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Thursday 15 June 2017
Lexington Man Sentenced to 65 Months InPrison for Involvement in Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington, Ky. man, who previously admitted to bribing a former public official, was sentenced today to 65 months in federal prison.
Chief U.S. District Judge Karen K. Caldwell sentenced Samuel C. McIntosh, 58, for convictions on four counts of bribery concerning a federally funded program and one count of mail fraud. Under federal law, McIntosh must serve at least 85 percent of his prison sentence.
McIntosh previously admitted that he paid kickbacks to the former Secretary of the Kentucky Personnel Cabinet, Timothy Longmeyer, beginning in 2009.
According to McIntosh’s plea agreement, Longmeyer agreed to use his former position to steer contracts to MC Squared Consulting, a company that McIntosh owned. In return, McIntosh paid approximately half of MC Squared’s proceeds from these contracts as kickbacks. Until approximately March 2014, McIntosh paid these kickbacks to an intermediary, Lawrence O’Bryan, who then paid a portion of the funds to Longmeyer. Beginning in November 2014, McIntosh began to deal with Longmeyer directly and repeatedly gave Longmeyer large amounts of cash and conduit contributions to the campaigns of politicians specified by Longmeyer. Over time, McIntosh paid $642,201.50 in kickbacks through O’Bryan and $203,500.00 in kickbacks directly to Longmeyer.
O’Bryan pleaded guilty to three counts of bribery concerning a federally funded program in September 2016. In March 2017, Judge Caldwell sentenced O’Bryan to 60 months in prison and ordered him to pay $642,201.50 in restitution. O’Bryan has paid this amount in full to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Longmeyer pleaded guilty to accepting bribes concerning a federally funded program in April 2016. In September 2016, Judge Caldwell sentenced him to 70 months in prison and ordered him to repay $203,500.00 in restitution. Today, Judge Caldwell ordered that McIntosh will be jointly liable with Longmeyer to repay this $203,500.00 to the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Amy Hess, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, jointly announced the sentence. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew T. Boone and Kathryn M. Anderson.
Kern County Men Charged in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against two Kern County residents, charging them in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Mario Alvarez-Muniz, 49, a citizen of Mexico, residing in Taft, and Darrell Leon Jennings, 49, of Bakersfield, were charged with conspiring to distribute heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine. Alvarez-Muniz was also charged with distributing methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Alvarez-Muniz, a self-employed tow truck driver, obtained heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine from Mexico for distribution here. Jennings is a self-employed truck driver who assisted Alvarez-Muniz in transporting heroin and cocaine to Bakersfield for shipment to Chicago. Alvarez-Muniz was arrested in Bakersfield after delivering two pounds of methamphetamine during an undercover drug transaction and orchestrating a shipment of six kilograms of heroin and 11 kilograms of cocaine seized from Jennings’ truck.
This case is the product of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the California Highway Patrol, the Bakersfield Police Department, and the Kern County Probation Office. The OCDETF Program was established in 1982 and is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Escobar and Jeffrey Spivak are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Alvarez-Muniz and Jennings face a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison, along with a $10 million fine. 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.
Kentucky Allergists Agree to Pay $740,578 to Resolve False ClaimsRead the Press Release
wy_settlement_agreement_final_06-2017.pdfSettlement covers alleged improper billing
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Kentucky allergists Bruce Wolf and Kiro John Yun, have agreed to pay $740,578 to resolve alleged violations of the False Claims Act, announced United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr. Wolf and Yun, P.S.C. (W&Y) is a medical practice group of otolaryngologists specializing in allergy, asthma and immunology with offices located in Bardstown, Elizabethtown and Leitchfield, Kentucky. The government alleged that W&Y submitted false claims when billing Medicare, TRICARE and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP).
“Losses caused by health care fraud amount to tens of billions of dollars every year,” said U.S. Attorney John Kuhn, of the Western District of Kentucky. “Often those losses are passed along to consumers in the form of increased costs. For that reason, my office will work with federal, state, and local law enforcement to uncover these activities and recover every dollar.”
The settlement resolves the government’s allegations that W&Y improperly billed Medicare, TRICARE and FEHBP for Sublingual Immunotherapy serum preparation and overstated units of serum preparation for injection vials, under CPT Code 95165, and for testing under CPT Code 95024 during the following periods of January 1, 2010, and October 31, 2015 for Medicare; between June 1, 2010, and September 30, 2015, for TRICARE: and between January 1, 2010, and August 31, 2015 for FEHB.
Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), is an alternative way to treat allergies without injections whereby an allergist prescribes a patient with an allergen that is sprayed under the tongue to boost tolerance to substances and reduce symptoms. SLIT treatments are not covered by Medicare and other payors because it is considered investigational and thus not a billable procedure.
This case was investigated by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ben Schecter of the Western District of Kentucky.
Justice Department Requires Divestiture of Certain Herbicides, Insecticides, and Plastics Businesses in Order to Proceed with Dow-Dupont MergerRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it will require The Dow Chemical Company (Dow) and E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co. (DuPont) to divest multiple crop protection and two petrochemical products to proceed with their proposed merger valued at about $130 billion.
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, along with the offices of three state attorneys general, filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to enjoin the proposed transaction, along with a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the department’s competitive concerns. The participating state attorneys general offices represent Iowa, Mississippi, and Montana.
The department said that, without the divestitures, the proposed merger likely would reduce competition between two of only a handful of chemical companies that manufacture certain types of crop protection chemicals and the only two U.S. producers of acid copolymers and ionomers, potentially harming U.S. farmers and consumers.
“The Department of Justice conducted a thorough investigation into this merger,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Andrew Finch of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “As originally proposed, the merger would have eliminated important competition between Dow and DuPont in the development and sale of insecticides and herbicides that are vital to American farmers who plant winter wheat and various specialty crops. In addition, it would have given the merged company a monopoly over ethylene derivatives known as acid copolymers and ionomers that are used to manufacture many products, including food packaging. The remedies obtained by today’s settlement, including the divestiture of DuPont’s market-leading Finesse and Rynaxypyr crop protection products, will preserve vigorous competition in the sale of these products and benefit American farmers and consumers alike.”
According to the department’s complaint, Dow and DuPont are two of only a few significant competitors in the markets for broadleaf herbicides for winter wheat and insecticides for chewing pests. Specifically, DuPont’s Finesse product is the market leading broadleaf herbicide for winter wheat, and Dow recently introduced a new broadleaf herbicide called Quelex to compete with Finesse. DuPont’s Rynaxypyr line of products, which are marketed in the United States under the brand names Altacor, Coragen, and Prevathon, are the top selling insecticides for chewing pests, and compete with Dow’s methoxyfenozide products, sold in the United States under the Intrepid brand, and Dow’s spinetoram products, sold under the Delegate and Radiant brands. The complaint alleges that the loss of competition between Dow and DuPont would result in higher prices, less favorable contractual terms, and a reduced incentive to innovate for each of these products.
The department’s complaint further alleges that Dow and DuPont are the only two U.S. suppliers of acid copolymers and ionomers, both of which are high-pressure ethylene derivative products that are important inputs for food packaging and other plastics applications. According to the complaint, customers for each of these products would have no choice but to accept higher prices from the merged company following the transaction.
Under the terms of the proposed settlement, DuPont must divest its market-leading Finesse herbicide and Rynaxypyr insecticide products to a buyer to be approved by the United States. The department said that the divestiture of these products, which have total combined annual U.S. sales of over $100 million, would preserve competition in U.S. markets for broadleaf herbicides for winter wheat and insecticides for chewing pests. The proposed settlement further requires Dow to divest its U.S. acid copolymers and ionomers business to a buyer approved by the United States to remedy the merger’s harm in the U.S. markets for acid copolymers and ionomers.
The department’s Antitrust Division and the European Commission cooperated closely throughout the course of their respective investigations. The European Commission announced on March 27, 2017, that it will approve the merger conditioned on certain divestitures to address concerns in a variety of products. These divestitures included several products also divested in the Antitrust Division’s proposed settlement, as well as Dupont’s assets used for research and development of new crop protection chemicals. Like the European Commission, the Antitrust Division examined the effect of the merger on development of new crop protection chemicals but, in the context of this investigation, the market conditions in the United States did not provide a basis for a similar conclusion at this time.
Dow, a Delaware corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, operates in approximately 180 countries, and employs over 50,000 people worldwide. Dow’s primary lines of business are chemical, plastic, and agricultural products and services, and its products are used in various end markets, ranging from agriculture to consumer goods. In 2016, Dow reported global revenues of approximately $48 billion.
DuPont, a Delaware corporation headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, operates in approximately 90 countries, and employs more than 60,000 people worldwide. Dow’s primary products include crop protection chemicals and performance materials such as plastics and polymers. In 2016, DuPont reported global revenues of $24.6 billion.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed consent decree, along with the department’s competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days of its publication to Maribeth Petrizzi, Chief, Litigation II Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 8700, Washington, D.C. 20530. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the court may enter the final judgment upon a finding that it serves the public interest.
Jefferson County woman admits to cocaine traffickingRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Charles Town, West Virginia woman pled guilty today to distributing cocaine, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen announced.
Decoley Jones, also known as Decoley White, age 29, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of a Cocaine Base.” Jones admitted to distributing cocaine in Jefferson County in September 2014.
Jones faces up to 20 years incarceration and a $1,000,000 fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Z. Krasinski is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
INTERPOL Washington Welcomes "Flat" DetaileesRead the Press Release
On Wednesday, June 14th, INTERPOL Washington—the U.S. National Central Bureau--welcomed some very special detailees. Flat Stanley, Stella, Saul, and Santos will be learning about INTERPOL Washington’s national and international mission this summer. Their time with INTERPOL Washington will culminate with a presentation to the children of our employees, during the Department of Justice’s Kids Day activities in August.
On his first day, Flat Stanley helped INTERPOL Washington celebrate Flag Day by attending a Washington Nationals baseball game where he met a local Metro Transit police officer and a fire fighter from the L’Enfant Plaza fire station. He also showed his patriotism by posing for a photograph with the U.S. flag.
A component of the U.S. Department of Justice, INTERPOL Washington is co-managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. As the designated representative to INTERPOL on behalf of the Attorney General, INTERPOL Washington serves as the national point of contact for all INTERPOL matters, coordinating international investigative efforts among member countries and the more than 18,000 local, state, federal and tribal law enforcement agencies in the United States.
Flat Stanley attends a Washington Nationals baseball game.Honduran Woman Charged with Possession with Intent to Deliver Approximately Three Kilograms of FentanylRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a Honduran woman was charged with possession with intent to distribute approximately three kilograms of fentanyl.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, on June 13, 2017, authorities encountered Osiris Ninet Bonilla-Mejia, a citizen of Honduras, sleeping in the back seat of a vehicle at the White Haven rest area located on Interstate 80, White Haven, Pennsylvania. A search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of approximately three kilograms of fentanyl.
“Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is commonly prescribed by doctors to soothe extreme pain in cancer patients. Because it is up to 100 times more potent than heroin and much cheaper to produce, it has been flooding communities across America resulting in skyrocketing fatal overdoses. It is so potent that an amount the size of a few grains of sand can kill you simply by touching it. Our office treats fentanyl cases extremely seriously and will prosecute those individuals who engage in this illicit activity to the fullest extent of the law” stated United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Pennsylvania State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley.
This case was brought as part of a district-wide initiative to combat the national heroin and opioid abuse epidemic. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative in the Middle District of Pennsylvania 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. Fentanyl and its analogs are potent, synthetic opioid pain medications that can be hundreds of times more potent than heroin. Fentanyl is often mixed with heroin or sold as heroin by individuals involved in illicit heroin trafficking. Unauthorized recreational use of Fentanyl has resulted in thousands of overdose deaths across the country during the last 15 years.
A criminal complaint is only an allegation. 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 for this offense is 20 years of 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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Hartford PCP Dealer Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that GARRETT J. CARTER, also known as “Little Man,” 30, of Hartford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 70 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing PCP.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in January 2016, Hartford Police received information of a significant PCP distributor operating in the Heath Street area of Hartford’s South End. A Hartford Police officer working in an undercover capacity subsequently made multiple purchases of PCP from an individual who was being supplied by CARTER. On March 24, 2016, CARTER was arrested after he arrived at a location on Heath Street to deliver PCP to his distributor. At the time of his arrest, CARTER possessed 28 ounce-sized bottles of PCP, each weighing approximately 22.5 grams. In total, the vials contained approximately 630 grams of PCP, or approximately 126,000 five milligram doses of the drug.
CARTER has been detained since his arrest. On February 6, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distributed 100 grams or more of phencyclidine (PCP).
This matter was investigated by the Hartford Police Vice, Intelligence and Narcotics Unit and the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
Hammond Woman Pleads Guilty to Operating Fraudulent Tax Preparation BusinessRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ROJONAH HARRIS, age 35, of Hammond, pled guilty today to a one-count Bill of Information charging her with aiding and abetting in the preparation of false tax returns.
According to court documents, beginning in about 2012, HARRIS owned and operated a tax preparation business in Hammond, Harris Finance and Tax Service. An investigation revealed that HARRIS regularly claimed false deductions and claimed false federal tax withholdings for her clients to generate unnecessarily large refunds to which they were not entitled. In many cases, HARRIS created false W-2s for her clients that artificially and erroneously misstated the amount of income the customer had earned, including by overstating, understating, or fabricating income. HARRIS also knowingly overstated federal income tax on W-2s that had been withheld from their income. Additionally, in order to increase her clients’ tax refund, HARRIS fraudulently included false wages in the form of household help (“HSH”) income to which her clients were not entitled and provided no supporting documentation. Further, HARRIS reported that some customers had qualified educational expenses when, as HARRIS knew, the customers had neither educational expenses nor documentation indicating expenses. HARRIS charged substantial tax preparation fees for the preparation and transmittal of these tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service; she earned not less than $582,090 in return preparation fees for preparing tax returns for tax years 2011 through 2013.
In total, between tax years 2011 and 2014, HARRIS prepared and filed not fewer than 267 false and fraudulent tax returns, resulting in inappropriate and unnecessary refunds of not less than approximately $1,115,578. As part of her plea, HARRIS acknowledged a loss to the IRS of not less than $1,115,578, and agreed to repay at least that amount in restitution.
HARRIS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than three years followed by up to one year of supervised release, and a $100,000 fine. U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk set sentencing for September 21, 2017.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg is in charge of the prosecution.
Gloucester Woman Charged with Conspiracy to Traffic Steroids and Launder MoneyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Gloucester woman was charged today in federal court for her role in a conspiracy to traffic steroids and launder money.
Melissa Sclafani, 29, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute counterfeit steroids and one count of conspiracy to launder money. On April 12, 2017, Sclafani and five others were charged by criminal complaint.
According to the charging documents, from approximately February 2016 until April 12, 2017, Sclafani conspired with others to manufacture steroid products, market them as “Onyx” steroids, and sell them to customers across the United States using email and social media platforms. Customers paid for the steroids via money remitters, such as Western Union and MoneyGram, and members of the conspiracy used false identifications and multiple remitter locations to pick up the steroid proceeds.
It is alleged that the conspirators purchased the raw materials to manufacture the steroids as well as Onyx labeling and packaging from overseas suppliers, either by using money remitters or by shipping U.S. currency overseas. Onyx is a legitimate pharmaceutical company owned by Amgen Inc. that does not manufacture steroids. The steroids were actually manufactured in the residential home(s) of one or more members of the conspiracy. It is further alleged that Sclafani obtained materials and supplies to manufacture the counterfeit steroids and served as the corporate secretary of Wicked Tan LLC, a tanning business in Beverly, Mass., that was owned by two co-conspirators. Sclafani assisted members of the conspiracy in laundering proceeds from the sale of counterfeit steroids through the business.
The conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss of the conspiracy, and the charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $500,000 or twice the gain or loss of the conspiracy. 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; Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Jeffrey Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal investigation, New York Field Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Harman Burkart and David J. D’Addio of Weinreb’s Cybercrime Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Franklin County Man Sentenced to 75 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and Possession of A Firearm in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Kyle Gordon, age 29, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo to 75 months’ imprisonment for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and Possession of a Weapon in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, in the fall of 2014, Gordon, a man on state parole for burglary, obtained heroin from Baltimore, Maryland and distributed heroin out of a residence in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. The Franklin County Drug Taskforce executed a search warrant at the residence where Gordon was staying in Franklin County and located 10 grams of heroin and a Ruger, 9mm, semi-automatic handgun inside.
This matter was investigated by officers and troopers comprising the Franklin County Drug Taskforce and special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chelsea Schinnour.
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.
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Former Swiss Banker Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Charge in Connection with Soccer Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, a private banker formerly employed by several Swiss banks pleaded guilty in Brooklyn, New York, to a criminal information charging him with participating in a money laundering conspiracy in connection with the distribution and receipt of millions of dollars of bribes paid to high-ranking soccer officials.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Rohde of the Eastern District of New York, Assistant Director in Charge William F. Sweeney, Jr., of the FBI’s New York Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge R. Damon Rowe of IRS-Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Los Angeles Field Office made the announcement.
The defendant, Jorge Luis Arzuaga, a 56 year old Argentinian national, entered his plea before the Honorable U.S. District Court Judge Pamela K. Chen. According to the criminal information, between 2010 and 2015, the defendant was employed as a private banker at two financial institutions based in Switzerland, and he managed several accounts controlled by a sports media and marketing business headquartered in Argentina (the “Sports Marketing Company”). In that capacity, Arzuaga assisted the principal of the Sports Marketing Company, along with others, in paying bribes to various high-ranking soccer officials, the information states. According to the information, Arzuaga furthered the bribery conspiracy in a variety of ways, including by opening a bank account in the name of a shell company ostensibly established on behalf of the Sports Marketing Company, when, in fact, the true beneficial owner of this account was a high-ranking soccer official. In total, according to the information, Arzuaga assisted in paying more than $25 million in bribes into the account. Following the death of the beneficial owner of the account, Arzuaga arranged for the balance of the funds remaining in the account to be distributed to the soccer official’s heirs, the information states. In exchange for his assistance in facilitating the payment of these bribes, the information states that Arzuaga received approximately $1,046,000 in bonus payments.
The FBI New York Field Office and the IRS-CI Los Angeles Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel P. Nitze, Paul Tuchmann, Lauren Howard Elbert, and Brian D. Morris of the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Michael P. Grady of the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, Organized Crime and Gang Section, and Fraud Section, as well INTERPOL Washington provided substantial assistance with the case.
Former Police Officer and Wife Plead Guilty in Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Former Antioch police officer Gary Bostick and his wife, Ana Bostick, pleaded guilty to their respective roles in a scheme to illegally obtain money from the United States announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Batdorf.
Gary Bostick, 39, and Ana Bostick, 37, both of Pittsburg, pleaded guilty to their respective roles in a conspiracy to commit theft of public money and related charges. The Honorable Jeffery S. White, United States District Judge, accepted Ana Bostick’s guilty plea on Tuesday, June 13, 2017, and accepted Gary Bostick’s guilty plea this morning.
According to the Bosticks’ plea agreements, between January and April of 2015, the conspiracy involved filing false federal income tax returns in order to obtain fraudulent federal income tax refunds and cashing stolen U.S. Treasury checks at Walmart stores throughout the United States. Specifically, Gary Bostick admitted that in January 2015, he assisted in filing false tax returns with the IRS in the names of deceased individuals. The defendants obtained names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers from websites such as www.rootsweb.ancestry.com and www.ssnvalidator.com. In order to receive payment, the conspirators directed the IRS to mail the fraudulently obtained U.S. Treasury checks to addresses he and his co-conspirators could access. The conspirators cashed the U.S. Treasury checks at various Walmart stores.
Ana Bostick admitted that she aided her co-conspirators by, among other things, cashing two U.S. Treasury checks. Ana Bostick admitted she requested another co-conspirator to send her photos of the two U.S. Treasury checks so that she could use the information on the checks to obtain fake identification that matched the names. After obtaining the fake identifications, Ana Bostick cashed the two checks and kept the corresponding funds.
Gary Bostick’s participation in the scheme included traveling with two co-conspirators to Los Angeles to obtain stolen U.S. Treasury checks and then to Walmart stores in various areas, including Kentucky, to cash the checks. The former police officer acknowledged that he supervised other individuals in the scheme, including managers and runners, who were responsible for cashing the fraudulent or stolen U.S. Treasury checks. In sum, the conspiracy involved $720,530.40 in stolen U.S. Treasury checks.
On November 15, 2015, a federal grand jury indicted Gary Bostick, Ana Bostick, and their co-conspirators. For her part in the scheme, Ana Bostick was charged with conspiracy to commit theft of public money, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371; two counts of theft of public money, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641; and two counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A. She pleaded guilty to all charges. For his part in the scheme, Gary Bostick was charged with conspiracy to commit theft of public money, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371; four counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343; and four counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A. He pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge and to the wire fraud charges. Pursuant to the plea agreement, the identity theft charges were dismissed.
Judge White scheduled Gary Bostick’s sentencing for September 19, 2017, and Ana Bostick’s sentencing for November 14, 2017. The maximum sentence for conspiracy to commit theft of public money is five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The maximum sentence for theft of public money is ten years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The maximum sentence for wire fraud is 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The maximum sentence for aggravated identity theft is a mandatory minimum of two years in prison and a fine of $250,000. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Newman and Jose A. Olivera and Trial Attorney Gregory Bernstein are prosecuting this case with assistance from Jonathan Deville of the Tax Division. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.
Former Nomura RMBS Trader Convicted of Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in Hartford has found MICHAEL GRAMINS, 33, of New York, N.Y., guilty of conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud.
According to the evidence at trial, GRAMINS was an Executive Director on the Residential Mortgage Backed Securities (“RMBS”) Desk at Nomura Securities International (“Nomura”) in New York where he principally oversaw Nomura’s trading of bonds composed of sub-prime and option ARM loans. GRAMINS engaged in a conspiracy to defraud customers of Nomura by fraudulently inflating the purchase price at which Nomura could buy a RMBS bond to induce their victim-customers to pay a higher price for the bond, and by fraudulently deflating the price at which Nomura could sell a RMBS bond to induce their victim-customers to sell bonds at cheaper prices, causing Nomura to profit illegally. GRAMINS trained subordinates to lie to customers, provided them with the language to use in deceiving customers, and encouraged them to engage in the practice.
The victims of this scheme included hedge funds, insurance companies, and asset managers from Connecticut and elsewhere.
On March 6, 2017, GRAMINS and two other former New York-based bond traders for Nomura, Ross Shapiro and Tyler Peters, were each charged in a third superseding indictment with one count of conspiracy, two counts of securities fraud and six counts of wire fraud. A trial before U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny began on May 8, 2017. Today, the jury found GRAMINS guilty of one count of conspiracy, and not guilty of one count of securities fraud and five counts of wire fraud. The jury could not reach a verdict as to one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud.
The jury also found Shapiro not guilty of two counts of securities fraud and six counts of wire fraud, but could not reach a verdict as to the conspiracy count. The jury found Peters not guilty of all nine counts of the indictment.
“This has been a demanding prosecution, and I thank the jury for its service,” U.S. Attorney Deirdre M. Daly said. “I also commend SIGTARP, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of Inspector General for their outstanding investigative work in this and related cases. Our investigation into fraudulent trading practices in the RMBS and other financial markets has had a marked impact on the industry and will continue.”
When sentenced, GRAMINS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
This matter has been investigated by the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of Inspector General.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Liam Brennan, Heather Cherry, and David Novick.
Former Manchester Man Sentenced for Role in Cocaine DealRead the Press Release
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Luis D. Capo-Nieves, 33, formerly of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made during court proceedings, on July 1, 2016, the Nashua Police department dispatched several officers to the parking lot of a city apartment complex in response to a citizen complaint about drug dealing activity there. In the parking lot, the responding police officers observed Capo-Nieves engage in an exchange with another individual, Wilfredo Tanon Rodriguez, that appeared to be part of a drug transaction. After Capo-Nieves and Tanon Rodriguez left the parking lot in Capo-Nieves’s car, police stopped the car for a variety of motor vehicle violations. A police inspection of a bag the police saw in the car during the traffic stop revealed 279 grams of cocaine.
Capo-Nieves, who pleaded guilty on February 28, 2017, will be on supervised release for three years after he serves his prison sentence. In addition, the Court directed that $2121 recovered from Capo-Nieves at the time of his arrest should be used to pay for his court-appointed defense attorney, instead of being returned to Capo-Nieves.
On June 2, 2017, Tanon Rodriguez, a former Nashua resident, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his participation in the drug transaction.
“Even as we continue to address the opioid epidemic, the law enforcement community remains committed to stopping the distribution of all illegal drugs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “Thanks to good police work, over a quarter kilogram of cocaine has been removed from the streets of Nashua.”
This matter was investigated by the Nashua Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Morse prosecuted the case.
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Former Managing Director at Swiss Bank Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Charge in Connection with Soccer Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Jorge Luis Arzuaga, a citizen of Argentina and a private banker formerly employed by Swiss banks, pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging him with participating in a money laundering conspiracy in connection with the distribution and receipt of millions of dollars of bribes paid to soccer officials, including the late president of the Asociación del Futbol Argentina (“AFA”), the Argentinian soccer federation. The plea was entered before United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York.
The guilty plea was announced by Bridget M. Rohde, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office; and Richard Weber, Chief of IRS Criminal Investigation.
Swiss authorities are expected to announce the resolution of charges against Arzuaga in a related matter soon.
According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, beginning in around 2010 and continuing through 2015, while employed as a private banker at two financial institutions based in Switzerland, Arzuaga managed several accounts controlled by Alejandro Burzaco, a principal of Torneos y Competencias, S.A. (“TyC”), a sports media and marketing business headquartered in Argentina. In that capacity, Arzuaga assisted Burzaco and others in paying bribes to various soccer officials, including to the then-president of AFA, who is identified in the information as Soccer Official #1. Arzuaga furthered the bribery conspiracy in a variety of ways, including by opening a bank account in the name of a shell company established to effect certain transactions on behalf of TyC. The true beneficial owner of this account was Soccer Official #1. Arzuaga assisted Burzaco in paying more than $25 million in bribes into the account for the benefit of Soccer Official #1. Burzaco pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and other offenses on November 16, 2015 in connection with his involvement in paying bribes to soccer officials.
Following Soccer Official #1’s death in 2014, Arzuaga arranged for the balance of the funds remaining in the account to be distributed to Soccer Official #1’s heirs. In exchange for his assistance in facilitating the payment of these bribes, Arzuaga received approximately $1,046,000 in bonus payments from Burzaco for moving bribe money through the financial system. Arzuaga will forfeit that amount in connection with his plea.
“By facilitating the flow of bribe money through the Swiss and American banking systems, the defendant provided a critical service to those involved in corruption in international soccer,” stated Acting United States Attorney Rohde. “Today’s plea marks another important step in our continuing effort to hold accountable those who facilitate the movement of criminal proceeds in the United States and across the globe.” Acting United States Attorney Rohde extended her grateful appreciation to the authorities of the government of Switzerland for their invaluable assistance in this investigation and for their ongoing collaboration.
This plea shows how wide-ranging and systemic corruption once was in one of the world’s most popular sports,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “Our work is nowhere near finished, and we will continue to pursue each and every corrupt member of this scheme until each is brought to justice.”
“The guilty plea announced today builds upon the ongoing investigation of corruption within FIFA, where we have continued to trace illicit funds through banks around the world,” said Chief Weber. “We are pursuing the bad actors - including soccer officials, sports marketing companies, financial institutions, and their bankers - who have intentionally and criminally violated the law by laundering illegal proceeds. Prospective private bankers and relationship managers should take note of Mr. Arzuaga’s conviction and think twice about the consequences of conspiring to launder money. These criminal actors will continue to be under the microscope of the financial investigative expertise of IRS CI.”
The guilty plea announced today is part of an investigation led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the Bank Integrity Unit in the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division in Washington, D.C., the FBI New York Field Office, and the IRS-CI Los Angeles Field Office. The prosecutors in Brooklyn and the Bank Integrity Unit are receiving considerable assistance from attorneys in various parts of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division in Washington, D.C., including the Office of International Affairs, the Organized Crime and Gang Section, and the Fraud Section, as well as from INTERPOL Washington.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel P. Nitze, Paul Tuchmann, Lauren Howard Elbert, and Brian D. Morris of the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Michael P. Grady of the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division are in charge of today’s prosecution.
The Defendant:
JORGE LUIS ARZUAGA
Age: 56Citizenship: Argentina
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-313 (PKC)
Former Doctor Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Distributing Prescription Drugs, Health Care Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Sardar Ashrafkhan of Ypsilanti, Michigan, was sentenced today to 23 years in prison for participating in a conspiracy to distribute prescription pills, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and money laundering, Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel Lemisch announced.
Ashrafkhan, also known as “Dr. Khan,” 59, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert H. Cleland.
Lemisch was joined in the announcement by Timothy Plancon, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration; David P. Gelios, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Robin Shoemaker, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Lamont Pugh, Special Agent in Charge of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services; and Manny Muriel, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.
Sardar Ashrafkhan was found guilty, along with two co-defendant doctors, after a seven week jury trial. Ashrafkhan was convicted on felony counts of conspiracy to illegally distribute prescription drugs, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and two counts of money laundering. The convictions arose from the operation of the defendant’s fraudulent medical practice known as Compassionate Doctors. The medical practice purported to be a visiting physician’s practice, but was actually a scheme that involved patient marketers bringing paid “patients” to residences to obtain fraudulent prescriptions for controlled substances. Medicare was billed for medical examinations and tests that were not conducted properly or were not conducted at all. Marketers filled the controlled substance prescriptions at cooperating pharmacies and sold the drugs on the street market.
According to evidence submitted at trial and at sentencing, Ashrafkhan operated Compassionate and related health care corporations from 2006 until 2013.
Ashrafkhan was responsible for participating in illegally distributing over 200,000 dosage units of oxycodone (including Oxycontin) and opana, powerful Schedule II opiates. He was responsible for over 1 million dosage units of another opiate, hydrocodone (Vicodin, lortab), and over 3 million dosage units of controlled substances of all kinds. He was responsible for over $8 million in health care fraud.
Oxycontin, oxycodone, and hydrocodone are controlled substances that may be prescribed by a doctor only for a legitimate medical purpose. A doctor must act in good faith in prescribing these medications. These powerful and addictive drugs in the opioid class are easily abused, and can lead to addiction and eventual heroin use.
“More people die in America every year from prescription drug overdoses than from overdoses of all other drugs combined,” Lemisch said. “In addition, prescription drug addiction has led to resurgence in heroin use. Licensed professionals who participate in the diversion of prescription drugs to the street market are contributing to this epidemic, and we are focusing our enforcement efforts on stopping them.”
“Dishonest and unethical Doctors and Pharmacists who provide prescription drugs, especially Opioids, to individuals with no medical need are fueling a national crisis which has resulted in alarming levels of addiction, overdose deaths, and violence at the hands of criminal enterprises competing to flood our streets with illegal drugs,” said David P. Gelios, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Division of the FBI. “To those prioritizing profit over their pledge to honestly service the health needs of the public, the message should be clear that the collective resources of local, state and federal law enforcement will expose your illegal activities and bring you to justice.”
“When you exploit every business principle to enrich your pocket with illegal proceeds,” stated Special Agent in Charge Manny Muriel, “IRS Criminal Investigation will use their financial expertise to shut you down.”
Ashrafkhan was one of 44 defendants named in a multi-count second superseding indictment unsealed in March of 2013. Six doctors and five pharmacists were convicted, either by guilty plea or at trial, and all received custodial sentences. The longest custodial sentence imposed on a pharmacist was 78 months, and the longest custodial sentence imposed on a doctor was 228 months. As the owner and manager of the fraudulent clinic, Sardar was the leader of the activity and obtained the largest share of the profits from this illegal activity.
Ashrafkhan is a citizen of Pakistan who came to the United States in approximately 1991 to study medicine. He no longer has legal status in the United States, and is subject to deportation after service of his sentence.
Acting United States Attorney Lemisch thanked the agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement’s Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Detroit Police Dept., Portsmouth, Ohio, Police Dept., Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, and the Detroit Violent Crimes Task Force and Michigan State Police for their successful investigation of the case.
Former Commerce Employee Convicted of Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a former information technology official with the Department of Commerce today of conspiracy to pay and receive bribes, and acceptance of bribes by a public official.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Raushi J. Conrad, 42, of Bristow, served as the Director of Systems Operation and Security within the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), a branch of the Department of Commerce. In that position, Conrad was designated to oversee and manage a project whereby computer files were transferred from an old BIS computer network that had been infected by a virus to a new, uninfected network. Conrad was also to ensure that the transferred files were free of viruses and, in some instances, retained the full functionality of the files that had resided on the old network.
“Conrad took bribes in exchange for official acts,” said Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The contracting process should be one of integrity and fairness, and this case should send a strong message that public corruption will be vigorously prosecuted. I want to thank the trial team and our investigative partners for their outstanding work on this case.”
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, while serving as the project manager for the data migration project, Conrad solicited and received bribes from James Bedford, a local businessman, in return for steering a lucrative subcontract and contract to perform the data migration work to companies owned in whole or in part by Bedford. One of Bedford’s companies made $208,000 in payments to a restaurant business owned by Conrad, and many of these payments were concealed through false and fictitious invoices created by Conrad. The fake invoices made it appear that Conrad’s restaurant business had performed various services for Bedford’s company, when in fact no such services had ever been provided. Bedford’s company also arranged for various subcontractors to perform over $7,000 worth of free renovation work at Conrad’s residence. Bedford has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 30 (see case number 1:16-cr-264).
“Raushi Conrad received bribes from a local businessman in return for steering a lucrative subcontract and contract to perform the data migration work to companies owned in whole or in party by the bribe payer,” said Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “Conrad, who served as the Director of Systems Operation and Security within the Bureau of Industry and Security, a branch of the Department of Commerce, received more than $200,000 in payments that were made to a restaurant business owned by him. The fake invoices made it appear that Conrad’s business had performed various services for the bribe payer’s company, when in fact no such services had ever been provided. Today’s verdict underscores the dedication of the FBI and our partners in pursuing and disrupting fraudulent acts against the government.”
Conrad faces a maximum of 20 years in prison when sentenced on September 8. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Andrew W. Vale, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; Duane E. Townsend, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Inspector General; and Robert E. Craig, Special Agent in Charge for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Burke and Jamar K. Walker are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:16-cr-169.
Former City of Nashua Volunteer Charged with Fraudulent Use of Social Security NumberRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Dana Michelle Lawrence, 43, of Nashua has been indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with fraudulent use of a social security number.
According to court documents, in 2006, Lawrence was sentenced in a Rhode Island state court to a one-year period of incarceration followed by nine years of probation for a theft offense. Shortly after Lawrence completed the prison sentence, she absconded from supervision and a warrant was issued for her arrest. In November 2016, Lawrence, using the alias “Genevieve Kaplan,” began working as a volunteer for the City of Nashua, preparing grant applications. On May 7, 2017, the Nashua Police Department (NPD) and FBI were told that “Kaplan” tried to obtain routing numbers and account numbers for bank accounts that belonged to the City.
While investigating the matter, the NPD and FBI obtained a copy of a lease application that “Kaplan” had used to rent an apartment in Nashua. On the application, “Kaplan” used a different first name, “Genna,” and a social security number assigned to another person. searching “Kaplan’s” Nashua apartment, the NPD and FBI found documents that contained different names, addresses, dates of births, and social security numbers.
On May 11, Lawrence was arrested and charged in state court with Identity Fraud, a felony under state law.
If convicted, Lawrence faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The charges and allegations contained in an indictment are merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation, which is ongoing, has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of Inspector General of the Social Security Administration, and the Nashua Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Kinsella and Anna Dronzek are prosecuting the case.
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Former California Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to File Fraudulent Tax Returns and Cashing Stolen Refund and Social Security ChecksRead the Press Release
A Pittsburg, California man pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit theft of government money and wire fraud, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Brian J. Stretch for the Northern District of California.
According to documents filed with the court, while employed as a police officer, Gary Bostick, 39, participated in a conspiracy to cash stolen U.S. Treasury checks and file tax returns in the names of deceased individuals to obtain fraudulent refunds. Bostick filed some of the fraudulent returns from his residence and he and his co-conspirators directed the refund checks to addresses they could access. Bostick and his coconspirators, to include Hugh Robinson, also acquired stolen tax refund and social security checks, which they cashed at stores in various areas, including Kentucky. Bostick recruited and directed others who participated in the scheme. He admitted to causing a tax loss of more than $720,530.
Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 19. Bostick faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison for the conspiracy count and 20 years in prison for the wire fraud count. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. Robinson was previously convicted at trial and sentenced to 144 months in prison for his role in the conspiracy.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and U.S. Attorney Stretch thanked special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Newman and Jose A. Olivera, and Trial Attorney Gregory Bernstein of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Florida Man Indicted for a Hate Crime for Making Telephonic Threat to Shoot Congregants at the Islamic Center of Greater MiamiRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that Gerald Wallace, 35, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a hate crime charge for obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs by threatening to shoot members of a mosque in Miami Gardens, Florida.
According to court documents, during the evening of February 19, 2017, Wallace left a voicemail message for the Islamic Center of Greater Miami, located in Miami Gardens, Florida.
The defendant is alleged to have left a profanity laden message against Islam, the prophet Mohammed, and the Koran, during which he threatened to go to the mosque, and stated, "I'm gonna shoot all y'all."
Counts One and Two of the superseding indictment charge Wallace with obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs and the interstate transmission of a threatening communication for leaving this threating voicemail. Wallace was previously indicted, on May 25, 2017, for the interstate transmission of a threatening communication for making this threat. If convicted of both counts, Wallace faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Miami Area Corruption Task Force and the Miami Gardens Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry C. Wallace, Jr. of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Samantha Trepel of the Civil Rights Division.
Florida Man Indicted for a Hate Crime for Making Telephonic Threat to Shoot Congregants at the Islamic Center of Greater MiamiRead the Press Release
Gerald Wallace, 35, of Miami, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a hate crime charge for obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs by threatening to shoot members of a mosque in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Benjamin G. Greenberg, Acting Unites States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
According to court documents, during the evening of February 19, 2017, Wallace left a voicemail message for the Islamic Center of Greater Miami, located in Miami Gardens, Florida. The defendant is alleged to have left a profanity laden message against Islam, the prophet Mohammed, and the Koran, during which he threatened to go to the mosque, and stated, "I'm gonna shoot all y'all."
Counts One and Two of the superseding indictment charge Wallace with obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs and the interstate transmission of a threatening communication for leaving this threating voicemail. Wallace was previously indicted, on May 25, 2017, for the interstate transmission of a threatening communication for making this threat. If convicted of both counts, Wallace faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Miami Area Corruption Task Force and the Miami Gardens Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry C. Wallace, Jr. of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Samantha Trepel of the Civil Rights Division.
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.
Final Man Convicted in Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – With the final plea today, three Houston men have been convicted for their roles in a $1 million narcotics trafficking conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez.
Today, Robert Ashleigh Whitten, 38, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Lalo Buddy Perez, 26, and Michael Anthony Patran, 28, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and to possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in February 2017.
In 2016, law enforcement personnel began investigating a drug trafficking organization distributing significant quantities of cocaine in the Houston area. Agents quickly confirmed that Patran and Perez were both major suppliers and distributors within the Houston and Magnolia, Texas, community. Through the course of the investigation, agents also confirmed that Patran and Perez conspired with Whitten to distribute cocaine and the proceeds from the narcotics trafficking.
On Sept. 6, 2016, authorities conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle Perez was driving with Patran as passenger. At that time, law enforcement discovered a blue Puma gym bag containing 20 individually-wrapped packages of U.S. currency, which totaled approximately $237,475. They also found an AK-47 assault rifle and Walther P99 pistol.
Shortly thereafter, law enforcement agents observed Whitten at a gas station and contacted him. He lied to the police about his identity and attempted to flee, but was captured immediately. Upon a search of his Dodge Ram truck, authorities found more than 18 kilograms of cocaine and approximately $666,638.00 in his vehicle. Some of the cocaine was open and spilled into a cooler which caused an odor that permeated the vehicle.
All three men have been and will remain in custody pending sentencing, set for Nov. 16, 2017, before U.S. District Judge Sim Lake.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie N. Searle and Rick Bennett are prosecuting the case.
Federal Jury Convicts St. Roch Resident in Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that yesterday a federal jury has convicted LAZANDY DANIELS, age 40, of the St. Roch neighborhood, for his role in distributing kilograms of cocaine in the New Orleans area. Following a three-day trial, the jury found DANIELS guilty of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride (powder) and 28 grams or more of cocaine base (“crack”); and two counts relating to the distribution of crack cocaine.
According to the evidence at trial, co-defendant CRAIG JAMES was a Houston-based cocaine supplier who, during 2014 and 2015, transported up to 30 kilograms of cocaine per month from Houston to New Orleans. JAMES’S method for transportation was to hide the cocaine in the door panels of used cars, load the cars onto a flatbed truck, and drive the truck from Houston to a salvage yard in New Orleans East. Upon arrival at the salvage yard, DANIELS and others would assist JAMES in unloading the drugs; distributing the drugs to local kilogram-level dealers like co-defendants LEON JACKSON and JOPPA JACKSON; and then collecting the drug proceeds that would then be used to purchase more cocaine for resale. The evidence further showed that DANIELS sold quantities of crack and powder cocaine from a home near the intersection of North Derbigny Street and Mandeville Street in the St. Roch neighborhood. DANIELS and JAMES were arrested on December 2, 2015, at the Super 8 Hotel on Chef Menteur Highway in New Orleans East. At the time of the arrest, the men were in possession of 164 grams of crack cocaine, numerous items used to weigh and package cocaine, and almost $300,000 in cash drug proceeds.
Because DANIELS has a prior felony drug conviction, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of twenty years in prison, a maximum life sentence, a possible fine of $20,000,000, and a supervised release period of at least ten years. Sentencing before Judge Jane Triche Milazzo is scheduled for September 14, 2017.
Co-defendants CRAIG JAMES and LEON JACKSON, JR., both previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of a mixture containing cocaine hydrochloride and 28 grams or more of a mixture containing cocaine base (crack). Both defendants are scheduled for sentencing on July 13, 2017.
Co-defendant JOPPA JACKSON previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine hydrochloride and is scheduled for sentencing on August 10, 2017.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New Orleans Police Department, Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office, Kenner Police Department, and Border Patrol in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon S. Long and Theodore Carter are responsible for the prosecution.
Federal Jury Convicts Mission, Texas Man for Role in Drug Trafficking / Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
In San Antonio this afternoon, a federal jury convicted 45–year-old Reymundo Villarreal-Arelis (aka “Mundo”) of Mission, TX, for his role in a drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy occurring in South Texas, Central Texas and Oklahoma announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., Western District of Texas; Acting United States Attorney Abe Martinez, Southern District of Texas; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge William Cotter, San Antonio Division; and, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit, Houston Division.
Jurors convicted Villarreal-Arelis on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Jurors found that Villarreal-Arelis and others, including 12 relatives, conspired to (1) engage in financial transactions using proceeds derived from the importation, receiving, concealment, buying, and/or selling cocaine; and (2), transport or transmit monetary instruments to locations outside of the United States in an effort to conceal the source, ownership and control of proceeds derived from unlawful activity.
Evidence presented at trial revealed that the defendant was a member of a significant Rio Grande Valley cocaine trafficking family known as “Los Piojos” led by brothers Gilberto Villarreal-Arelis, Reymundo Villarreal-Arelis, and Juan Villarreal-Arelis (aka ”Juando”) along with their nephew, Jose Luis Villarreal-Gonzalez (aka “Nune”). Since 2000, this organization was responsible for the importation and distribution of thousands of kilograms of cocaine supplied by the Gulf Cartel and subsequently, by Los Zetas. This organization maintained control over smuggling routes stretching from Guatemala to Diaz Ordaz, Mexico, across from McAllen, TX. Cocaine was smuggled into and kept in stash houses in McAllen before being transported to San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Oklahoma, North Carolina and Florida.
Testimony during trial revealed that cocaine sales generated millions of dollars for this organization, some of which was used to purchase more than 50 quarter horses. The defendants used the horse racing industry as one money laundering mechanism for their illegal proceeds.
During this investigation, authorities seized 280 kilograms of cocaine and between $15-20 million in assets attributed to the criminal activity of the defendants including cash in various bank accounts, quarter horses, the Riverside Plaza shopping center in Mission, numerous residences and other real estate properties.
In addition to today’s verdict, this investigation resulted in fourteen (14) individuals and two companies pleading guilty to federal charges prior to jury selection. All are awaiting sentencing. Defendant Gilberto Villarreal-Arelis (aka “Beto”, “Betito”) remains a fugitive.
“Today’s verdict and previous guilty pleas are a testament to the tenacity of IRS-Criminal Investigation special agents when it comes to using their exceptional financial skills to help bring down drug cartels,” said IRS-CI San Antonio Field Office Special Agent in Charge William Cotter. “We’re proud to be a member of a resolute law enforcement effort that strives to dismantle drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.”
This investigation was conducted by the IRS-Criminal Investigation Waco Treasury Task Force comprised of IRS-CI, Irving Police Department, Woodway Public Safety Department and the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office together with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s McAllen, San Antonio and Houston field offices, Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Marshals Service.
Federal Gun Charge Brought Against Shrewsbury ManRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that a federal grand jury has returned a two-count indictment charging Frank Weir, 55, of Shrewsbury, with possessing a machine gun without a permit and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Both counts identify the same Thompson U.S. Navy 1928 submachine gun, .45 caliber (manufactured by Colt).
Weir is currently in state pursuant to the State’s second-degree murder charge against Weir for the shooting death of Donna Marzilli on February 15, 2016. The machine gun at issue in this federal case is not alleged to be involved in the Marzilli shooting. An arraignment in federal court on the federal charges has not yet been scheduled.
The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and he is proven guilty. Under the National Firearms Act, a person may not possess a machine gun unless it is registered to that person in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Violation of this offense carries a maximum penalty of ten years. Under the Gun Control Act, it is unlawful to possess a firearm with an obliterated serial number. This offense carries a maximum sentence of five years. If he is convicted, the Court would determine the actual sentence after consideration of the advisory sentencing guidelines.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Vermont State Police. The United States is represented by Joe Perella. Weir is represented by Peter Langrock, Esq. of Middlebury.
Federal Grand Jury IndictmentsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that a Federal Grand Jury in Greenville, South Carolina, returned Indictments against the following:
Fountain Inn Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charge. David Jerome Butler, age 42, of Fountain Inn, South Carolina, was charged in a one-count indictment with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). The maximum penalty Butler could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 10 years. This case was investigated by the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and is being prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Lance Crick of the Greenville office.
Greenville County Man Indicted on Federal Gun and Drug Charges. Travis Sanchez Hunt, age 32, of Greenville County, South Carolina, was charged in a three-count indictment with one count of possession of firearms by a prohibited person, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1); possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (crack), a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1); and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A). The maximum penalty Hunt could face is a fine of $1,500,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 450 years. The case was investigated by the Greenville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and is being prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Lance Crick of the Greenville office.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges in these indictments are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Federal Grand Jury IndictmentsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that a Federal Grand Jury in Greenville, South Carolina, returned Indictments against the following:
Greenville Resident Indicted on Possession and Distribution of Child Pornography. Micah R. Vickery, age 37, of Greenville, South Carolina, was charged in a 2-count indictment with possession of child pornography, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(5)(B) and distribution of child pornography, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2). The maximum penalty Vickery could receive is 20 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. The case was investigated by agents of ICE-Homeland Security Investigations and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney William J. Watkins, Jr. of the Greenville office for prosecution.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Mauldin Resident Indicted on Federal Gun Charges. Alvin Andrae Drummond, age 41, of Mauldin, South Carolina, was charged in a one-count indictment with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and (g)(9). The maximum penalty Drummond could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or life imprisonment. The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Schoen of the Greenville office.
Individual Indicted on Federal Gun Charges. Nicholas La Shaun Finley, age 45, was charged in a one-count indictment with possession of ammunition by a prohibited person, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and (g)(9). The maximum penalty Finley could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or life imprisonment. The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Schoen of the Greenville office.
Four Aliens Arrested and Charged with Illegal Re-Entry into the United States. Rigoberto Morales-Hernandez, Tomas De La Cruz-Chingo, Luis Mario Olmos Betancourt, and Pedro Antonio Medina were each charged in separate indictments with illegal re-entry to the United States, a violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326. The maximum penalty each could receive, depending on their prior criminal history, is two to twenty years imprisonment. These cases were investigated by agents of the ICE-Homeland Security Investigations and are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen of the Greenville office for prosecution.
Spartanburg Man Indicted on Federal Gun and Drug Charges. Thomas Edward Norman, age 33, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, was charged in a three-count indictment with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1); possession with the intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1); and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A). The maximum penalty Norman could face is a fine of $1,500,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 35 years. The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Wells of the Greenville office.
Spartanburg Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charge. Richard Lamar Chapman, age 24, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, was charged in a one-count indictment with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). The maximum penalty Chapman could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 10 years. This case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Wells of the Greenville office.
Spartanburg Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charge. Brian Delquez Edwards, age 19, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, was charged in a three-count indictment with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1); and possession of a stolen firearm, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(j). The maximum penalty Edwards could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 10 years. This case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Wells of the Greenville office.
Spartanburg Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charge. Charles Alex Hamilton, age 47, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, was charged in a one-count indictment with possession of firearms and ammunition by a prohibited person, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). The maximum penalty Hamilton could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 10 years. This case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Wells of the Greenville office.
Spartanburg Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charges. Vernard Buckman, Jr., age 32, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, was charged in a one-count indictment with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person previously charged with a criminal domestic violence conviction, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 922(g)(9). The maximum penalty Buckman could face is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment of 10 years. The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Wells of the Greenville office.
The United States Attorney stated that all charges in these indictments are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Fayette County Woman Indicted for Escape from Federal CustodyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A Fayette County woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for escaping from federal custody following a prior federal felony conviction, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
The one-count indictment named Tiffany Lilley, age 28, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment, Lilley escaped from federal custody at Renewal Incorporated Community Correction Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on March 28, 2017.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 5 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 Conor Lamb is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Marshals Service 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.
Ellwood City Man Sentenced to Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 135 months imprisonment, followed by 20 years supervised release, and $1,000.00 in restitution, on a charge of Distribution of Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.
United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Lucas Avery Klobetanz, age 40.
According to information presented to the court, on or about October 8, 2015, Klobetanz distributed videos and images containing material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors.
Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Lieber Smolar prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting U.S. Attorney Song commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police for conducting the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Klobetanz.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Eight People Charged in Takedown of Camden Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. - Federal and local law enforcement authorities arrested eight people this week for their alleged roles in a drug trafficking organization that distributed cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin in Camden, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
John Gunther, 34, of Blackwood, New Jersey, George Williams, 42 of Oaklyn, New Jersey, Taleaf Gunther, 31, William Roland, 35, Daron Suiter, 23, Karim Johnson, 38, Latoya Whealton, 32, and Rajai Gaines, 33, all of Camden, are charged by complaint with one count of drug trafficking conspiracy.
Taleaf Gunther, Williams, Whealton, Suiter, and Johnson were arrested June 14, 2017. John Gunther, Roland, and Gaines were arrested June 13, 2017. All eight defendants appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joel Schneider in Camden federal court on their respective arrest dates – except for Taleaf Gunther who appeared today – and were detained.
According to the complaints:
The defendants are members of a drug trafficking organization that dealt cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin in and around Camden, with criminal activities concentrated on the 1700 block of Filmore Street. The organization also supplied drugs to customers and other distributors elsewhere.
John Gunther and Taleaf Gunther, the alleged leaders and managers of the operation, obtained bulk supplies of narcotics, prepared and packaged those controlled substances for street level sale, provided crack cocaine and heroin to other members for resale to customers, collected drug proceeds, and oversaw the daily sales and operation of the organization. Other members of the organization – including Roland, Suiter, Johnson, and Whealton – assisted in the preparation, distribution, and sale of the drugs. Williams allegedly supplied the organization with heroin. Gaines allegedly assisted with the preparation of drugs for resale.
An investigation led by the FBI used surveillance, confidential informants, cooperating witnesses, more than 20 controlled drug purchases, record checks, a GPS vehicle tracker, and multiple telephone wiretaps to uncover the operations of the drug trafficking organization.
The drug trafficking conspiracy count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force, South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Harpster; the Camden County Police Department, under the direction of Chief J. Scott Thomson; the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo; the Camden County Sherriff’s Department under the direction of Sherriff Gilbert Wilson; the Cherry Hill Police Department, under the direction of William Monaghan; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Rick Fuentes, with the investigation leading to the charges.
He also thanked the Gloucester Township Police Department, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel J. Vidoni and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin M. Fay of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Eight Current and Former Law Enforcement Officers, Four Correctional Officers, and Others Sentenced for Their Participation in Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenville - Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and United States Attorney John Stuart Bruce announced that eight current and former law enforcement officers, four correctional officers and two other individuals have been sentenced for their participation in trafficking narcotics and narcotics proceeds for a purported large-scale drug trafficking organization. The individuals used their affiliation with law enforcement to make money by protecting shipments of purported narcotics and narcotics proceeds.
Senior United States District Court Judge Malcolm J. Howard sentenced the following 14 defendants on a variety of charges, including conspiracy to distribute illegal narcotics, firearm charges and bribery charges: Lann Tjuan Clanton, 38, of Garysburg, NC was sentenced to 195 months; Ikeisha Jacobs, 33, of Rich Square, NC, was sentenced to 120 months; Jason Boone, 31 of Henrico, NC, was sentenced to 96 months; Wardie Vincent Jr., 37, of Henrico, NC, was sentenced to 72 months; Adrienne Moody, 38 of Roanoke Rapids, NC was sentenced to 87 months; Cory Jackson, 45, of Garysburg, NC, was sentenced to 87 months; Jimmy Pair Jr., 50, of Pleasant Hill, NC, was sentenced to 87 months; Curtis Boone, 37, of Gaston, NC, was sentenced to 87 months; Thomas Jefferson Allen, 39 , of Roanoke Rapids, NC, was sentenced to 87 months; Alaina Sue-Kam-Ling, 27, of Charlotte, NC, was sentenced to 38 months; Kavon Phillips, 26, of Rich Square, NC, was sentenced to 57 months; Alphonso Ponton, 44, of Weldon, NC, was sentenced to 48 months; Crystal Pierce, 32, of Roanoke Rapids, NC, was sentenced to 6 months; and Tohsa Dailey, 37, of Garysburg, NC, was sentenced to 24 months.
According to factual statements made in connection with the defendants’ guilty pleas, at the time of the crimes charged, Jacobs, Jason Boone, Pair Jr., Curtis Boone and Allen were Deputy Sheriffs at the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office; Clanton, Vincent Jr. and Jackson were former law enforcement officers; Moody, Sue-Kam-Ling, Phillips and Ponton were correctional officers; and Dailey was a 911 dispatch operator for Northampton County.
John Stuart Bruce, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, stated: "Our office was pleased to partner with the FBI and the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section in this important case. When law enforcement officers breach their public trust by agreeing to assist criminal organizations for profit, they must be held accountable, as was done in this prosecution."
"They vowed to protect and serve, but instead these law enforcement officers sold their badges to line their own pockets. Public corruption is the number one criminal priority of the FBI and we will work aggressively to protect the public trust," said John Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina.
The charges stemmed from a large-scale undercover investigation into allegations of systemic law enforcement corruption in Northampton County. Admissions made in connection with the defendants’ guilty pleas revealed that during the course of the undercover investigation, the defendants aided in transporting purported illegal narcotics and illegal narcotics proceeds through North Carolina and elsewhere in exchange for thousands of dollars of payments.
In May 2017, a jury convicted a fifteenth defendant, Antonio Tillmon, 34, of Windsor, NC of drug, firearm and bribery charges relating to this scheme. Tillmon, a former North Carolina police officer, will be sentenced on Aug. 8, 2017. All 15 defendants indicted in this case have now been convicted of various offenses.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Charlotte Division, Raleigh Resident Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Toby W. Lathan of the Eastern District of North Carolina and Trial Attorneys Lauren Bell and Molly Gaston of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.
Eight Current and Former Law Enforcement Officers, Four Correctional Officers, and Others Sentenced for Their Participation in Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Eight current and former law enforcement officers, four correctional officers and two other individuals have been sentenced for their participation in trafficking narcotics and narcotics proceeds for a purported large-scale drug trafficking organization. The individuals used their affiliation with law enforcement to make money by protecting shipments of purported narcotics and narcotics proceeds.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney John Stuart Bruce of the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement.
Senior United States District Court Judge Malcolm J. Howard sentenced the following 14 defendants on a variety of charges, including conspiracy to distribute illegal narcotics, firearm charges and bribery charges: Lann Tjuan Clanton, 38, of Garysburg, N.C., was sentenced to 195 months in prison; Ikeisha Jacobs, 34, of Rich Square, N.C., was sentenced to 120 months in prison; Jason Boone, 31, of Henrico, N.C., was sentenced to 96 months in prison; Wardie Vincent Jr., 37, of Henrico, N.C., was sentenced to 72 months in prison; Adrienne Moody, 39, of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., was sentenced to 87 months in prison; Cory Jackson, 45, of Garysburg, N.C., was sentenced to 87 months in prison; Jimmy Pair Jr., 51, of Pleasant Hill, N.C., was sentenced to 87 months in prison; Curtis Boone, 38, of Gaston, N.C., was sentenced to 87 months in prison; Thomas Jefferson Allen II, 39, of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., was sentenced to 87 months in prison; Alaina Sue-Kam-Ling, 28, of Charlotte, N.C., was sentenced to 38 months in prison; Kavon Phillips, 27, of Rich Square, N.C., was sentenced to 57 months in prison; Alphonso Ponton, 45, of Weldon, N.C., was sentenced to 48 months in prison; Crystal Pierce, 33, of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., was sentenced to 6 months in prison and 6 months of house arrest; and Tohsa Dailey, 37, of Garysburg, N.C., was sentenced to 24 months in prison.
According to factual statements made in connection with the defendants’ guilty pleas, at the time of the crimes charged, Jacobs, Jason Boone, Pair Jr., Curtis Boone and Allen were Deputy Sheriffs at the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office; Clanton, Vincent Jr. and Jackson were former law enforcement officers; Moody, Sue-Kam-Ling, Phillips and Ponton were correctional officers; and Dailey was a 911 dispatch operator for Northampton County.
The charges stemmed from a large-scale undercover investigation into allegations of systemic law enforcement corruption in Northampton County. Admissions made in connection with the defendants’ guilty pleas revealed that during the course of the undercover investigation, the defendants aided in transporting purported illegal narcotics and illegal narcotics proceeds through North Carolina and elsewhere in exchange for thousands of dollars of payments.
In May 2017, a jury convicted a fifteenth defendant, Antonio Tillmon, 33, of Windsor, N.C., of drug, firearm and bribery charges relating to this scheme. Tillmon, a former North Carolina police officer, is set for sentencing during the Court’s September 12, term. All 15 defendants indicted in this case have now been convicted of various offenses.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Charlotte Division, Raleigh Resident Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Lauren Bell and Molly Gaston of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Toby W. Lathan of the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Eastern District of Pennsylvania Observes World Elder Abuse Awareness DayRead the Press Release
As part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is one of 10 federal districts in the United States that formed an Elder Justice Task Force. The Eastern District of Pennsylvania announced its task force here in March 2016, and maintains a website for the public to access here.
The Eastern District of Pennsylvania’s task force met in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in Fall 2016 and Spring 2017, and will meet again in Fall 2017. Task force members include federal, regional, state, and local government officials within the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, as well as advocacy groups that focus on elder justice. Through collaboration, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania’s task force seeks to enhance government protection of vulnerable, elderly Pennsylvanians from harm, including from: (1) abuse, neglect, and failures of necessary care in nursing homes, hospices, hospitals, personal care homes, and other settings; and (2) financial fraud schemes. The task force also works to ensure the integrity of government spending by eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse in health care programs.
Our office welcomes an opportunity to speak to your group about the Elder Justice Initiative and the publicly available resources that can help us all to advance elder justice in Pennsylvania. If you are interested in a meeting, please send an email message to [email protected].
Dolton, Illinois Man Indicted for Stealing Firearms from A Licensed Gun Dealer in Loves Park, Ill.Read the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Dolton, Illinois man was indicted Tuesday, June 13, 2017, by a federal grand jury in Rockford on gun charges. KELVIN CULPS, 20, of Dolton, Ill., also known as “Forty,” was charged with stealing twelve firearms from a licensed firearms dealer in Loves Park, Ill., on May 8, 2017, illegally possessing stolen firearms, and illegally possessing those firearms as a convicted felon. Culps, who has been in federal custody since his arrest on May 30, 2017, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Iain D. Johnston today and has pleaded not guilty. Culps remains in federal custody awaiting trial.
Each count of stealing firearms from a licensed firearms dealer, illegally possessing stolen firearms, and illegally possessing firearms as a convicted felon carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison, to be followed by up to 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted, the court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines, and the defendant shall be required to pay restitution to any victims of the alleged theft of the firearms.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The indictment was announced by Joel R. Levin, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Celinez Nunez, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and Chuck Lynde, Chief of the Loves Park Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Talia Bucci.
Indictment.pdfDistrict Court Enters Permanent Injunction Against Florida and New Jersey Companies and Senior Managers to Stop the Distribution of Unapproved, Misbranded, and Adulterated DrugsRead the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida entered a consent decree of permanent injunction against Stratus Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Miami, Florida; Sonar Products Inc. of Carlstadt, New Jersey; and individuals Alberto Hoyo and Juan Carlos Billoch, the Department of Justice announced today. The injunction permanently enjoins the defendants from distributing unapproved, misbranded, and adulterated drugs in violation of the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA).
The Department filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on April 28, at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The complaint alleges, among other things, that the defendants shipped drugs that had not been approved by the FDA and failed to abide by current good manufacturing practices.
Products Inc. (Sonar), a New Jersey corporation, manufactures drugs for Stratus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Stratus). Stratus, a Florida corporation, distributes prescription and non-prescription drugs and, according to the complaint, owned 80 percent of Sonar. The complaint also included Alberto Hoyo, who is president of Stratus and was a member of Sonar’s board of directors, and Juan Carlos Billoch, who is vice president of operations of Stratus and was a member of Sonar’s board of directors.
According to the complaint, Sonar and Stratus manufactured and/or distributed a number of dermatological products that were not approved by the FDA. The complaint further details that on April 13, 2015, the United States seized unapproved and misbranded drugs held at Stratus’s facility and manufactured by Sonar. They included X-Viate 40 percent Gel and X-Viate 40 percent Lotion.
“Compliance with the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act is necessary to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the medicines we all use,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will continue to work closely with the FDA to protect the public from conduct, like that alleged in the complaint, which poses a potential risk to consumers.”
The consent decree entered today resolves the litigation and requires that defendants cease the production and distribution of unapproved and misbranded drugs. The decree further requires that defendants adhere to current good manufacturing practices for drugs, and requires Sonar to cease manufacturing until the company implements specified remedial measures. The measures include among other things, establishing a quality assurance and quality control program and retaining an expert to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of Sonar’s operations.
As noted in the complaint, FDA inspections of Sonar’s facility in 2014 and 2015, and Stratus’s facility in 2014, revealed violations of current good manufacturing practices that demonstrated a lack of quality oversight of the manufacturing, processing, and testing of drugs such that, if they continued, posed a threat to the public health. The complaint alleged, for example, that Sonar failed to reject drug products that did not meet established standards or specifications. Sonar also knew that some products were exceeding microbial limits and contained objectionable microorganisms, but did not thoroughly investigate the cause of such problems, and instead released the products to the market.
Also, according to the complaint, several products manufactured by Sonar were recalled in 2015 for microbial contamination, and an inspection concluded Stratus did not have the proper controls in place or possess adequate quality oversight to assure that finished drug products meet established specifications for identity, strength, quality, and purity prior to release.
This matter was handled by Trial Attorneys Jacqueline Blaesi-Freed and Monica Groat of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney James Weinkle of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, with the assistance of Associate Chief Counsel for Enforcement Joshua Davenport of the FDA’s Office of General Counsel, Department of Health and Human Services.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Department of Justice Observes World Elder Abuse Awareness DayRead the Press Release
On World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, our nation joins the world in voicing our opposition to elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. On this day, the Department of Justice extends its support to elder victims and their loved ones, recognizing with gratitude those who have committed their lives to protecting older Americans, and affirms its unwavering commitment to combatting elder mistreatment in all its forms.
The U.S. Census Bureau projects that that the population of Americans over 65 years of age will increase to 83.7 million in 2050, nearly double its estimated population of 43.1 million as of the most recent census. While many Americans are enjoying longer, healthier lives, far too many older Americans are suffering in the shadows. Some studies suggest that 10 percent of seniors may suffer some form of physical abuse, psychological or verbal abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation or neglect. Likewise, other studies suggest that older adults may suffer billions in losses as a result of financial fraud, and that being victimized by financial fraud could lead to higher rates of hospitalization and mortality.
“On World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the Department of Justice gives voice to those who have suffered from elder abuse, neglect, fraud and exploitation and commits to supporting those who combat elder mistreatment every day,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “The department is dedicated to actively working with our federal agency partners as well as state, local and international law enforcement, prosecutors and civil attorneys, counselors and case workers, and healthcare professionals to address the growing problem of crime targeting the nation’s seniors.”
The Department of Justice, through its Elder Justice Initiative, which includes the work of many Department components, is working on multiple fronts to protect older Americans from elder mistreatment. The Department has aggressively prosecuted mass mailing fraud schemes, such as Jamaican lottery and psychic scams, many of which are international in nature and target seniors. The Department also launched 10 regional Elder Justice Task Forces across the country in California, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Iowa, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Washington to enhance the ability of federal, state, and local authorities to work together to combat elder financial fraud and to pursue those nursing homes that provide grossly substandard care to their Medicare and Medicaid residents. Additionally, in 2016, the Department’s Office for Victims of Crime and the Elder Justice Initiative, in partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service, established the two-year Elder Justice AmeriCorps program, which received $2 million in Justice Department grant funding to provide legal assistance and support services to victims of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation. Lastly, the Department actively supports state and local efforts to prevent and combat elder abuse in a variety of ways, including:
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Helping older victims and their families by connecting them to available resources, assistance and information on its Elder Justice website: www.elderjustice.gov;
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Advancing our collective understanding of elder abuse through projects like the Elder Abuse Prevention Demonstration Project: www.justice.gov/elderjustice/pr/national-institute-justice-awards-funding-study-elder-abuse;
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Enhancing state and local efforts to combat and prevent elder abuse through the development and dissemination of training materials and resources for prosecutors, law enforcement, civil legal aid workers, victim specialists, and clinicians; and
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Raising public awareness of elder abuse and financial exploitation through the Elder Justice website, webinars, and public meetings.
While some progress has been made in stemming the tide of elder abuse and financial exploitation, there is so much that we still must accomplish. So, on this World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, we ask all Americans to join the Department of Justice in redoubling its efforts to prevent and combat all forms of elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.
More information about the Department of Justice’s elder justice efforts can be found on its Elder Justice Website at https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
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Department of Justice Observes World Elder Abuse Awareness DayRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - On World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, our nation joins the world in voicing our opposition to elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. On this day, the Department of Justice extends its support to elder victims and their loved ones, recognizing with gratitude those who have committed their lives to protecting older Americans, and affirms its unwavering commitment to combatting elder mistreatment in all its forms.
The U.S. Census Bureau projects that the population of Americans over 65 years of age will increase to 83.7 million in 2050, nearly double its estimated population of 43.1 million as of the most recent census. While many Americans are enjoying longer, healthier lives, far too many older Americans are suffering in the shadows. Some studies suggest that 10 percent of seniors may suffer some form of physical abuse, psychological or verbal abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation or neglect. Likewise, other studies suggest that older adults may suffer billions in losses as a result of financial fraud, and that being victimized by financial fraud could lead to higher rates of hospitalization and mortality.
“On World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the Department of Justice gives voice to those who have suffered from elder abuse, neglect, fraud and exploitation and commits to supporting those who combat elder mistreatment every day,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “The department is dedicated to actively working with our federal agency partners as well as state, local and international law enforcement, prosecutors and civil attorneys, counselors and case workers, and healthcare professionals to address the growing problem of crime targeting the nation’s seniors.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Washington is working with its state, local and tribal partners to protect seniors from abuse, neglect, fraud and exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “We recently posted a new complaint form on our website that allows those who have information about elder abuse in our community to get it to law enforcement authorities so that it can be properly addressed.”
The Department of Justice, through its Elder Justice Initiative, which includes the work of many Department components, is working on multiple fronts to protect older Americans from elder mistreatment. The Department has aggressively prosecuted mass mailing fraud schemes, such as Jamaican lottery and psychic scams, many of which are international in nature and target seniors. The Department also launched 10 regional Elder Justice Task Forces across the country in California, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Iowa, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Washington to enhance the ability of federal, state, and local authorities to work together to combat elder financial fraud and to pursue those nursing homes that provide grossly substandard care to their Medicare and Medicaid residents. Additionally, in 2016, the Department’s Office for Victims of Crime and the Elder Justice Initiative, in partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service, established the two-year Elder Justice AmeriCorps program, which received $2 million in Justice Department grant funding to provide legal assistance and support services to victims of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation. Lastly, the Department actively supports state and local efforts to prevent and combat elder abuse in a variety of ways, including:
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Helping older victims and their families by connecting them to available resources, assistance and information on its Elder Justice website: www.elderjustice.gov;
-
Advancing our collective understanding of elder abuse through projects like the Elder Abuse Prevention Demonstration Project: www.justice.gov/elderjustice/pr/national-institute-justice-awards-funding-study-elder-abuse;
-
Enhancing state and local efforts to combat and prevent elder abuse through the development and dissemination of training materials and resources for prosecutors, law enforcement, civil legal aid workers, victim specialists, and clinicians; and
-
Raising public awareness of elder abuse and financial exploitation through the Elder Justice website, webinars, and public meetings.
While some progress has been made in stemming the tide of elder abuse and financial exploitation, there is so much that we still must accomplish.So, on this World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, we ask all Americans to join the Department of Justice in redoubling its efforts to prevent and combat all forms of elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.
More information about the Department of Justice’s elder justice efforts can be found on its Elder Justice Website at https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
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Denton County Man Guilty of Child Exploitation ViolationsRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas — A 42-year-old Lewisville, Texas man has been found guilty of child exploitation charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston.
Jose Victor Hernandez-Cuellar was found guilty by a jury of production of child pornography. The verdict was reached on June 14, 2017, following a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant.
According to information presented in court, on Nov. 6, 2015, federal agents executed a search warrant at Hernandez’s residence based on a national investigation into individuals trading child pornography online. During the search, Hernandez advised agents that he had accessed the website for several years and obtained child pornography from it, but that his efforts were part of research for a story he was writing. During a forensic review of the seized devices, agents discovered images of child pornography that Hernandez had photographed. Agents spoke with Hernandez again and he admitted that he took the images of a minor child with a camera that he owned. Hernandez identified the child to law enforcement and stated he photographed the child at his residence in Lewisville.
Under federal statutes, Hernandez faces a minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in federal prison. This is the maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress and is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa Miller and Lesley Brooks.
Dallas County Woman Guilty in Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A 33-year-old Carrollton, Texas woman has pleaded guilty to federal drug conspiracy charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Nimrose Khan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute Schedule I controlled substances, conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute controlled substance analogues, and engaging in monetary transactions. Khan entered her guilty plea today before U.S. Magistrate Judge K. Nicole Mitchell.
On Aug. 4, 2016, a combined task force of federal, state and local law enforcement executed federal arrest and search warrants in Plano, Carrollton, Dallas and Tyler, Texas as a result of a joint investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Plano Police Department, Internal Revenue Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Smith County Sheriff’s Office.
According to information presented in court, from at least April 2013, Khan and her co-defendants, conspired to distribute synthetic drugs at two retail establishments in the Eastern District of Texas: Minute Stop/Valero Gas Station located at 11874 Hwy 64 West in Tyler, Texas and Ashes Smokes and Tattoos located at 1428 Avenue K in Plano, Texas. Khan and four others were indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 3, 2016
Under federal statutes, Khan faces up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being investigated by DEA, Plano Police Department, IRS, ATF, and the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Ann Cozby. #####
Crips Gang Member Convicted of Murder In-Aid-Of Racketeering, Multiple Robberies and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Following five weeks of trial, a federal jury in Central Islip, New York, returned a guilty verdict today against Eric Smith, a Crips street gang member also known as “Esama” and “Esco,” on 11 counts, including murder in-aid-of racketeering, racketeering, Hobbs Act robbery, and conspiracy to murder rival gang members. Smith faces a mandatory term of life imprisonment when he is sentenced by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert.
The verdict was announced by Bridget M. Rohde, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
During the trial, the government proved that Smith was a ranking member of the Rollin’ 60s set of the Crips, a racketeering enterprise based in Roosevelt, New York, that engaged in murder, attempted murder, narcotics trafficking and firearms trafficking to maintain control of the Roosevelt community for nearly a decade. Smith, who nicknamed himself “Esama da Bomba” in reference to Osama Bin Laden, bragged on social media and to fellow gang members about being the gang’s “top shooter.” The evidence at trial showed Smith lived up to this title. In accordance with the gang’s “on sight” rule, which required members to attack the rival Bloods in Roosevelt whenever possible, using whatever means available, Smith participated in a dozen shootings of rival gang members or their homes. The evidence also showed that Smith shot a man outside a busy nightclub in Freeport and brazenly shot at rivals on residential streets. In addition, the evidence showed that Smith participated in a half dozen robberies with his fellow gang members to acquire cash and drugs for the gang to sell on the streets of Roosevelt.
Among the crimes Smith was convicted of was the December 15, 2010 murder of 19-year-old James McClenic, a member of the rival Bloods street gang. In that December 2010 murder, Smith, drove through the streets of Nassau County for hours, looking for McClenic. At approximately 6:20 p.m., Smith found McClenic sitting in a parked car in a crowded gas station on Hempstead Turnpike in Hempstead, New York. With innocent bystanders standing nearby, Smith, wearing a black ski mask and armed with a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, crept alongside the vehicle in which McClenic was a passenger, and opened fire into the vehicle at close range. Smith fatally shot McClenic in the neck.
According to the evidence, in the wake of the murder and after attempted retaliation by the Bloods against Smith and his fellow Crips, Smith and the leader of the Rollin’ 60s Crips, Raphael Osborne, dispatched younger members of their gang to retaliate. The younger Crips, acted at Smith’s direction, and fired more than a dozen shots into the home of McClenic’s grieving family on the day of the victim’s burial.
Smith was also convicted for his role in two robberies that he committed with the aid of fellow members of the Rollin’ 60s in the fall of 2010. The first robbery involved Smith and a fellow gang member stealing crack cocaine and cash from a victim he pistol-whipped in an effort to force the victim to disclose the location of the drugs. In the second robbery, Osborne directed Smith and fellow Rollin’ 60s members to the home of a drug dealer where Smith and a fellow gang member robbed the dealer of cash and drugs at gunpoint.
“The defendant’s crimes and those of his fellow gang members demonstrated a disregard for human life and the safety of citizens of the Roosevelt community. The defendant took a young man’s life because of his allegiance to a violent street gang. Such gangs like the Rollin’ 60s terrorize communities through violence and drug dealing,” stated Acting United States Attorney Rohde. “This Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will remain vigilant in bringing gang members to justice.” Ms. Rohde thanked the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office and the Nassau County Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.
“The subject in this case had such little regard for human life he took pride in killing people and terrorizing the community, so much so that he nicknamed himself glorifying one of the world’s worst terrorists, Osama bin Laden,” stated Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “Our FBI Long Island Gang Task Force won’t rest until we search out and stop every gang member who believes they are above the law and can get away with being such immoral criminals.”The government’s investigation has led to the arrest and conviction of more than 20 members and associates of the Rollin’ 60s Crips, including its founder Raphael Osborne who was sentenced in January 2017 to three life sentences plus 135 years. To date, ten defendants have been sentenced:
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June 21, 2016, Jahmani Hamilton was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of ten years;
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August 4, 2016, Kurtis Philip was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of ten years;
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August 5, 2016, Courtney Smith was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of ten years;
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September 23, 2016, Merlyn Benitez was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of ten years;
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October 13, 2016, Derick Hernandez was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 20 years that will run consecutively to a four-year state sentence that he is presently serving;
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October 19, 2016, Kwame Lake was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of five years that will run consecutively to an eight-year state sentence that he is presently serving;
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November 4, 2016, Tyshawn Gitto was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment;
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January 13, 2017, Branden Short was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment;
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April 21, 2017, Rommel Lobban was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment; and
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April 25, 2017, Daquanne Nunn was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment;
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Boeckmann, Christopher C. Caffarone and Michael Maffei are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
ERIC SMITH (a/k/a Esama)
Age: 29
Roosevelt, Long Island
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 14-CR264 (JS)
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Cleveland man sentenced to 26 years in prison for administering group that shared images of toddlers being tortured and sexually assaultedRead the Press Release
A Cleveland man was sentenced to more than 26 years in prison for administering a group that shared images of toddlers being tortured and sexually assaulted, said Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja.
Brian C. Keeling, 34, was sentenced to 320 months in prison by U.S. District Judge James Gwin. He pled guilty earlier this year to three counts -- advertising, possession of child pornography and receipt and distribution of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Keeling administered a group on Kik that shared images of child exploitation. The group was named “Toddlers” and had 50 members. Keeling posted messages to the group such as: “Wish we could find a babies group” and “who has some hardcore toddlers,” according to court documents.
Keeling possessed more than 30 movie files and hundreds of images of child pornography and sexual abuse, including a toddler bound by her ankles, which are secured to a rod, who is can be heard screaming while she it tortured and sexually abused, according to court documents.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael A. Sullivan following an investigation by the Cleveland office of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.
Citizen of Ghana and Canada Sentenced to 29 Months in Prison for Role in Gun Smuggling SchemeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today that Joel A. Tetteh, 53, a citizen of Ghana and Canada, was sentenced to serve 29 months in prison for orchestrating a scheme in which he unlawfully purchased firearms in New Hampshire and smuggled them to Ghana.
According to court documents and statements in court, Tetteh purchased a total of six handguns from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Hooksett, New Hampshire on April 29, 2014, October 29, 2014, and May 6, 2015. In purchasing these handguns, Tetteh filled out a form in which he stated that he resided at a location in Merrimack, New Hampshire. A subsequent law enforcement investigation showed that this statement was false. At the time of the purchase, Tetteh was residing in Worcester, Massachusetts and never resided at the address in Merrimack. Under federal law, the firearms dealer could not have lawfully sold these firearms to the defendant because he was not a resident of New Hampshire.
During a subsequent interview with law enforcement officers, Tetteh acknowledged that he had purchased the guns and shipped them to Ghana inside motor vehicles. He further admitted that in 2012 he had arranged for another person to purchase two additional firearms in New Hampshire, which also were sent to Ghana.
The firearms that Tetteh purchased are defense articles that may not be exported without a license from the State Department. Tetteh did not have such a license.
Tetteh previously pleaded guilty on September 9, 2016, to three counts of making material false statements during the acquisition of a firearm, three counts of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm, and three counts of smuggling goods from the United States
“The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes.” Acting U.S. Attorney Farley said. “International gun smuggling is a serious crime that can lead to violent acts in other countries and undermine the stability of foreign governments. I commend the hard work of the law enforcement agents who investigated this significant case.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Acting U.S. Attorney Farley.
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Chattanooga Man Sentenced for Solicitation to Burn Down a Mosque in Islamberg, New YorkRead the Press Release
Robert Doggart, 65, of Signal Mountain, Tennessee, was sentenced to 235 months in prison for soliciting another person to violate federal civil rights laws by burning down a mosque in Islamberg, a hamlet outside Hancock, New York, announced Attorney General Jeff Sessions and United States Attorney Nancy Stallard Harr of the Eastern District of Tennessee. Doggart also was found guilty of soliciting another person to commit arson.
Evidence presented at trial established that, in February 2015, the FBI learned through a confidential source that the defendant was recruiting people online to carry out an armed attack on Islamberg, a community that is home to a large Muslim population. Doggart arranged to meet with the confidential source in Nashville, where he discussed details of his plan to burn down a mosque, a school, and a cafeteria in Islamberg. Doggart showed the confidential source maps of Islamberg, laid out the number of guns and types of ammunition they would need to destroy the community, and discussed different ways to burn down a mosque and other buildings. Through a court order, the FBI also began intercepting Doggart’s phone calls during which Doggart solicited and recruited people to join him in his attack on Islamberg.
Doggart specifically targeted the mosque because it was a religious building, and he discussed burning it down or blowing it up with a Molotov cocktail or other explosive device. At trial, the jury heard recorded conversations in which Doggart repeatedly discussed killing people, including one in which Doggart said, “I don’t want to have to kill children, but there’s always collateral damage.”
“People of all faiths have the fundamental right to worship freely, and this administration will not tolerate attempts to violate that right,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “The defendant solicited people to commit acts of violence in an effort to terrorize a community simply because of its Islamic faith. The Justice Department will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute attacks against our faith-based communities.”
“The people of the Eastern District of Tennessee will not tolerate the type of threats and actions perpetrated by Doggart. The United States Attorney’s Office will aggressively prosecute those who seek to disrupt the safety of our community and others,” said U.S. Attorney Nancy Stallard Harr.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Knoxville Division. This case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Saeed A. Mody of the Civil Rights Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney Perry H. Piper of the Eastern District of Tennessee, and assisted by Trial Attorney Clement McGovern of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Chattanooga Man Sentenced for Solicitation to Burn Down A Mosque in Islamberg, New YorkRead the Press Release
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On Wednesday, June 14, 2017, Robert Doggart, 65, of Signal Mountain, Tennessee, was sentenced by the Honorable Curtis L. Collier, Senior U.S. District Judge, to serve 235 months in prison for soliciting another person to violate federal civil rights laws by burning down a mosque in Islamberg, a hamlet outside Hancock, New York. Upon his release from prison, he will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years. Doggart was also found guilty of soliciting another person to commit arson.
Evidence presented at trial established that, in February 2015, the FBI learned through a confidential source that Doggart was recruiting people online to carry out an armed attack on Islamberg, a community that is home to a large Muslim population. Doggart arranged to meet with the confidential source in Nashville, where he discussed details of his plan to burn down a mosque, a school, and a cafeteria in Islamberg. He showed the confidential source maps of Islamberg, laid out the number of guns and types of ammunition they would need to destroy the community, and discussed different ways to burn down a mosque and other buildings. Through a court order, the FBI also began intercepting Doggart’s phone calls, during which he solicited and recruited people to join him in his attack on Islamberg.
Doggart specifically targeted the mosque because it was a religious building and he discussed burning it down or blowing it up with a Molotov cocktail or other explosive device. At trial, the jury heard recorded conversations in which Doggart repeatedly discussed killing people, including one in which Doggart said, “I don’t want to have to kill children, but there’s always collateral damage.”
“People of all faiths have the fundamental right to worship freely, and this administration will not tolerate attempts to violate that right,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “The defendant solicited people to commit acts of violence in an effort to terrorize a community simply because of its Islamic faith. The Justice Department will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute attacks against our faith-based communities.”
“The people of the Eastern District of Tennessee will not tolerate the type of threats and actions perpetrated by Doggart. The United States Attorney’s Office will aggressively prosecute those who seek to disrupt the safety of our community and others,” said U.S. Attorney Nancy Stallard Harr.
Special Agent in Charge Renae McDermott of the Knoxville Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation states that, “We are committed to investigating violations of federal civil rights statues. We prioritize civil rights investigations which are designed to protect all persons.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, Knoxville Division. Trial Attorney Saeed A. Mody of the Civil Rights Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney Perry H. Piper of the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Trial Attorney Clement McGovern of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, represented the United States at trial.
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Calvert City, Kentucky Men Charged with Intentionally Distributing U-4 Which Resulted in the Death of the UserRead the Press Release
sheppard_hardin_charged_0.pdfFirst defendants charged with U-4 distribution resulting in death,
in the Western District of Kentucky
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Two Calvert City residents were charged by grand jury indictment this week with intentionally distributing U-4770 commonly known as U-4 or by its street name, “Pink”, a Schedule I controlled substance, to a person known as “T.M.” whose death and serious bodily injury resulted from the use of such substance, and serious bodily injury to K.M. resulted from the use of such substance announced United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr.
“My Office is committed to attacking the supply of deadly opioids and bringing some measure of justice to the victims and their families,” stated United States Attorney John Kuhn. “These federal charges carry a mandatory 20-year sentence upon conviction, without the possibility of parole. This indictment and prosecution, we hope, will deter others who consider trafficking this poison.”
Defendants Jevan M. Sheppard, 25, and Thomas Jared Hardin, 23, both of Marshall County, were charged by grand jury indictment on June 13, 2017. The indictment was unsealed today during initial appearances before Magistrate Judge Lanny King.
Sheppard and Hardin, were charged in a five count indictment with conspiring with one another to possess and intentionally distribute U-4 a Schedule I controlled substance. The death of T.M. resulted from the use of such substance and serious bodily injury to K.M. resulted from the use of the substance. The alleged activity took place between November 14, 2016 and March 22, 2017 in Marshall County, Kentucky.
Further, on March 13 and March 14, 2017, in Marshall County, Sheppard and Hardin are each charged with knowingly and intentionally distributing U-4, and the death of T.M. resulted from the use of such substance and serious bodily injury to K.M. resulted from the use of the substance.
Also, Sheppard is charged with a single count of possession with the intent to distribute U-4 on March 22, 2017 and with a single count of knowingly and intentionally importing into the United States, from China, an amount of U-4, a Schedule I controlled substance, and the death of T.M. resulted from the use of such substance and serious bodily injury to K.M. resulted from the use of the substance.
If convicted of the charges in the grand jury indictment, both defendants could be sentenced to no less than 20 years in prison, and up to and including a life sentence, fined no more than $1,000,000 and serve no less than a three year period of supervised release.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth Hancock. The case is being investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, the McCracken County Sheriff’s Department, Paducah Police Department, and the Calvert City Police Department, with assistance from the Marshall County Attorney, the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Marshall County, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
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The charge of a person by Grand Jury Indictment is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
California Man Sentenced to 45 Months in Prison for Leading Cell-Phone Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOISE – Jeromy Reeves, 27, of Fullerton, California, was sentenced to 45 months in prison for using fake drivers’ licenses to fraudulently obtain approximately $24,000 of iPhones at local wireless retailers, Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael Gonzalez announced. Senior U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge also sentenced Reeves to three years of supervised release.
On September 15, 2016, a federal jury indicted Reeves and co-defendants Brittany Terry, Karina Flores, and Joseph Jancu for their roles in the scheme. All defendants have pleaded guilty, with Reeves pleading guilty both to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Terry and Flores pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Jancu pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony.
According to the defendants’ plea agreements, Reeves obtained real driver’s license information of California residents and fraudulently changed them to contain photos of Terry and Flores. He then brought the group to Idaho where he directed Terry and Flores to use the fake IDs to obtain iPhones at local wireless stores by signing up for service contracts. The phones were provided to Terry and Flores but the costs were billed to the victims as part of the fraudulent contracts. Jancu drove the group around town and provided support as they executed the scheme. Fortunately, the Boise Police Department detected the fraud and caught the defendants before they were able to flee town.
On June 14, 2017, Judge Lodge sentenced Terry to three years probation for her wire fraud conviction and Jancu to one year probation for his misprision of a felony conviction. Flores is set to be sentenced on June 22, 2017.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Aggravated identity theft is punishable by a mandatory two years in prison, to be served consecutively to the sentence imposed for the underlying felony. Misprision of a felony is punishable by up to three years in prison.
The case was investigated by the Boise Police Department.
Buffalo Man Sentenced on 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 Rasheen Newkirk, 42, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute heroin and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, was sentenced to 151 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wei Xiang and Patricia Astorga, who handled the case, stated that on December 11, 2013, Newkirk was arrested by Drug Enforcement Administration special agents in Buffalo. The defendant was identified through an investigative lead that was developed by DEA agents in Ohio, where a Chicago-based courier transporting a load of heroin was intercepted by an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper.
A search of Newkirk’s house in Buffalo yielded, among other evidence, a quantity of heroin, 205 glassine envelopes, and a loaded Glock handgun. The defendant served a 112-month sentence for a previous federal firearm conviction and was prohibited from legally possessing any firearm and ammunition.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration Resident Offices in Buffalo, Toledo, Ohio, and Chicago, Illinois, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Brooklyn New York Man Sentenced to Ten Years Imprisonment for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and Crack Cocaine in Rutland AreaRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Joel Joyce (a.k.a. “Prince”), 27, of Brooklyn, New York was sentenced to ten years imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Geoffrey Crawford for his role as a leader in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of cocaine base and heroin in Rutland County.
On December 23, 2016, after a one-week trial, a federal jury convicted Joyce of conspiracy to distribute heroin and 28 grams or more of cocaine base in the Rutland area. The minimum term of imprisonment for this offense is five years and the maximum term of imprisonment is 40 years. Judge Crawford imposed a 10-year term of imprisonment, and sentenced Joyce to a mandatory four-year term of supervised release, which will begin after Joyce serves the prison term.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Joyce used co-conspirators from Brooklyn, New York to bring heroin and crack cocaine from Brooklyn to the Rutland, Vermont area by bus and other means. Joyce then used drug addicts in the Rutland area to distribute the drugs and collect his money. The government presented evidence that Joyce and his coconspirators from New York would often stay at the homes of addicts in Rutland and West Rutland, and used these homes as a base of operations in which to operate Joyce’s drug trafficking enterprise. Joyce paid the addict hosts heroin and crack cocaine for assisting him. One female witness testified at trial that Joyce would “sit around” her State Street, Rutland apartment and “smoke weed while I went and did [drug] deals for him.” The government also presented evidence at trial showing that Joyce made tens of thousands of dollars selling drugs in the Rutland area. Joyce often managed the drug trafficking operation in Rutland by cell phone while he was in Brooklyn, New York.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Vermont State Police Drug Task Force. The United States is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joe Perella and Jon Ophardt. The defendant is represented by David Williams, Esq. of Burlington.
Bridgeport Man Charged with Distributing CarfentanilRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Norwalk Police Chief Thomas Kulhawik today announced that CHARLES THELUSMA, 43, formerly of Bridgeport, has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging him with possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, heroin, carfentanil and U47700.
Carfentanil is an opioid that is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl, which is itself 50 times more potent than heroin. It is typically used as a tranquilizing agent for elephants and other large mammals. U47700 is a synthetic opioid that is approximately seven times stronger than morphine.
As alleged in court documents, on two occasions in March and May 2017, law enforcement coordinated a controlled purchases of heroin from THELUSMA. In both instances, an individual working for THELUSMA completed the drug transactions at predetermined locations in Bridgeport. On May 24, 2017, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of three bundles heroin (30 dose bags) from THELUSMA in exchange for $200. THELUSMA directed the purchaser to a hotel in Elmsford, N.Y. to complete the transaction. Laboratory analysis of the drugs purchased on May 24 confirmed the presence of heroin, carfentanil and U47700.
THELUSMA was arrested on June 13, 2017, at the hotel in Elmsford, where he had been residing. He appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge William I. Garfinkel in Bridgeport and was ordered detained. The charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
“This is the first federal prosecution involving carfentanil in Connecticut,” said U.S. Attorney Daly. “We will continue to devote numerous federal resources to battle the scourge of opioid abuse and distribution, and our commitment becomes stronger as these illegal drugs become more sinister and deadly. This investigation is ongoing.”
“Those suffering from opioid addiction need access to treatment and recovery,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Ferguson. “But those responsible for the distribution of heroin and deadly synthetic opioids like carfentanil and U-47700 need to be held accountable for their actions. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement in Connecticut and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to aggressively seek and bring to justice anyone who distributes these poisons.”
“I would like to commend my officers for their excellent work on following up with this investigation in regards to this very dangerous drug,” said Chief Kulhawik. “I also thank the DEA and U.S. Attorney’s Office for their valuable assistance and partnership in working on this case which lead to the arrest.”
U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA) and Norwalk Police Department. The HIDTA Task Force includes participants from the Connecticut State Police and the Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford and Bridgeport Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy C. Brown.