in the fall of 2016, Phatdouang, Van and Touy distributed and aided and abetted each other in the distribution of methamphetamine in controlled drug transactions with law enforcement. During a number of search warrants executed at the residences of Phatdouang, V. and T. Khamsai in Webster City on December 1, 2016, law enforcement officers seized approximately 26 pounds of methamphetamine, 30 pounds of marijuana, over $67,000 cash, and eleven firearms.
Each were sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Phatdouang was sentenced to 200 months’ imprisonment; V. Khamsai was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment; and T. Khamsai was sentenced to 140 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $200 was imposed for each. T. Khamsai must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release; and Phatdouang and V. Khamsai must each serve a five-year term of supervised release after their respective prison terms. There is no parole in the federal system. Each are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Department and Webster City Police Department, Fort Dodge Police Department and the United States Marshall’s Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 16-3053. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Texas Man Receives 87 Months' Imprisonment for Trafficking Cocaine in Muskegon and Oceana CountiesRead the Press Release
Other two coconspirators also receive lengthy prison sentences
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN —Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that U.S. District Judge Janet T. Neff sentenced Jaime Valente Pina, Jr. of Alamo, Texas to 87 months’ in prison for participating in a cocaine distribution conspiracy that operated in and around Muskegon and Oceana counties from the summer of 2015 until August 2016. In addition to his prison term, the Court sentenced him to three years of supervised release. Pina was convicted on May 10, 2017 after a three day jury trial.
The conspiracy began in the summer of 2015 when Magdaleno Rodriguez, a cocaine dealer operating in and around Oceana County, was introduced to Jaime Valente Pina, Jr. as a new source of supply for cocaine. Thereafter, Jaime Pina and his brother, Angel Pina, supplied cocaine to Rodriguez on a monthly basis for further redistribution throughout West Michigan. The Pina brothers are from the Rio Grande Valley – the southernmost tip of Texas – which shares an extensive stretch of border with Mexico. Throughout the conspiracy, they brought cocaine to Rodriguez from their Texas-based source of supply. The conspiracy ended in approximately August 2016 after officers of the State, Sheriffs, Chiefs, Enforcement Narcotics Team (SSCENT) concluded undercover buys from Rodriguez and executed a search warrant at his home. Officers of the West Michigan Enforcement Team (WEMET) apprehended the Pina brothers while executing a warrant at a drug house in Ravenna, Michigan in November 2016.
Magdaleno Rodriguez and Angel Pina pled guilty prior to trial. Rodriguez and Angel Pina were sentenced in U.S. District Court on July 11, 2017. The Court sentenced Rodriguez to 98 months’ incarceration and four years of supervised release. Angel Pina received 109 months’ incarceration and three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Birge stated: "The interstate trafficking of controlled substances into the Western District of Michigan remains a key prosecution priority for my office. Controlled substances poison our communities and they impair and often destroy the potential of those who use them. Individuals involved with importing these toxic substances into the Western District of Michigan will be brought to justice."
"The sentencing of this final defendant brings full resolution to this investigation and chokes off a drug tracking organization responsible for distributing cocaine in our communities," said Steve Francis, HSI Detroit special agent in charge. "HSI will continue to use its vast resources to combat the spread of illegal drugs."
"This is yet another great example of the cooperative law enforcement efforts that occur daily in west Michigan. The agencies involved in this case worked diligently to ensure justice was served," stated Detective/First Lieutenant Andy Fias, the Section Commander of WEMET and SSCENT.
Homeland Security Investigations, an investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, led the investigation with the assistance of SSCENT and WEMET. SSCENT and WEMET are two state-managed multijurisdictional drug task forces. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel S. Fauson and Timothy P. VerHey prosecuted this case.
END
Tampa Man Sentenced to Three Years for Role in Stolen Identity Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Sciven yesterday sentenced Weldon Malveau to three years in federal prison for theft of government property. The Court also ordered him to forfeit a 2010 Porsche Panamera, which is traceable to proceeds of the offense. As part of his sentence, the Court entered a money judgment in the amount of $342,563, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.
Malveau pleaded guilty on February 7, 2017.
According to court documents, between January 2011 and March 2012, Malveau was involved in a scheme to file false and fraudulent income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in order to generate large refunds that were deposited onto debit cards. When law enforcement officers arrested Malveau in March 2012, he had 26 debit cards in his possession, in the names of different individuals, along with ledgers containing names and social security numbers. The investigation revealed that the IRS had received fraudulent tax returns and had issued refunds in the names of many of those individuals, totaling $342,563, which was traced back to Malveau.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam M. Saltzman.
Sixteen U.S. Postal Service workers charged with accepting bribes to deliver cocaineRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – In three separate federal indictments unsealed on Tuesday August 29, 2017, 16 U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employees working in locations across the metro-Atlanta area have been charged with accepting bribes to deliver packages of kilogram-quantities of cocaine in a wide-reaching sting operation.
“Postal employees are entrusted to perform a vital service as they travel through our communities, often visiting our homes and interacting personally with our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney John Horn. “The defendants in this case allegedly sold that trust out to someone they knew to be a drug dealer, and simply for cash in their pockets they were willing to endanger themselves and the residents on their routes and bring harmful drugs into the community.”
“The allegations contained in these federal indictments are disturbing to say the least. The blatant abdication of the public trust through the criminal conduct of these sixteen U.S. Postal Service employees, absolutely stains the established trust of their peers and those that went before them at the U.S. Postal Service. While it is hoped that this extensive joint investigation and resulting federal prosecution will serve as a deterrent for others, the FBI makes it clear that public corruption remains our number one criminal program priority and, as such, we have dedicated significant resources toward the identification, investigation, and presentation for prosecution of any individuals involved in similar such conduct,” said David J. LeValley, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office.
“The DeKalb County District Attorney's Office is equally committed to aggressively combating public corruption. This case highlights the importance of interagency cooperation to effectively identify, investigate, and prosecute those who abuse their positions of public trust regardless of geographical borders,” said DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston.
“While the vast majority of U.S. Postal Service personnel are hard-working and trustworthy individuals who are dedicated to delivering mail and would never consider engaging in criminal behavior, these charges reflect the select few who decided to betray the trust. This type of behavior within the Postal Service is not tolerated and when employees engage in criminal behavior, the special agents of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG) vigorously investigate these matters, along with other federal and local law enforcement agencies, to hold accountable those employees who violate that public trust,” said Paul L. Bowman, USPS OIG Special Agent in Charge, Capital Metro Area Field Office.
According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the indictments, and other information presented in court: USPS employees allegedly accepted bribes from a person they believed was a drug trafficker using the U.S. mail to ship cocaine – multiple kilograms at a time – into the Atlanta area. The USPS employees are as follows:
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Cydra Rochelle Alexander, 31, of Riverdale, Georgia, a letter carrier assigned to the Ralph McGill Carrier Annex and Central City Branch of the Atlanta Post Office.
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Aurthamis O. Burch, a/k/a Tank, 46, of Snellville, Georgia, a letter carrier assigned to the Doraville Post Office.
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Kawana Rashun Champion, 35, of Jonesboro, Georgia, a clerk assigned to the North Springs Branch of the Sandy Springs Post Office and Central City Branch of the Atlanta Post Office.
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Eleanor Lolita Golden, a/k/a Eleanor Johnson, 54, of East Point, Georgia, a letter carrier assigned to the West End Branch of the Atlanta Post Office.
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Tonie Harris, 54, of Decatur, Georgia, a letter carrier assigned to the Sandy Springs Post Office.
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Leea Janel Holt, 38, of Atlanta, Georgia, a letter carrier assigned to the Old National Branch of the Riverdale Post Office.
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Clifton Curtis Lee, a/k/a Cliff, 41, of Lithonia, Georgia, a letter carrier assigned to the Sandy Springs Post Office.
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Shakeed Anilah Magee, 40, of College Park, Georgia, a letter carrier assigned to the West End Branch of the Atlanta Post Office.
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Horace Manson, 40, of Roswell, Georgia, a letter carrier assigned to the West End Branch of the Atlanta Post Office.
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Olivia Marita Moore, 25, of Atlanta, Georgia, a letter carrier assigned to the Old National Branch of the Riverdale Post Office.
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Eddie Nash, 63, of Decatur, Georgia, a letter carrier assigned to the West End Branch of the Atlanta Post Office.
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Jeffrey A. Pearson, 59, of Austell, Georgia, a letter carrier assigned to the Decatur Post Office.
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Rodney Antwain Salter, 33, of Jonesboro, Georgia, a letter carrier assigned to the Martech Branch of the Atlanta Post Office.
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Frank Webb, 40, of Lithonia, Georgia, a letter carrier assigned to the Central City Branch of the Atlanta Post Office.
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Katrina Nicole Wilson, a/k/a Trina, 38, of Fairburn, Georgia, a letter carrier assigned to the West End Branch of the Atlanta Post Office.
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Harvel Donta Young, a/k/a Dante, 39, of Atlanta, Georgia, a letter carrier assigned to the Westside Annex Branch of the Marietta Post Office.
In exchange for the bribe payments, these individuals allegedly provided special addresses that the drug trafficker could use to ship packages of cocaine. The defendants then intercepted the packages and delivered them to the drug trafficker. Unbeknownst to them, the drug trafficker was actually working with law enforcement and the packages they delivered contained fake drugs.
Some of the postal employees went on to recruit additional USPS employees to join the criminal scheme, and accepted additional money for drug packages delivered by their recruits.
Dexter Bernard Frazier, a/k/a Dec, 56, of Fairburn, Georgia, was also charged based on his role in introducing several of the defendants to the drug trafficker and coordinating logistics of the scheme in exchange for payments.
Alexander, Burch, Champion, Frazier, Golden, Harris, Holt, Lee, Magee, Manson, Moore, Nash, Salter, Webb, Wilson, and Young have been arrested and will be arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda T. Walker.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictments only contain charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office, and U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett L. Bradford and Jill E. Steinberg are prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
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Sharpsburg Man Charged with Stealing his Dead Mother’s BenefitsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – An Allegheny County resident has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of theft of government money, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
The one-count indictment named Kevin Roehlig, 56, of Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment, between November 2003 and August 2016, Roehlig converted to his own use the Social Security Title II, Old Age, Survivor’s Disability Insurance benefits of his mother, Carolyn Roehlig, who died in and around October 2003, knowing he was not entitled to said benefits. The stolen funds totaled $124,514.00.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Charles A. Eberle is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Second Man Sentenced for Jewelry Store RobberiesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today that Aquabeus Demond Moore, 37, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced today to thirty-two years and one day by the Honorable Richard M. Gergel in Charleston, South Carolina. Moore was convicted of five separate counts, one count of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery Affecting Interstate Commerce, two counts of Robbery Affecting Interstate Commerce, and two counts of Brandishing a Firearm During a Violent Crime, following a four-day jury trial in United States District Court in Charleston.
Witness testimony and the evidence presented by the government during the trial established that Moore and others travelled from Atlanta to rob Sylvan Jewelers in Columbia, SC, on February 19, 2015, and MP Demetre Jewelers in Charleston, SC, on March 4, 2015. During both robberies, two masked men entered the jewelry stores during business hours. One man held the employees at gunpoint while the other man smashed the Rolex cases with sledgehammers. In total, the robbers stole 88 Rolex watches from the jewelry stores, valued at over one million dollars. Among other evidence presented during the trial, cell site location evidence established that, after traveling from Atlanta, Moore’s phone was in Columbia during the time of the Sylvans robbery and in Charleston during the time of the MP Demetre robbery. Further evidence presented during the trial established that Moore had a picture of one of the stolen Rolex watches on his phone. Investigators also recovered Moore’s fingerprint from the getaway vehicle used in the robbery of MP Demetre Jewelers.
The conviction is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, City of Charleston Police Department and Columbia Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Nathan Williams and Emily Limehouse prosecuted the case.
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Santa Clara Pueblo Woman Sentenced for Federal Misdemeanor Assault on Child ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERUQE – Jona Chavarria, 26, an enrolled member of the Santa Clara Pueblo who resides in Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court to a three-year term of probation for her conviction on a misdemeanor assault on a child charge.
Chavarria was charged in a misdemeanor information filed on April 21, 2017, with assaulting a child on the Santa Clara Pueblo in Rio Arriba County, N.M., on April 15, 2016. On April 21, 2017, Chavarria pled guilty to the information, and admitted biting an 11-month old child on the face causing a visible bite mark and bruising.
This case was investigated by the Northern Pueblos Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services, and the Santa Clara Pueblo Tribal Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucy B. Solimon prosecuted the case.
Roanoke Woman Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation, Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Roanoke, VIRGINIA – A Roanoke woman, who repeatedly abused a 5-year-old child in her custody, pleaded guilty this morning in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Roanoke to a number of charges related to child sexual exploitation and child pornography, Acting United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle announced.
Shannon Marie Bobrosky, 23, of Roanoke, pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography, one count of permitting the production of child pornography involving a child she had custody or control of at the time, and one count of distribution of child pornography.
According to evidence presented at this morning’s guilty plea hearing by Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Laura Day Rottenborn, Bobrosky was the child victim’s legal guardian. Although she was responsible for the child’s physical, emotional and mental well-being, Bobrosky instead sexually abused the child, took digital photographs of the abuse, and distributed the images using text message applications and other means. According to the evidence, Bobrosky appears to have been motivated by her desire to satisfy various sexual fetishes, to include having a submissive relationship with males interested in child pornography and/or pedophilia, and seeking sexual gratification by providing such males with images of the actual or simulated sexual molestation of the child, as well as fantasies regarding the rape of the child by those males.
Acting United States Attorney Mountcastle commended Supervisory AUSA Rottenborn, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Roanoke City Police Department, whose outstanding investigation and prosecution rescued the child-victim from further sexual abuse.
Pittsburg Resident Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Ebony Standifer was sentenced today to 84 months in prison and ordered to pay $193,602 in restitution for conspiracy to file false claims, aggravated identity theft, and criminal contempt announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Batdorf. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Charles Breyer, U.S. District Judge after Standifer pleaded guilty to the charges.
According to court documents, Standifer, 30, of Pittsburg, Calif., admitted she conspired with others to file false federal income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service from 2010 through 2012. As part of the scheme, individuals with whom Standifer conspired provided her with names of people for whom to file false tax returns. Standifer used those identities and filed returns without showing the documents to the people listed on them. In addition to inserting the person’s name and Social Security number, Standifer made up figures for income and the amount of taxes that were withheld. She then requested a tax refund based on these made-up figures. Standifer filed the false returns electronically from various locations and kept notebooks that recorded information regarding the people whose identity she misappropriated. In total, during 2010-2012, Standifer filed or assisted in filing false tax returns in the aggregate amount of $656,000 for the 2009-2011 tax years. Of that amount, the IRS actually paid fraudulent claims in the amount of $193,602.
A federal grand jury indicted Standifer on October 28, 2014, charging her with one count of conspiracy to file false claims, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 286; five counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C § 1343; and three counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A. Standifer pleaded guilty on August 19, 2015, to conspiracy to file false claims and one count of aggravated identity theft.
On February 3, 2016, Standifer was charged by information with two additional counts of criminal contempt, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 401(3). Standifer pleaded guilty to both counts on February 22, 2017, admitting that when she pleaded guilty to the original charges, she already was involved in a pending identity theft case in Nevada. Standifer acknowledged that while awaiting sentencing in this district, she used a misappropriated credit card to travel illegally to Nevada so she could attend hearings on the identity theft charges pending in that jurisdiction.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Breyer also sentenced Standifer to 36 months of supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Newman is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the IRS, Criminal Investigation.
Pill Mill Doctor Sentenced to Nearly Four Years for Role in Opioid Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell has sentenced Anil Sahijwani (43, Tampa) to 45 months in federal prison for illegally prescribing oxycodone, Adderall, and other controlled substances. The Court also ordered him to forfeit his DEA registration number, $182,266.66, and the value of a personally owned Porsche, all of which constitute proceeds of the offenses, or which were used in furtherance of the offenses.
Sahijwani pleaded guilty on February 23, 2017.
According to court documents, Sahijwani worked at Family Medical Express Center, Inc. in Brandon, Florida, along with several co-conspirators. He and his co-conspirators implemented a plan to sell unlawful prescriptions for oxycodone and other controlled substances to people who did not need them and who instead diverted them for sale in the community on a per-pill basis. In some cases, Sahijwani wrote prescriptions at the request of his co-conspirators in the names of people he had never examined or met. Sahijwani also sold prescriptions for oxycodone out of his car in a Tampa parking lot. During the course of the conspiracy, Sahijwani wrote unlawful prescriptions for over 18,000 oxycodone pills.
“As law enforcement addresses the ongoing opioid crisis, it is unconscionable that a physician would be part of the Pill Mill problem that has left its indelible mark on the Tampa area and the country,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Adolphus P. Wright. “DEA, and our law enforcement partners, will remain vigilant in finding these unscrupulous medical professionals and clinics and see to it that they are prosecuted accordingly.”This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel George.
Parkersburg felon sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm used in drug-related shootingRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg man was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for a gun crime, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Tyrese Antonio McMillon, 32, previously pleaded guilty to a single-count indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
McMillon admitted that he possessed a Lorcin .380 pistol that was used in a shooting in a 19th Street apartment in Parkersburg on May 27, 2016. McMillon was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because of a 2006 felony conviction in Cabell County Circuit Court for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. At the sentencing hearing, the Court found that McMillon shot a heroin dealer from Pittsburgh in the head and robbed him of heroin and a firearm. The Court further found that Parkersburg Police located the stolen heroin and firearm in a hotel room, and that McMillon possessed the key to the hotel room along with some of the heroin when he was arrested during the traffic stop of a taxi in which he was riding. Analysis by the West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory confirmed that the Lorcin .380 was the weapon used to shoot the heroin dealer and that gunshot residue was found on McMillon’s clothing.
The Parkersburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua C. Hanks is in charge of the prosecution. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in the United States by networking existing local programs targeting gun crime.
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Owner of Mayfield Heights company charged with failing to pay over $420,000 in taxes he withheld from employeesRead the Press Release
The owner of a Mayfield Heights company was charged with failing to pay over more than $420,000 in taxes he withheld from his employees, said U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman and IRS Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Korner.
Daniel Day, 59, was charged via criminal information with 17 counts of failure to pay over taxes.
Day was the sole owner and operated or Academy Answering Service, a telephone messaging service provider. Day retained a payroll company, which prepared and provided payroll checks for Day to give to his employees. The company withheld the proper amount of taxes from each employee and prepared documents for Day to make AAS’ quarterly employment tax payments to the IRS, according to the information.
In 2008, Day directed the payroll company to discontinue making quarterly employment tax problems to the IRS due to “cash flow problems.” Day then failed to make payments of AAS employee taxes between 2008 and 2013, according to the information.
Day collected but did not pay over approximately $420,286 in employee taxes, according to the informnation.
This case was investigated by the IRS – Criminal Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Patton.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
An charge is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Operation “Real Time”: Greenville Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Felon in Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Johnny Ray Hamby, age 53, of Travelers Rest, South Carolina, pled guilty in federal court in Greenville pursuant to his federal indictment for felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. United States District Court Judge Timothy M. Cain accepted the plea and will impose sentence after United States Probation has prepared a presentence report. Hamby is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition based on his prior felony convictions. He faces up to ten years in federal prison.
Evidence presented by the government during the guilty plea hearing established that on March 10, 2017, members of the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) responded to Hamby’s residence in relation to a possible drug overdose victim. During the initial investigation, GCSO observed a revolver and ammunition in plain view inside the residence. After then obtaining a search warrant for the residence, GCSO searched the house and recovered twenty-one firearms and assorted ammunition.
Hamby’s case was expedited for federal prosecution pursuant to Operation “Real Time.” The goal of this program is to identify individuals for federal prosecution with significant criminal histories who continue to actively possess firearms in the Upstate community. “Real Time” is a working collaboration between local, state, and federal law enforcement as well as state and federal prosecutors. Since August of 2015, the initiative has resulted in the expedited federal prosecution of over 120 defendants and seizure of over 165 firearms as well as assorted ammunition from prohibited persons in the upstate.
U.S. Attorney Beth Drake commended the partnership between local, state, and federal agencies that led to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the U.S. Attorney’s Office adopting the case. “We work best when we work together. This ‘real time’ identification of high risk offenders is smart policing and we welcome the opportunity to work alongside our state chiefs, sheriffs, and solicitors in taking violent repeat offenders out of our communities.”
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and ATF investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen is prosecuting the case.
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Operation "Real Time": Federal Jury Finds Greenville Felon Guilty in Firearms TrialRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake announced today that a jury returned a guilty verdict following a one-day jury trial in federal court in Greenville, South Carolina Monday. The jury found Alvin Andrae Drummond, age 41, of Greenville, guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person who had been convicted of both a felony and a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. The trial was held before Senior United States District Judge Henry M. Herlong, Jr., of Greenville. Judge Herlong will impose a sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report, which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. Drummond faces up to Life in prison and remains in custody.
Witness testimony and the evidence presented by the government at trial established that on May 10, 2017, deputies from the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office went to the RedRoof Inn in Greenville to investigate information they had received about methamphetamine, heroin, and pills being sold from Room 131 of the motel. The deputies were allowed into the room and found 8 people, including Alvin Drummond. The deputies saw drug paraphernalia and other indicators of drug activity and obtained a search warrant for the room. During the execution of the search warrant, deputies found a book bag that contained a loaded Smith & Wesson 38. caliber revolver, 23 additional rounds of ammunition, and Alvin Drummond’s wage paperwork.
A Greenville County Sheriff’s Office Investigator and Task Force Officer (TFO) with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) interviewed Drummond. After being advised of his Miranda rights, Drummond admitted the book bag was his, but denied knowledge of the gun. The TFO then questioned each person who had been in the room in front of Drummond, asking them if they: (1) put the revolver in the book bag; (2) saw anyone else put the gun in the book bag; or (3) if anyone else had left the room since Drummond arrived. Each person answered no to all of the questions, and Drummond stated that he did not think any of them were lying.
A Greenville County Forensic Technician arrived on scene and collected the evidence. The Forensic Technician processed the gun and found a fingerprint on the cylinder of the Smith & Wesson revolver. A Latent Print Examiner from the Greenville County Forensics Division identified the fingerprint as belonging to Alvin Drummond.
Drummond’s case was expedited for federal prosecution pursuant to Operation “Real Time.” The goal of this program is to identify individuals for federal prosecution with significant criminal histories who continue to actively possess firearms in the Upstate community. “Real Time” is a working collaboration between local, state, and federal law enforcement as well as state and federal prosecutors. Since August of 2015, the initiative has resulted in the expedited federal prosecution of over 120 defendants and seizure of over 165 firearms as well as assorted ammunition from prohibited persons in the upstate.
“ATF is extremely appreciative of our partners and this collaborative effort to make our communities safer,” said Charlotte Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge C.J. Hyman. “ATF has committed our resources to help tackle illegal firearms possession and violent crime. That commitment, combined with the cooperation of the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement agencies, our federal partners, the 13th Circuit Solicitor’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, has resulted in a very successful effort with a long-term impact on violent crime in the upstate and beyond.”
U.S. Attorney Beth Drake commended the partnership between local, state, and federal agencies that led to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the U.S. Attorney’s Office adopting the case. “We work best when we work together. This ‘real time’ identification of high risk offenders is smart policing and we welcome the opportunity to work alongside our state chiefs, sheriffs, and solicitors in taking violent repeat offenders out of our communities.”
The case was investigated by the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville County Forensic Division, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Schoen prosecuted the case.
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Onslow County Man Sentenced on Firearm and Robbery ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, John Stuart Bruce, announced that in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever sentenced MATTHEW ASHLEY CUMMINGS, 26, of Hubert, NC to 144 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
On May 22, 2017, CUMMINGS pled guilty to a four count indictment, consisting of two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, and one count each of Possession of Stolen Firearms and Attempted Interference with Commerce by Robbery.
The evidence established that during the early hours of September 3, 2016, CUMMINGS and an accomplice burglarized the Pamlico County home of a man who owns a gun show business. CUMMINGS broke into two gun safes and stole, among other things, over two dozen guns and approximately $241,000. The evidence further established that on November 2, 2016, CUMMINGS attempted to rob a fictitious heroin dealer in Wilmington, North Carolina. In doing so, CUMMINGS directed a confidential informant to pick him up in a car and to drive to a location where CUMMINGS retrieved a firearm to be used in the robbery. Officers arrested CUMMINGS enroute to the purported target and recovered the firearm in CUMMINGS’ possession.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Pamlico County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jacksonville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jake D. Pugh is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Nurse Practioner Sentenced on Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-305BUFFALO, N.Y.-Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Brandon Coburn, 34, of West Seneca, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl, was sentenced to 108 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who handled the case, stated that between July 2013 and May 2015, Coburn, a licensed nurse practitioner who was legally authorized to prescribe controlled substances, provided fraudulent fentanyl, oxycodone, oxymorphone, and amphetamine prescriptions to nine co-defendants. Those prescriptions were not used for legitimate medical purposes and instead were filled by the co-defendants and sold on the street in the Buffalo area. Coburn issued a total of 253 prescriptions without any legitimate medical purpose.
To date, eight of the 10 people charged in this case have been convicted. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Today’s sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of James J. Hunt, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Division.
New York City Man Sentenced to Eleven Years for Heroin Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Corey Carter, 32, of Brooklyn, was sentenced Tuesday in United States District Court in Rutland to 132 months of imprisonment following his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute heroin. United States District Judge Geoffrey Crawford also ordered that Carter serve three years of supervised release following completion of his prison term. Carter had been in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since his June 2016 arrest.
Carter pleaded to a Superseding Indictment charging him with conspiring with brothers Sebastian and Yorgan Benjamin, and others, to distribute heroin in May 2016. Court records indicate that Carter and the Benjamin brothers tried to distribute heroin out of an apartment in Rutland, with Carter leaving town after setting up the Benjamins in the apartment to sell Carter’s heroin. Unbeknownst to Carter and the Benjamins, however, the apartment was part of a law enforcement operation orchestrated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Vermont State Police Drug Task Force, and the Benjamins distributed Carter’s heroin to persons working with law enforcement. Court records also indicate Carter had conspired to distribute heroin in Vermont since at least 2014 until his arrest.
Both Benjamin brothers have pleaded guilty. Last month Sebastian Benjamin was sentenced to a time-served sentence of approximately four months. Yorgan Benjamin, who has not yet been sentenced, has failed to appear in court and a warrant has issued for his arrest.
This was Carter’s fourth felony conviction. He had also been convicted of felonies in New York state courts.
This case was investigated by the Vermont State Police and the FBI.
Carter is represented by Ernest Allen, III, Esq. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Drescher.
New Jersey Man Sentenced to Six Months of Incarceration and $10,000 Fine for Hiring Twelve Unauthorized AliensRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Sanjay Gupta, 51, of Fords, New Jersey, was sentenced yesterday for illegally hiring twelve unauthorized aliens to work at his company, Doon Technologies located in Iselin, New Jersey. U.S. District Judge J. Garvan Murtha sentenced Gupta to a six-month term of incarceration and a $10,000 fine. Judge Murtha also ordered that Gupta pay restitution totaling $14,200 to foreign workers from whom Gupta obtained illegal fees and payments.
According to Court documents, Gupta admitted to recruiting 12 foreign workers with information technology expertise to work in the United States at his company Doon Technologies. Gupta then submitted forms and documentation to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to obtain H1-B visas for the foreign workers with the stated purpose of working for Doon Technologies. USCIS has a visa processing center in St. Albans, Vermont which processed some of the applications submitted by Gupta. The applications Gupta submitted claimed that Doon Technologies would employ the foreign workers in the State of New Jersey, and that the foreign workers would be paid within 30 days of admission to the United States, as required. However, Gupta had no intent to follow these assurances, and instead placed the foreign workers at worksites outside the State of New Jersey, and paid the foreign workers only when work was available. Gupta’s misrepresentations to USCIS were material, in that H1-B visa allocations are designed to allow the employment of foreign workers in specialty occupations only when there are insufficient U.S. Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents to work in those positions.
In addition, Court documents reflect that Gupta submitted fraudulent documentation to USCIS to obtain H1-B visas, specifically by forging fictitious contracts with purported customers in an effort to demonstrate that work would be available for foreign workers when they began work for Doon Technologies. Further, court documents reflect that Gupta demanded prospective H1-B visa beneficiaries pay Gupta an illegal fee for submitting the H1-B visa applications to USCIS. Gupta also demanded that H1-B visa beneficiaries pay him hundreds of dollars to retain their visas, or risk deportation.
Acting United States Attorney Eugenia A. P. Cowles commended the investigative efforts of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General’s Office of Investigations – Labor Racketeering and Fraud.
The United States was represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt. Gupta was represented by David J. Williams, Esq. and Brooks G. McArthur, Esq.
Mustang Woman Pleads Guilty to $1.3 Million Embezzlement and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – VANESSA L. POLLARD, of Mustang, Oklahoma, pled guilty today to wire fraud and signing a false federal income tax return in connection with a $1.3 million embezzlement from an insurance agency in Canadian County, Oklahoma, announced Mark A. Yancey, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.
On August 8, 2017, Pollard was charged by information with one count of wire fraud and one count of signing a false federal income tax return. According to the charges, Pollard worked for an insurance agency as a bookkeeper from April 1999 until early August 2016. As part of her job, she reviewed monthly bank statements, made entries in an internal accounting system, and reconciled those records with a business checking account at Yukon National Bank. She was accused of writing unauthorized checks and making unauthorized interstate wire transfers from the business checking account to pay her personal credit card accounts. The information also alleged that she altered bank statements to conceal these payments from the agency’s management.
Today, Pollard pled guilty to transmitting $3,178 through interstate wires with the intent to defraud the insurance agency in January 2014. In a plea agreement, she has agreed to forfeit property purchased with funds traceable to her embezzlement, including her house in Mustang, two trucks, a sports car, three motorcycles, a boat, two jet skis, and a retirement account. She also stipulated that the total loss from her embezzlement was $1,344,915.02.
In addition to pleading guilty to wire fraud, Pollard pled guilty to signing a false tax return. She admitted that on May 13, 2013, she signed a personal federal tax return for the 2012 calendar year that she knew was false because it reported only $50,736 in total income when she knew her 2012 income was substantially higher.
At sentencing, Pollard faces up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud count, plus three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and restitution. She also faces up to three years in prison on the tax count, in addition to one year of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and restitution to the Internal Revenue Service for the tax loss. She 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 the United States Secret Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark R. Stoneman.
Mountville Man Enters Guilty Plea in Federal Court to Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Corey Rashad Yeargin, age 24, of Mountville, South Carolina, pled guilty in federal court in Greenville, pursuant to an indictment for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. United States District Court Judge Timothy M. Cain accepted the plea and will impose sentence after United States Probation prepares a presentence investigation report. Yeargin faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Evidence presented by the government during the plea established that on October 5, 2016, members of the Laurens County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) executed a search warrant at a residence in Cross Hill, South Carolina. LCSO Deputies heard gunfire as they approached the residence and detained multiple individuals, including Yeargin, at the residence. LCSO located a bag containing 13 grams of crack cocaine in Yeargin’s pocket.
The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office and ATF investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen is prosecuting the case.
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