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26 July 2017
Two Cousins Sentenced to Nine and Seven Years in Federal Prison for the Armed Robbery of A Cellular Phone StoreRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact ELIZABETH MORSE
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Greenbelt, Maryland – On Monday, July 24, 2017, Terry Terrell Clipper, age 27, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland was sentenced to nine years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm. On Thursday, July 20, 2017, Andre Denan Sanders, age 28, of Upper Marlboro, and Clipper’s cousin, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm to 84 months and one day in federal prison. Both Clipper and Sanders pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence in February.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s Police Department; and Chief Douglas Holland of the Hyattsville Police Department.
On April 7, 2016, at approximately 10:02 a.m., Clipper and Sanders entered the T-Mobile store located at 3601 East West Highway, in Hyattsville, Maryland. Upon entering the store, Clipper brandished a firearm, pointed it at store employees, and demanded cellular telephones. Clipper and Sanders forced the employees to a stockroom in the rear of the store. Sanders then locked the store entrance, and returned to the stockroom. Clipper and Sanders demanded cellular telephones and other electronic items. The store employees complied and put various electronic items into two plastic bags. Clipper and Sanders then fled the scene in a vehicle at a high rate of speed with two large clear plastic bags containing approximately $16,900 worth of cellular telephones, tablets and watches.
One of the electronic devices stolen by Clipper and Sanders contained a Global Positioning System (“GPS”) device. Law enforcement was alerted that the GPS tracking device was traveling in the vicinity of Jefferson Street and 42nd Avenue in Hyattsville, Maryland. When law enforcement officers arrived, they observed Clipper and Sanders fleeing from the area of the getaway vehicle.
After a brief foot chase, Clipper and Sanders were taken into custody. Officers recovered a clear plastic bag containing cellular telephones and other electronic items from the ground along the path that the suspects took during the foot chase. Law enforcement also recovered from the vehicle in which the defendants fled a large clear plastic bag containing multiple cellular telephones, tablets and watches, along with a .38 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun loaded with six rounds of ammunition.
Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI’s Cross-Border Task Force, the Hyattsville Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department, for their work in the investigation. Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Sullivan, who prosecuted the case.
Three Members of the 39ers Gang SentencedRead the Press Release
Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced the sentencing of three defendants convicted of gang-related offenses with the 39ers gang following the February 2017 six-week long racketeering and murder trial.
Today, U.S. Judge Jay C. Zainey sentenced CURTIS NEVILLE, age 24, to four life sentences, DAMIAN BARNES, age 29, to 252 months, and SOLOMON DOYLE, age 31, to 78 months for their participation in the violent 39ers gang. Specific sentences, by count and by defendant, are as follows:
COUNT CHARGE DEFENDANT SENTENCE 1 Conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO) BARNES 240 months imprisonment DOYLE 78 months imprisonment NEVILLE Life imprisonment 2 Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances BARNES 252 months imprisonment NEVILLE Life imprisonment 3 Conspiracy to use and carry and to possess firearms BARNES Each defendant received 240 months imprisonment NEVILLE 29 Murder in aid of racketeering NEVILLE Mandatory life imprisonment (Littlejohn Haynes) 30 Causing death through the use of a firearm (Littlejohn Haynes) NEVILLE Life imprisonment 33 Assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering (Albert Hardy) NEVILLE 240 months imprisonment 34 Use and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and a drug trafficking crime NEVILLE Consecutive 120 months imprisonment (Albert Hardy) 35 Assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering (Kelvin Baham) NEVILLE 240 months imprisonment 36 Use and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and a drug trafficking crime NEVILLE Consecutive 300 months imprisonment (Kelvin Baham) 37 Assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering (Carrie Henry) NEVILLE 240 months imprisonment 38 Use and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and a drug trafficking crime NEVILLE Consecutive 300 months imprisonment (Carrie Henry) 43 Possession with intent to distribute heroin NEVILLE 240 months imprisonment 44Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
NEVILLE Consecutive 300 months imprisonmentActing U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Gang Task Force, the New Orleans Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Myles Ranier, David Haller, Brittany Reed, and Jeff Sandman were in charge of the prosecution.
Three Dubuque Heroin Dealers Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Two men who sold heroin and fentanyl that killed a Dubuque man in April 2016, and another man who sold heroin and illegally possessed a firearm were sentenced yesterday to federal prison.
Derrick Jermain Brown, age 26, was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment following his February 21, 2017 guilty plea to conspiring to distribute heroin and fentanyl within 1,000 feet of a playground and public elementary school. Antwain Deshaun Spratt, age 39, was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment following his December 2016 guilty plea to distributing heroin within 1,000 feet of a playground and a public elementary school and his February 2017 guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Tywone Derrel Matthews, age 41, was sentenced to just under 6 years’ imprisonment after the court found him guilty on January 31, 2017 of distributing heroin near a playground and a public elementary school, distributing heroin and fentanyl near a playground and a public elementary school, and possessing with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl near a playground and a public elementary school.
The court found Brown was a leader of a heroin and fentanyl distribution ring operating out of a residence on Iowa Street in Dubuque. Brown admitted to selling over 1 kilogram of heroin over the course of about three years. Brown also admitted that on April 11, 2016, a female heroin customer called Brown to order heroin from him. Following the call to Brown, Matthews left the Iowa Street residence, met with the customer, and distributed a mixture of heroin and fentanyl to her. The customer took the heroin/fentanyl mixture back to the residence she shared with her boyfriend, and she and her boyfriend injected some of it. After injecting the mixture, the female lost consciousness. When she awoke, her boyfriend was dead of an overdose. The court sentenced Brown and Matthews to additional time in prison for their roles in distributing the heroin and fentanyl mixture that caused the boyfriend’s death.
At his plea hearing in December 2016, Spratt admitted he sold heroin to another individual during an undercover operation. Evidence at a prior hearing showed that in April 2016, while a federal arrest warrant was pending on the heroin charge, Deputy United States Marshals found Spratt hiding in a closet in a Dubuque residence. Officers found a handgun in a clothes hamper outside the closet where Spratt was hiding. Spratt had previously been convicted of three prior drug felonies in Illinois, as well as felony theft and willful injury in Black Hawk County, Iowa.
Brown, Spratt, and Matthews were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Brown was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment and a $100 special assessment. He must also serve an eight-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Spratt was also sentenced to a total of 240 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a total of six years of supervised release after the prison term, and pay $200 in special assessments. Matthews was sentenced to a total of 71 months’ imprisonment, and six years’ supervised release after the prison term. He must also pay $300 in special assessments. There is no parole in the federal system.
All three men are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to federal prisons.
Four other men were previously sentenced for their roles in distributing heroin and fentanyl in Dubuque. D’Anthony Lamont Moore was sentenced to 75 months’ imprisonment following his guilty plea to three counts of distributing heroin near a school and playground. Jeffery Donta Hitchcock was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment following his guilty pleas to distributing heroin near a college and playground. Antoine Tavares Mitchell was sentenced to 13 months’ imprisonment following his guilty plea to conspiring to distribute heroin. Antrell Desharron Lewis was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment for distributing heroin near a school and playground. Lewis was also subsequently convicted of distributing and conspiring to distribute heroin and furanylfentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injury. He is awaiting sentencing on those charges
The case was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Marion Police Department; the Iowa City Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number for Brown, Moore, Matthews, Spratt, and Hitchcock is 16‑CR‑01018-LTS. The case file number for Mitchell and Lewis is 16‑CR‑01017‑LTS. The other case file number for Lewis is 17-CR-00005-LTS.
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Three Additional Individuals Sentenced on Methamphetamine Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On July 25, 2017, three additional individuals were sentenced by the Honorable R. Leon Jordan, U.S. District Judge, for their roles in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy centered in and around the Morristown, Tennessee area. Misty Munsey- Killian, 38, of Whitesburg, Tennessee, who was also convicted of participating in a money laundering conspiracy, will serve 235 months. Larry Wayne Martin, 54, of Russellville, Tennessee, and Jeremy Kane Jones, 31, of Morristown, Tennessee, will serve 120 and 110 months respectively.
According to the plea agreements on file with the U.S. District Court, the combined total amount of actual methamphetamine attributed to Munsey-Killian, Martin and Jones was between 235 to 700 grams.
Law enforcement agencies participating in the investigation included the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hamblen County Sheriff’s Office, Morristown, Tennessee Police Department and the Third and Fourth District Judicial Drug Task Forces. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wayne Taylor and David Gunn represented the United States.
This case was a result of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
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Store Manager at Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer in Albany Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of SilencersRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore. – On Wednesday, July 26, 2017, U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken sentenced Jose Alfredo Morales, 34, of Albany, Oregon, to 24 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. Morales, who managed GNA Supplies, a Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer (FFL) in Albany, Oregon, previously pleaded guilty on May 17, 2017 to one count of unlawful possession of a silencer.
According to court documents, in November 2015, law enforcement conducted an undercover operation wherein they purchased an unregistered silencer from Morales. During the purchase, Morales stated he knew it was illegal to possess and sell unregistered silencers. On November 30, 2015, Albany Police executed a search warrant at GNA Supplies and found additional silencers not registered to Morales in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
There are approximately 1,700 federal firearms licensees in the District of Oregon actively engaged in the business of acquiring and transferring firearms. Licensees are regulated by Industry Operations Investigators of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Voluntary compliance with federal firearms regulations is critical in protecting communities from violent criminals, criminal organizations and the illegal use and trafficking of firearms.
The case was investigated by ATF and the Albany Police Department, and was prosecuted by Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, with the assistance of Michael Wynhausen, Linn County Deputy District Attorney.
Stilwell Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that JOSHUA WADE CARTER, age 42, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, pled guilty to FAILURE TO REGISTER AS SEX OFFENDER, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2250(a)(1), 2250(a)(2)(B) and 2250(a)(3), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, and up to a $250,000.00 fine or both.
The Indictment alleged that from in or about November 2016, the exact date being unknown to the Grand Jury, until on or about April 19, 2017, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and elsewhere, the defendant, an individual required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, after having received a felony conviction from the State of Texas in Tarrant County on or about February 21, 2002, for the offense of Sexual Assault of a Child under 17, resided in Indian Country, and knowingly failed to register and update his registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Adair County Sherriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Edward Snow represented the United States.
Statement of U.S. Attorney Jill Westmoreland Rose on Allegations Against Word of Faith FellowshipRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jill Westmoreland Rose, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, has made the following statement regarding allegations against Word of Faith Fellowship:
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office has an ongoing investigation into allegations against Word of Faith Fellowship and we continue to work with our law enforcement partners to gather and evaluate all available information. The review of such information can be lengthy, however, our ultimate goal is to assess the facts and to avoid compromising an ongoing investigation. Ultimately, the evidence and law will determine the appropriate course of action. And, while my office cannot provide additional information or updates on this or any other ongoing federal investigation, we want the public to understand that safeguarding the integrity of the process is foremost.”
Statement by Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Recommendations from the Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public SafetyRead the Press Release
Attorney General Jeff Sessions today issued the following statement on the work of the Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety:
"Every American, no matter who they are or where they live, has the right to be safe in their homes and neighborhoods. And yet, in many locations, the violent crime rate is rising, and in some of our urban areas, the increase is staggering. Reducing this crime surge is a top priority for President Trump and the Department of Justice. Consistent with the President's Executive Order on a Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety, I created the Task Force in February and it has provided me with recommendations on a rolling basis. Dedicated professionals from throughout the Department have been listening to our partners in state, local, and tribal law enforcement; identifying successful violent crime reduction strategies; and developing recommendations on actions the Department can take to help improve public safety.
"I have been acting on the Task Force's recommendations to set the policy of the Department. I will continue to review all of the Task Force's recommendations, and look forward to taking additional steps towards ensuring safer communities for all Americans."
Stamford Resident Admits to Operating Extensive Immigration Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DAVID NIKOLASHVILI, 52, a citizen of the Republic of Georgia residing in Stamford, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to engaging in an immigration fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, NIKOLASHVILI operated an immigration fraud scheme through which he obtained false immigration status from U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services for approximately 50 to 60 citizens of European countries. As part of the scheme, after aliens paid NIKOLASHVILI between $12,000 and $16,000, he would arrange sham marriages between the aliens and U.S. citizens in order to obtain immigration benefits for the aliens. The U.S. citizens were paid to enter into the sham marriages.
NIKOLASHVILI pleaded guilty to one count of making a false swearing in an immigration matter, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny on October 27, 2017.
NIKOLASHVILI was arrested on June 21, 2016. He is released on a $75,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Office of Fraud Detection and National Security Unit, and U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.
St. Francis Man Sentenced for Failure to RegisterRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a St. Francis, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on July 25, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Joseph Blue Bird, age 30, was sentenced to 10 months in custody, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Blue Bird was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 13, 2016. He pled guilty on May 15, 2017.
The conviction stems from Blue Bird failing to register as a sex offender as required by federal law between June 16, 2016, and September 13, 2016. Blue Bird had previously been convicted of a sex offense in federal court, which requires him to register within three days of arrival in a state or upon changing his place of residence.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
Blue Bird was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Six Brooklyn Men Charged with Heroin Trafficking and Use of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, a two-count indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, charging Victor Agosto, also known as “Bebo,” Perfecto Deleon, also known as “Fec,” Luis Lopez, also known as “Lou,” Andres Reyes, also known as “Dre,” Nestor Rivera, also known as “Tito” and “Tito Bird,” and Peter Vasquez as members of a narcotics trafficking conspiracy. Agosto, Lopez, and Vasquez face an additional charge for use of firearms in connection with their narcotics trafficking. The defendants’ narcotics operation is based in Brooklyn and Queens.
The defendants’ initial appearances and arraignments are scheduled for this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Steven L. Tiscione at the United States Courthouse, 225 Cadman Plaza East, in Brooklyn.
The arrests and charges were 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 (FBI), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD). The arrests follow a long-term investigation by the FBI and NYPD into the narcotics activities of the defendants.
According to the indictment and other court documents, all of the defendants were members of a large-scale heroin trafficking organization with Mexican cartel connections that trafficked in hundreds of kilograms of heroin into New York City. The defendants transported the heroin from Los Angeles and Chicago, and traveled directly to Mexico for narcotics-related meetings in furtherance of their trafficking operation. One of the defendants relied on a crew of the violent street gang the Young Gunnerz, also known as the YGs, based in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn to provide protection of the illicit business.
Between December 2011 and February 2015, law enforcement seized over $800,000 in alleged drug proceeds hidden in “traps” designed to conceal contraband in vehicles connected to Lopez and his brother-in-law, Vasquez. The proceeds of their illicit narcotics operation have funded the purchase of a fleet of luxury vehicles, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in jewelry. Lopez celebrated Christmas with an Audemars Piguet watch worth approximately $20,000, and a birthday with a 256-gram piece of gold jewelry and diamond encrusted ring. One defendant chauffeured his infant child in a Versace baby stroller that retails for over $3,000, dressed his eight-year-old in Gucci sneakers worth hundreds of dollars, and showered his wife with a Rolex watch, Chanel handbag and Versace dress. Today, law enforcement seized approximately twelve kilograms of heroin valued at $900,000 from a stash house maintained by members of the conspiracy, and five luxury vehicles: a Rolls Royce Ghost, Lamborghini Hurácan, Audi R8 Spyder, Mercedes CLS63 AMG and Range Rover Sport. The ill-gotten proceeds of the narcotics trafficking conspiracy will be subject to forfeiture, according to the indictment.
“As charged, the defendants are members of a multi-million dollar heroin trafficking organization with access to firearms and ties to other states and a Mexican cartel,” stated Acting United States Attorney Rohde. “Today’s arrests are the latest example of the success that can be achieved through federal, state and local law enforcement cooperation to combat narcotics trafficking and the all too often associated violence in our communities.” Ms. Rohde gives particular thanks to the New York Metropolitan Safe Streets Task Force, which is comprised of detectives from the NYPD and agents from the FBI, and additionally thanks the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Pennsylvania State Police, Indiana State Police, New Jersey State Police, the Chicago Field Divisions of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration New York City Strike Force and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office for their participation and assistance in the investigation.
“Through their alleged heroin trafficking operation, the defendants not only lived a sham lavish life, but trafficked hundreds of kilograms of this deadly drug in New York City,” stated Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “It is our duty and priority to take out the leadership of these organizations. We’re not just going after the dealers of illegal prescription and street drugs, but everyone involved in the supply chain to stop the crippling impact both are having on our communities.”
“The heroin epidemic is real. These defendants not only moved large amounts of heroin across the country -- they carried firearms to protect their turf and extravagant lifestyle,” stated NYPD Commissioner O’Neill. “Today, the drugs, guns, and expensive cars are all in our possession; several are under arrest; and New Yorkers are safer with this poison off the street.”
The charges announced today are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, all of the defendants face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years’ imprisonment and maximum sentences of life. In addition, for using firearms in furtherance of narcotics trafficking, defendants Agosto, Lopez and Vasquez face consecutive five-year minimum terms.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys David C. Pitluck, Lindsay K. Gerdes and Jennifer M. Sasso are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Morris of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Unit.
The Defendants:
VICTOR AGOSTO, also known as “Bebo”
Age: 29
Brooklyn, New York
PERFECTO DELEON, also known as “Fec”
Age: 42
Brooklyn, New York
LUIS LOPEZ, also known as “Lou”
Age: 35
Brooklyn, New York
ANDRES REYES, also known as “Dre”
Age: 34
Brooklyn, New York
NESTOR RIVERA, also known as “Tito” and “Tito Bird”
Age: 39
Brooklyn, New York
PETER VASQUEZ
Age: 30
Queens, New York
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-390 (RJD)
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced on Transfer of Obscene Material ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Brandon, South Dakota, man convicted of transfer of obscene material was sentenced on Monday, July 24, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schrier.
Ryan Jervik, age 30, was sentenced to 6 months in custody, followed by 3 years supervised release, which includes 6 months of home confinement. He was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Jervik was indicted for attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor and attempted enticement of a minor using the internet by a federal grand jury on October 4, 2016. He pled guilty on April 25, 2017.
On August 29, 2016, Jervik used his cell phone to communicate with an individual he believed to be a minor female that was 13-years old. The defendant knowingly used his cell phone to transfer a digital nude photo of himself, to the individual he believed was 13-years old. Unknown to the defendant, the individual receiving the obscene images was an undercover law enforcement officer.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
Jervik was given a date to self-surrender to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of sexual exploitation of a child was sentenced on Monday, July 24, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schrier.
Terance Morice Highbull, 38, was sentenced to 25 years in custody, followed by15 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Highbull was indicted for sexual exploitation of a child by a federal grand jury on February 23, 2016. He pled guilty on April 24, 2017.
On or about February 9, 2015, officers from the Sioux Falls Police Department responded to a family dispute call at the home of Highbull’s girlfriend. While at the residence, a report of naked photographs on Highbull’s cell phone was made. Police seized the cell phone and began investigating the claims. Highbull had engaged in sexual contact with his girlfriend’s 13 year-old daughter and recorded it on his cell phone.
“Sexual exploitation of a child is among the most heinous crimes we prosecute. The actions of these sexual predators can alter a child’s life forever and steal their innocence during a crucial time in their formative years. The sentence handed down to Terance Highbull is indicative of the serious nature of these acts,” said U.S. Attorney Seiler.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
Highbull was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Schenectady Man Sentenced to 63 Months on Firearm and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Edwin Ferrer, age 44, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 63 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a handgun, ammunition, and crack cocaine.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) New York Field Division.
On March 29, 2017, following a three-day trial, a jury voted to convict Ferrer of unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition, as well as a small quantity of crack cocaine. The evidence presented at trial showed that on December 18, 2015, Ferrer was driving his Cadillac SUV in Schenectady when he accidentally shot himself in the leg with his Smith & Wesson pistol. Investigators searched his SUV and recovered the pistol, six rounds of ammunition, and approximately a quarter of a gram of crack cocaine. As a felon, Ferrer was prohibited from possessing the pistol and ammunition.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a 3-year term of supervised release, which will start after Ferrer is released from prison.
This case was investigated by the ATF and the Schenectady Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss.
Saratoga County Man Arrested on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK - Peter Farnum, age 41, of Ballston Lake, New York, appeared today in federal court on charges that he received and possessed child pornography.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Vadim D. Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The complaint filed against Farnum alleges that between October 2015 and April 2016, he used a home computer to download and store thousands of files containing child pornography.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted of all charges, Farnum faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, to be followed by supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life, and a maximum $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, with the assistance of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph A. Giovannetti.
Russian National and Bitcoin Exchange Charged in 21-Count Indictment for Operating Alleged International Money Laundering Scheme and Allegedly Laundering Funds from Hack of Mt. GoxRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A grand jury in the Northern District of California has indicted a Russian national and an organization he allegedly operated, BTC-e, for operating an unlicensed money service business, money laundering, and related crimes. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Brian J. Stretch for the Northern District of California; Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Chief Don Fort; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Executive Associate Director Derek Benner; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge of the Louisville Division Amy Hess; United States Secret Service (USSS) Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Investigative Division Michael D’Ambrosio; Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Office of the Inspector General, Inspector General Jay N. Lerner; and Acting Director of the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), Jamal El-Hindi.
“Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin provide people around the world new and innovative ways of engaging in legitimate commerce. As this case demonstrates, however, just as new computer technologies continue to change the way we engage each other and experience the world, so too will criminals subvert these new technologies to serve their own nefarious purposes,” said U.S. Attorney Stretch. “This office will continue to devote the necessary resources to ensure that money launderers and cyber-criminals are detected, apprehended, and brought to justice wherever and however they use the internet to commit their crimes.”
"As this case demonstrates, the Criminal Division employs a multi-faceted approach to dismantling criminal enterprises, by prosecuting the criminal actors themselves, and by shutting down their ability to monetize their crimes through entities that facilitate money laundering," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Blanco. "The Criminal Division will work tirelessly to identify those who use technology to conduct and obscure their criminal activity, as we ensure there are no safe havens from U.S. justice for those who seek to victimize Americans."
“Homeland Security Investigations is strongly committed to tracking down criminals who seek to strike at the foundations of global financial security through complex money laundering schemes,” said HSI Acting Executive Associate Director Derek Benner. “The resulting indictment is a clear representation of why our close law enforcement partnerships are vital to our shared missions. HSI will continue to aggressively target those who deliberately seek to exploit financial systems for personal gain."
“Mr. Vinnik is alleged to have committed and facilitated a wide range of crimes that go far beyond the lack of regulation of the bitcoin exchange he operated. Through his actions, it is alleged that he stole identities, facilitated drug trafficking, and helped to launder criminal proceeds from syndicates around the world,” said Chief Don Fort, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Exchanges like this are not only illegal, but they are a breeding ground for stolen identity refund fraud schemes and other types of tax fraud. When there is no regulation and criminals are left unchecked, this scenario is all too common. The takedown of this large virtual currency exchange should send a strong message to cyber-criminals and other unregulated exchanges across the globe.”
“BTC-e was noted for its role in numerous ransomware and other cyber-criminal activity; its take-down is a significant accomplishment, and should serve as a reminder of our global reach in combating transnational cyber crime,” said Special Agent in Charge of the USSS Criminal Investigative Division Michael D’Ambrosio. “We are grateful for the efforts of our law enforcement partners in achieving this significant result.”
"The arrest of Alexander Vinnik is the result of a multi-national effort and clearly displays the benefits of global cooperation among US and international law enforcement,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Hess. “This investigation demonstrates the long-term commitment given to identifying and pursuing criminals world-wide with a whole of government approach. This was a highly complex investigation that has only reached this stage due to the persistent and dedicated efforts of all the parties involved. We must continue to impose real costs on criminals, no matter who they are or where they attempt to hide."
“The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General works to ensure the integrity of the financial service sector and is committed to holding accountable those involved in criminal activity that undermine its integrity,” said Inspector General Lerner. “This investigation demonstrates what can be achieved among the cooperative partnerships in the domestic and international law enforcement community.”
The indictment describes Alexander Vinnik, 37, a Russian citizen, as the owner and operator of multiple BTC-e accounts, including administrator accounts, and also a primary beneficial owner of BTC-e’s managing shell company, Canton Business Corporation. According to the indictment, numerous withdrawals from BTC-e administrator accounts went directly to Vinnik’s personal bank accounts. The indictment further alleges that proceeds from well-known hacks and thefts from bitcoin exchanges were funded through a BTC-e administrator account associated with Vinnik. Vinnik was arrested in Greece on July 25.
According to the indictment unsealed today, BTC-e, founded in 2011, was one of the world’s largest and most widely used digital currency exchanges. The indictment alleges that BTC-e allowed its users to trade in the digital currency “Bitcoin” with high levels of anonymity. The indictment alleges that although Bitcoin has known legitimate uses, the virtual currency, like cash, can be used to facilitate illicit transactions and to launder criminal proceeds. According to the indictment, since its inception, Vinnik and others developed a customer base for BTC-e that was heavily reliant on criminals, including by not requiring users to validate their identity, obscuring and anonymizing transactions and source of funds, and by lacking any anti-money laundering processes. The indictment alleges BTC-e was operated to facilitate transactions for cybercriminals worldwide and received the criminal proceeds of numerous computer intrusions and hacking incidents, ransomware scams, identity theft schemes, corrupt public officials, and narcotics distribution rings. Thus, the indictment alleges, BTC-e was used to facilitate crimes ranging from computer hacking, to fraud, identity theft, tax refund fraud schemes, public corruption, and drug trafficking. The investigation has revealed that BTC-e received more than $4 billion worth of bitcoin over the course of its operation.
As to Vinnik, the indictment alleges that he received funds from the infamous computer intrusion or “hack” of Mt. Gox – an earlier digital currency exchange that eventually failed, in part due to losses attributable to hacking. The indictment alleges that Vinnik obtained funds from the hack of Mt. Gox and laundered those funds through various online exchanges, including his own BTC-e and a now defunct digital currency exchange, Tradehill, based in San Francisco, California. The indictment alleges that by moving funds through BTC-e, Vinnik sought to conceal and disguise his connection with the proceeds from the hacking of Mt. Gox and the resulting investigation.
As for defendant BTC-e, the indictment alleges that, despite doing substantial business in the United States, BTC-e was not registered as a money services business with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, had no anti-money laundering process, no system for appropriate “know your customer” or “KYC” verification, and no anti-money laundering program as required by federal law. According to the company’s website, BTC-e is located in Bulgaria but organized or otherwise subject to the laws of Cyprus. The exchange allegedly maintains a base of operations in the Seychelles Islands and its web domains are registered to shell companies in, among other places, Singapore, the British Virgin Islands, France, and New Zealand.
The indictment charges BTC-e and Vinnik with one count of operation of an unlicensed money service business, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1960, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h). In addition, the indictment charges Vinnik with seventeen counts of money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1), and two counts of engaging in unlawful monetary transactions, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
FinCEN today assessed a $110 million civil money penalty against BTC-e for willfully violating U.S. anti-money laundering (AML) laws. Alexander Vinnik was assessed $12 million for his role in the violations.
“We will hold accountable foreign-located money transmitters, including virtual currency exchangers, that do business in the United States when they willfully violate U.S. AML laws,” said Acting FinCEN Director Jamal El-Hindi. “Today’s action should be a strong deterrent to anyone who thinks that they can facilitate ransomware, dark net drug sales, or conduct other illicit activity using encrypted virtual currency. Treasury’s FinCEN team and our law enforcement partners will work with foreign counterparts across the globe to appropriately oversee virtual currency exchangers and administrators who attempt to subvert U.S. law and avoid complying with U.S. AML safeguards.”
If convicted of these crimes, Vinnik faces the following maximum penalties:
Violation
Statute
Maximum Penalty
operation of an unlicensed money service business
18 U.S.C. § 1960
5 years of imprisonment
conspiracy to commit money laundering
18 U.S.C. § 1956(h)
20 years of imprisonment and a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction
money laundering
18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)
20 years of imprisonment and a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction (each count)
engaging in unlawful monetary transactions
18 U.S.C. § 1957
10 years of imprisonment and a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction (each count)
Additional fines, restitution, and supervised release also may be ordered. 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.
This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service (the Oakland Calif., Field Office and Cyber Crime Unit in Washington, D.C.); Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; FBI; U.S. Secret Service Criminal Investigative Division; and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California and the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance on the case.
Rowlett Woman Sentenced to 48 Months in Federal Prison for Role in Healthcare Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DALLAS — Charity Eleda, R.N., 56, of Rowlett, Texas, was sentenced this morning in federal court in Dallas on a health care fraud conspiracy conviction, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Eleda was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay to 48 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $397,294.51 in restitution to Medicare. She has been in custody since April 2016, after a federal jury found her guilty of various health care fraud offenses.
Eleda, along with co-defendants, Jacques Roy, M.D., 59, of Rockwall, Texas; Cynthia Stiger, 54, of Dallas; and Wilbert James Veasey, Jr., 65, of Dallas, were each convicted following a six-week-long trial on one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. In addition, Roy was convicted on eight, Veasey on three and Eleda on four counts of health care fraud. Roy was also convicted on two counts of making a false statement relating to healthcare matters and one count of obstruction of justice. Eleda was also convicted on three counts of making false statements for use in determining rights of benefit and payment by Medicare.
Three other defendants charged in the case, Cyprian Akamnonu and his registered nurse wife, Patricia Akamnonu, both of Cedar Hill, Texas, and Teri Sivils, of Midlothian, Texas, each pleaded guilty before trial to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Cyprian and Patricia Akamnonu are each currently serving a ten-year federal prison sentence. They were also ordered to pay $25 million in restitution. Sivils pleaded guilty in April 2015, and was sentenced to 3 years probation.
The government presented evidence at trial that Dr. Roy, Stiger, Veasey and Eleda engaged in a large-scale, sophisticated health care fraud scheme in which they conspired together and with others to defraud Medicare and Medicaid through companies they owned/controlled: Medistat Group Associates, P.A., Apple of Your Eye Health Care Services, Inc., Ultimate Care Home Health Services and Charry Home Care Services.
As part of the conspiracy, Stiger, Veasey and Eleda, along with others, improperly recruited individuals with Medicare coverage to sign up for Medicare home health care services. Eleda recruited patients from The Bridge homeless shelter in Dallas, sometimes paying recruiters $50 per beneficiary they found and directed to her vehicle parked outside the shelter’s gates. Eleda and other nurses would falsify medical documents to make it appear as though those beneficiaries qualified for home health care services that were not medically necessary. Eleda and the nurses prepared Plans of Care (POC), also known as 485’s, which were not medically necessary, and these POCs were delivered to Dr. Roy’s office and not properly reviewed by any physician.
Dr. Roy instructed his staff to certify these POCs, which indicated to Medicare and Medicaid that a doctor, typically Dr. Roy, had reviewed the treatment plan and deemed it medically necessary. That certifying doctor, typically Dr. Roy, certified that the patient required home health services, which were only permitted to be provided to those individuals who were homebound and required, among other things, skilled nursing. This process was repeated for thousands of POCs, and, in fact, Medistat’s office included a “485 Department,” essentially a “boiler room” to affix fraudulent signatures and certifications.
Once an individual was certified for home health care services, Eleda, nurses who worked for Stiger and Veasey, and other nurses falsified visit notes to make it appear as though skilled nursing services were being provided and continued to be necessary. Dr. Roy would also visit the patients, perform unnecessary home visits, and then order unnecessary medical services for the recruited beneficiaries. Then, at Dr. Roy’s instruction, Medistat employees would submit fraudulent claims to Medicare for the certification and recertification of unnecessary home health care services and other unnecessary medical services.
The government presented further evidence at trial that the scope of Dr. Roy’s fraud was massive; Medistat processed and approved POCs for 11,000 unique Medicare beneficiaries from more than 500 different home health agencies. Dr. Roy entered into formal and informal fraudulent arrangements with Apple, Charry, Ultimate and other home health agencies to ensure his fraudulent business model worked and that he maintained a steady stream of Medicare beneficiaries.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG), and the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force supervised by the Criminal Division Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys P.J. Meitl and Nicole Dana and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham prosecuted the case.
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Reno Woman Indicted for Failure to Report to PrisonRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A Reno woman, who was sentenced for bank embezzlement and tax evasion, was indicted today for failure to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons to serve her prison term, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada.
According to the indictment, Jennifer Ree Campbell, 51, is charged with one count of failure to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons, FCI Dublin, in Dublin, Calif., as directed by the court after her felony convictions. She was found guilty on Feb. 6, 2017, of theft, embezzlement, and misapplication by a bank employee and attempt to evade income tax. United States District Judge Robert C. Jones sentenced Campbell to 30 months in prison and ordered her to self-surrender by May 8, 2017, to the designated federal correctional institution to serve her sentence. However, Campbell failed to report as ordered.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalty for failure to surrender is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any term of imprisonment imposed for failure to surrender must be served consecutively to the sentence for the underlying conviction.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla B. Higginbotham.
An indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Rapid City Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Daniel Tobacco, age 24, was indicted on July 18, 2017. Tobacco appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on July 19, 2017, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, a lifetime of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge relates to Tobacco failing to register and update his registration as a convicted sex offender between May 9, 2017, and May 25, 2017.
The charge is merely an accusation and Tobacco is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kelderman is prosecuting the case.
Tobacco was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has been not been set.
Prison Inmate Sentenced for Threatening to Kill the President of the United StatesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former inmate at Old Colony Correctional Center in Bridgewater was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for threatening to kill the President of the United States.
Alex Hernandez, 32, of Worcester, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 37 months in prison, to be served concurrently with a state sentence he is currently serving, and three years of supervised release. In May 2017, Hernandez pleaded guilty to one count of threatening to kill and inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States. Hernandez is currently serving a five-to-eight-year sentence at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center following a 2011 state conviction for drug and firearms offenses, including the illegal possession of a .22 caliber handgun, a Tec-9, a .22 caliber rifle - all of which were equipped with high capacity magazines, and ammunition.
In March 2015, federal agents obtained information alleging that Hernandez wanted to kill the President and had expressed an interest in obtaining false travel documents so he could flee the country after his attack. Law enforcement officers then set up a meeting between Hernandez and an undercover agent who posed as an embassy contact with the ability to assist Hernandez with obtaining false travel documents.
On Dec. 22, 2015, and Feb. 12, 2016, the undercover agent met with Hernandez at Old Colony Correctional Center. During the first meeting, Hernandez stated that he wanted to attack the White House and that he was studying how to make explosives that could be placed around government buildings to “create chaos.” During the second meeting with the undercover agent, Hernandez, a Muslim convert, discussed the motivation for his planned attacks, telling the agent that his “brothers are fighting to uphold the laws and structure of the caliphate in the Middle East” and that “this government . . . is painting it like they are the bad guys[.]” Hernandez also explained that he wanted to target the President because “he’s the one that gives the orders[.]”
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Stephen A. Marks, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Boston Field Office; Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Thomas Turco, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Correction, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordi de Llano of Weinreb’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Phoenix Man Sentenced to over 68 Years in Prison for Threat and Assault of Federal Law Enforcement and Other Charges Related to 2014 Armed Standoff in BunkervilleRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Phoenix, Ariz. man was sentenced today to 819 months in prison in connection with the armed assault against federal law enforcement officers that occurred in the Bunkerville, Nev. area in April 2014, over rancher Cliven Bundy’s trespassing cattle from public lands. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Chief Judge Gloria M. Navarro sentenced Burleson to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI’s Las Vegas Division, and Acting Director Michael D. Nedd of the Bureau of Land Management made the announcement.
Following a 32-day jury trial, Gregory P. Burleson, 53, was convicted on April 24, 2017, of assault on a federal officer; threatening a federal law enforcement officer; obstruction of the due administration of justice; interference with interstate commerce by extortion; interstate travel in aid of extortion; and three counts of use and carry of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
According to the superseding indictment, Burleson traveled to Nevada with the intent to commit a crime of violence to extort federal law enforcement officers while they were executing a federal court order to remove and impound Cliven Bundy’s cattle that were trespassing on federal public lands in and around Bunkerville. On or about April 12, 2014, Burleson used and brandished a firearm to impede, intimidate, and to threaten to assault federal law enforcement officers involved in the federal impoundment operations. He also threatened and used force and violence to obstruct interstate commerce by extortion in that he obtained and attempted to obtain approximately 400 cattle that were in the possession of federal law enforcement officers.
The case was investigated by the FBI and BLM. The case was prosecuted by Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas D. Dickinson and Nadia J. Ahmed, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin M. Creegan.
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Perjurer Gets Prison TimeRead the Press Release
G.F. “Pete” Peterman, III, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announces that Angel Thacker Freundschuh, age 37, of Lee County, Georgia, was sentenced to 12 months and a day imprisonment for perjury by United States District Court Judge Leslie J. Abrams in Albany, Georgia on July 26, 2017.
On December 18, 2015, officers responded to a shoplifting call at the Marine Corp Exchange (MCX) located at the Marine Corps Logistics Base (MLCB) in Albany, Georgia. Ms. Freundschuh was found in possession of a silver ring, a bottle of Estee Lauder perfume, a blouse and a scarf belonging to MCX and of a total retail value of $121.00. Ms. Freundschuh was charged with Theft by Shoplifting and appeared before The Honorable Thomas Q. Langstaff, United States Magistrate Judge, on December 5, 2016, for trial. At that trial, Freundschuh testified in her own defense and falsely stated that officials of MCLB had returned these items of merchandise to her after she produced a receipt for them. In support of this testimony, Ms. Freundschuh presented an altered receipt, empty perfume box and blouse, all of which she swore to the Court were, in fact, the same items which she was accused of stealing but which had later been returned to her. The actual items taken by Freundschuh were, at the time of her testimony, in the possession of employees of MCX. Based on this false testimony, Ms. Freundschuh was charged with perjury. While federal law requires a sentence of at least 30 days incarceration for a repeat shoplifter such as Ms. Freundschuh, on February 13, 2017, she received 120 days to serve on the shoplifting conviction. While serving that sentence, Ms. Freundschuh plead guilty to perjury based upon her false testimony at her shoplifting trial. After completing the shoplifting sentence, Ms. Freundschuh appeared for sentencing on the perjury charge and received an additional prison sentence of one year and one day, to be followed by two years supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a $100 mandatory assessment fee payment.
“This conviction is a perfect example of turning a misdemeanor into a felony by lying to the Court,” said United States Attorney Peterman. “Ms. Freundschuh’s original shoplifting charge was a misdemeanor, but by her false testimony she is now a convicted felon, with a much longer prison sentence as well as the attendant loss of rights and privileges that a felony conviction entails. Hopefully this case will make clear that while a defendant has the right to be silent, if the defendant choses to speak, there is no right to lie.”
Both cases were investigated by the Marine Corps Police Department--Criminal Investigative Division. Assistant United States Attorney Leah E. McEwen prosecuted the case for the United States.
Questions concerning this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.
Parker CPA Sentenced to 12.5 Years in Prison for Wire Fraud and Aiding and Assisting in the Preparation of False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
DENVER – Don R. Iley, age 53, of Parker, Colorado, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello to serve 151 months in federal prison for wire fraud and aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, the United States Attorney’s Office and IRS-Criminal Investigation announced. Judge Arguello also ordered Iley to pay $9.7 million in restitution, and serve 3 years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Iley was originally indicted by a federal grand jury on August 24, 2016, and pled guilty to two counts of that indictment on April 18, 2017.
According to the indictment and plea agreement, from January 2009 up until December 2015, Iley was the owner and operator of Iley and Associates (I&A), an accounting and tax preparation firm providing payroll and payroll tax services to more than 140 businesses in Colorado. The payroll tax services included the preparation of Forms 941, Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Returns, and an “ACH Deduction Report” listing the amount of payroll taxes to be withdrawn from the client’s bank account and paid forward to the Internal Revenue Service.
Iley caused the Form 941 tax return to be mailed to the client with a cover letter stating the enclosed tax return is a copy for their records and that Iley pays the taxes for the client. Iley then prepared and submitted payroll tax returns to the IRS on behalf of clients showing no payroll taxes due and owning for a given tax period. Iley knew when he submitted these payroll tax returns that the clients did in fact owe payroll taxes. Then Iley initiated or caused others to initiate an ACH electronic fund transfer from the client’s bank account to a bank account controlled by I&A.
Iley kept the money that was intended for payroll taxes and used it for his own purposes. Iley used some of the money to, among other things, make $900,000 in accelerated principal payments for Iley’s home, pay for the design, construction, landscaping and furnishing of Iley’s residence, and make investments in businesses and retirement accounts.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Chris Larson.
Owner of Tax Preparation Business Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Making A False ClaimRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces that Rigaud Colin (49, Apopka) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and making a false claim to the United States. He faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Colin was the owner and operator of Rigaud Investment Group, Inc., a tax preparation business in Orange County. Using his business, he executed a scheme to defraud the IRS by preparing and filing false and fraudulent income tax returns for residents of the U.S. Virgin Islands who were not eligible to receive tax refunds from the IRS. Specifically, Colin included false and fraudulent addresses and education tax credit claims in tax returns that he electronically filed with the IRS on behalf of the Virgin Islands residents. As a result of Colin’s scheme, the IRS sustained a loss of $1,393,097.
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Searle.
Northern California Real Estate Investor Sentenced to Prison for Rigging Bids at Public Foreclosure AuctionsRead the Press Release
After being convicted at trial, a Northern California real estate investor was sentenced today for his role in a conspiracy to rig bids at public real estate foreclosure auctions, the Department of Justice announced.
Alvin Florida Jr. was charged on Nov. 19, 2014, in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of California. He was convicted on Dec. 15, 2016, of conspiring to rig bids at foreclosure auctions in Alameda County. Today, Florida was sentenced to serve 21 months in prison and to serve three years of supervised release. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Florida was ordered to pay a criminal fine of $325,803.
Between May 2008 and December 2010, Florida conspired with others not to bid against one another, but instead designated a winning bidder to obtain selected properties. The members of the conspiracy then held second, private auctions to award the properties to members of the conspiracy and determine payoffs for other conspirators who had agreed not to bid against each other at the public auctions. The private auctions often took place at or near the courthouse steps where the public auctions were held.
The primary purpose of the conspiracies was to suppress and eliminate competition in order to obtain selected real estate offered at Alameda County public foreclosure auctions at noncompetitive prices. When real estate properties are sold at public auctions, the proceeds are used to pay off the mortgage and other debt attached to the property, with the remaining proceeds, if any, paid to the homeowner.
The sentence announced today is a result of an ongoing investigation into bid rigging at public real estate foreclosure auctions in California’s Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco and San Mateo counties.
The investigation is being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and the FBI’s San Francisco Office.
Anyone with information concerning bid rigging or fraud related to public real estate foreclosure auctions should contact the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office at 415-934-5300 or call the FBI tip line at 415-553-7400.
New York Return Preparer Sentenced to Prison for Filing Fraudulent Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Nassau County, New York return preparer was sentenced to 24 months in prison for filing fraudulent tax returns, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy Jr. for the Western District of New York.
According to documents and information presented to the court, from January 2010 through April 2015, David Menzies, 51, of Floral Park, filed fraudulent tax returns for hundreds of clients that claimed fake business income and expenses and false dependents to seek refunds to which his clients were not entitled. Menzies solicited, and sometimes purchased, the personal identifying information of children from their parents, and claimed them as dependents on other clients’ returns. Menzies charged his clients $250 for the use of the phony dependents and often used the same children’s information in multiple years. He recruited people to assist him in filing these fraudulent returns and directed them to escort his clients to check cashers, in order to cash their refund checks and collect Menzies’ fee, including the money for the false dependents.
In addition, Menzies concealed his identity as the preparer of the fraudulent returns by soliciting other people to apply to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for preparer IDs and then filing the returns under those preparer IDs. Menzies admitted that this scheme caused a tax loss of more than $250,000.
Menzies also acknowledged that he failed to timely file his 2009 through 2015 personal tax returns.
In addition to the term of prison imposed, U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo ordered Menzies to serve one year of supervised release and to pay $280,930 in restitution to the IRS.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and Acting U.S. Attorney Kennedy thanked special agents of the IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie P. Grisanti and Trial Attorney Jason M. Scheff of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Marshall Carey Strickland, age 42, of Nashua, New Hampshire, pled guilty in federal court in Florence, to Possession of Child Pornography, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(5)(B). United States District Judge Bryan Harwell, of Florence, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
The evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that during October and November of 2013, while living in a motel in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Strickland used a particular email account to access and view numerous images and videos of child pornography.
Ms. Drake stated the maximum penalty Strickland can receive is imprisonment for 10 years and a fine of $250,000.
The case was investigated by agents with ICE-Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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New Bedford Seafood Manager Indicted for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford seafood manager was charged today in federal court in Boston for failing to report $75,000 in earnings on his tax returns.
Orlando Cardoso, 44, of New Bedford, was indicted on two counts of filing a false income tax return.
It is alleged that Cardoso swore on his 2012 and 2013 tax returns that the only income he had received was from his employer. However, Cardoso had received over $75,000 in cash and checks from his employer’s supplier and failed to report the income on his tax returns.
The charge of filing a false income tax return provides for a sentence of no greater than three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $100,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States William D. Weinreb and Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen P. Heymann of Weinreb’s Economic Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Nevada Man Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Nevada, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet.
Ben Culbertson, 56, of Nevada, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 262 months in federal prison without parole. Culbertson has been detained in federal custody since his arrest in October 2016.
On March 22, 2017, Culbertson pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet.
According to court documents Culbertson, came to the attention of law enforcement after distributing images of child pornography (including some victims likely under the age of 8 years old) over the Internet. Culbertson, who was previously convicted of two counts of aggravated indecent solicitation of a child, admitted to investigators that he received and distributed images of child pornography on multiple occasions.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Nebraska Woman Indicted for False StatementRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Walthill, Nebraska, woman was charged in federal district court with False Statement.
Wehnona Stabler, age 59, was charged on June 20, 2017. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on July 21, 2017, and pleaded not guilty to the charge. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 5 years of imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge relates to Stabler making a false statement in January 2014 on a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report while an employee of Indian Health Service (IHS) at Pine Ridge, related to a $5,000 payment she received from Dr. Stanley Patrick Weber. Weber is currently under indictment for multiple counts of sex abuse with minors arising when he was a pediatrician at IHS Pine Ridge.
The charge is merely an accusation and Stabler is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Office of Inspector General, Health and Human Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case.
Stabler was released pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Navajo Man Sentenced to Prison for Sexual Abuse Against Two VictimsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On July 25, 2017, Patrick Paul Charley, 39, of Ajo, Ariz., and a member of the Navajo Nation, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to concurrent terms of imprisonment for sexual offenses committed against two adult members of the Tohono O’odham Nation. Charley had previously pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse committed in 2014 and was sentenced to 43 months’ imprisonment. Charley was also sentenced to a term of 16 months’ imprisonment for his plea of guilty to one count of abusive sexual contact from a 2011 incident.
After completing his imprisonment, Charley will be placed on lifetime federal supervision and will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
The investigation in this case was conducted by both the Tohono O’odham Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Micah Schmit, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBERS: CR-16-0528-TUC-JGZ and CR-16-0529-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2017-064_Charley
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Myrtle Beach Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy Charge in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Enrique Garcia Burgos, age 45, of Myrtle Beach, entered a guilty plea in federal court in Florence to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin and cocaine, a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846. United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell, of Florence, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after a pre-sentence report is prepared by U.S. Probation.
This case was part of an extensive investigation conducted by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Fifteenth Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) and the Florence County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) into the sale of heroin and other illegal drugs in the Horry County, South Carolina, area. Burgos was identified as a possible heroin distributor during the investigation. Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on June 26, 2016, agents conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Burgos and occupied by a coconspirator. Agents believed that Burgos and the coconspirator were returning from Atlanta with a quantity of illegal narcotics. During a search of the vehicle, agents found over 1 kilogram of heroin and approximately 500 grams of cocaine and located a loaded firearm.
Ms. Drake stated the defendant faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of $1,000,000.
The case was investigated by DEA-Florence and the Fifteenth Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU). Assistant United States Attorney Chris Taylor of the Florence office handled the case.
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Myrtle Beach Man Enters Guilty Plea in Federal Court on Charge of Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that James Coppers McKee, Jr., age 45, of Myrtle Beach, pled guilty in federal court in Florence to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine, a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846. United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell, of Florence, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
The evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that DEA-Florence and the Fifteenth Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) were investigating a methamphetamine distribution organization in the Horry County, South Carolina, area. As part of that investigation, agents learned that McKee was a possible methamphetamine distributor. In 2014 and 2015, agents made three controlled buys of methamphetamine from McKee. McKee was also identified as being in possession of multi-ounce quantities of methamphetamine during the conspiracy period.
Ms. Drake stated the defendant faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of $1,000,000.
The case was investigated by DEA-Florence, South Carolina, and the Fifteenth Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU). Assistant United States Attorney Chris Taylor of the Florence office handled the case.
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Multiple Defendents Charged in Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – A federal grand jury returned an indictment, charging eight defendants with conspiracy to distribute marijuana, four of whom were charged with being involved with 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. Additionally, seven of the defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
The defendants are:
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Charles Zachariah Sindylek, 31, Pensacola, Florida;
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Brandon Craig Remeyer, 34, Mission Viejo, California;
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Sanford Eugene Johnson III, 31, Pensacola, Florida;
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William Brett Brownell, 26, Milton, Florida;
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William Ezra Brownell (Brett’s father), 60, Mobile, Alabama;
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David Delgiacco, 55, Lake Forest, California;
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Andrew Paul Marcelonis, 31, Pensacola, Florida; and
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Steven Ryan Michael Sholly, 30, Pensacola, Florida.
The indictment alleges that, between January 2014 and June 2017, the defendants conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana. It specifically alleges Sindylek, Remeyer, Johnson, and William Brett Brownell were responsible for involving 100 kilograms or more of marijuana in the conspiracy. The indictment also alleges that during the same time period, Sindylek, Remeyer, Johnson, both Brownells, Delgiacco, and Marcelonis conspired to launder money by transferring cash proceeds of the drug trafficking conspiracy through financial institutions. The trial is scheduled for August 28, 2017 at 9:00 AM at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola.
This case resulted from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Pensacola Police Department, the Mobile Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gulf Breeze Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
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Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry ChargesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Jose Alberto Nava-Reyes, age 35, from Guerrero, Mexico pled guilty in federal court in Florence, South Carolina, to Illegal Reentry into the United States after deportation, a violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a). United States District Judge Bryan Harwell, of Florence, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that on April 15, 2017, ICE-Enforcement Removal Operations Officers in Charleston, SC, discovered Nava-Reyes, while he was in custody at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center in Horry County on state charges. Immigration records revealed that Nava-Reyes was a native and citizen of Mexico who had previously been deported from the United States back to Mexico on multiple occasions. Nava-Reyes has never received permission to enter or remain in the US.
Ms. Drake stated the maximum penalty the defendant can receive is imprisonment for 10 years and a fine of $250,000.
The case was investigated by agents of the Horry County Police Department and Immigration Custom Enforcement-Enforcement Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office prosecuted the case.
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Memphis Man Who Shot Firearm in Community Center was Sentenced to 78 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Marcus Dotson, 28, has been sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for illegal possession of ammunition. Lawrence J. Laurenzi, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented at trial, on the evening of February 5, 2016, the Memphis Police Department responded to an aggravated assault call at Riverside Community Center on 1891 Kansas Street. The community center’s recreation leader informed law enforcement that around 6 p.m., he was overseeing a scrimmage basketball game that was set to begin in the gymnasium between boys ranging in ages from 6 to 10. Before the game began, Marcus Dotson, 27, and his 14-year old nephew, entered the gym in search of a 16-year old victim.
Dotson, a convicted felon at the time of the incident, became embroiled in an argument with patrons on the bleachers, brandished the firearm at the crowd, and fired one shot into the ceiling. Both Dotson and his nephew fled the scene. An arrest warrant was issued for Dotson. He was apprehended two weeks later.
As a result of the Memphis Police Department’s investigation, one Speer .40 caliber shell casing was recovered from the gymnasium. The investigation also yielded surveillance of Dotson running from the gymnasium after the shooting, as well as witness’ identification of the defendant from a photo line-up.
On July 25, 2017, the Honorable Samuel H. Mays sentenced Dotson to 78 months’ confinement and 3 years supervised release to begin after his incarceration. Dotson currently has state criminal charges pending. The federal and state sentences will run concurrently.
The case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Unit. Assistants U.S. Attorneys Karen Hartridge and Jerry Kitchen prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
Melendez Family Members Sentenced in South Laredo Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Three brothers and a nephew of the reputed leader of the Melendez drug trafficking organization from South Laredo have been sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez.
The brothers - Gerardo Melendez, 34, Rafael Andres Melendez, 45, and Mario Alberto Melendez, 37, all of Laredo – and their nephew - Jesus Rosendo Garcia-Melendez, 24, also of Laredo - had all previously pleaded guilty for their crimes. Today, U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña ordered Rafael Melendez to serve 198 months, while Garcia-Melendez, Gerardo and Mario Melendez were sentenced to 87, 168, and 120 months, respectively. Each will also serve five years of supervised release following completion of their sentences. Rafael Melendez was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. The court also issued a final order of forfeiture for $500,000 against Rafael and Gerardo Melendez.
The four men were held accountable for more than 1.2 kilograms of crack cocaine. In addition, the court upwardly departed from the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines for possessing of a firearm and engaging in credible threats of violence, maintaining a drug premises and leadership roles in the organization. During the hearing, the court determined that all four men were engaged in a long-lasting drug distribution conspiracy. Judge Saldaña further noted that their activities were shameful and caused a lot of heartache, not just for their individual families, but also for the entire community. She took note of the number of state arrests and encounters with law enforcement which had gone unpunished for a very long time and necessitated the federal government stepping in to stop the drug-trafficking and violent activities of the Melendez organization.
Gerardo Melendez operated a crack distribution point, while Rafael and Mario Melendez and Garcia-Melendez operated and supplied a separate distribution point for the Melendez drug trafficking organization. Adan Melendez aka “12,” 41, and his two sons ran the organization which distributed cocaine, crack and marijuana in South Laredo from at least 2012 until they were arrested in the summer of 2014. Testimony during Adan Melendez’s trial revealed he profited approximately $1,200 per day from his operations and spent tens of thousands on luxury cars for himself and his sons.
Adan Melendez was sentenced earlier this year to life in prison.
To date, 26 have been sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy. The final four will be sentenced tomorrow.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Laredo Police Department, Webb County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation dubbed “Operation Revocation.” Assistant U.S. Attorneys José Angel Moreno is prosecuting the case.
Marshall County physician indicted on health care fraud chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A physician with a pain management clinic in McMechen, West Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Wheeling on June 6, 2017 on health care fraud, mail fraud, and wire fraud charges, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen announced.
Dr. Roland F. Chalifoux, Jr., age 57, of St. Clairsville, Ohio, was indicted on eleven counts of “Health Care Fraud for Travel Dates,” seven counts of “Mail Fraud,” four counts of “Wire Fraud,” and four counts of “Health Care Fraud.” The crimes are alleged to have occurred from 2008 to June 2017 in Marshall County and elsewhere in the Northern District of West Virginia.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the West Virginia Insurance Fraud Investigation Unit are investigating.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Additional Charges in Connection with the Murder of Jessica WhiteRead the Press Release
Joon H. Kim, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced charges against WANDY TEJADA for the June 11, 2016, murder of Jessica White, who was killed by a stray bullet while watching her children play in the playground of the John Adams Houses in the Bronx, New York. TEJADA, who was previously arrested, was charged in an Indictment returned yesterday by a federal grand jury. The case is assigned to Chief U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon.
STIVEN SIRI-REYNOSO was previously arrested and indicted for his role in the murder of Ms. White.
Manhattan Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “Our office has been committed to finding and prosecuting those involved in the senseless murder of Jessica White, who was killed while watching her children on a playground in the Bronx. Today’s indictment will not return Ms. White to her family, but we hope it provides some solace to know that the men who allegedly took her life will be held to account.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “This case clearly shows that the violence of street gangs affects innocent bystanders, not only those directly involved. While simply watching her children, a mother lost her life to selfish, careless violence. The alleged actions of these gang members demonstrate blatant disregard for the lives of the members of their communities. Eradicating street gangs remains among the top priorities of the New York Office, as we will not tolerate the destructive impact that they have on our residents.”
NYPD Police Commissioner James P. O'Neill said: "Our commitment to investigating crime—particularly a homicide as senseless as Jessica White—is unwavering. We will continue to pursue those who commit homicides, as senseless as the one alleged, with relentless focus."
According to the allegations in the Indictment[1] and statements made in court proceedings:
June 11, 2016, Jessica White was struck and killed by a stray bullet while sitting on a bench watching her three children play on a playground at the John Adams Houses where she lived. SIRI-REYNOSO, a member of the “Dominicans Don’t Play” or “DDP” street gang, was engaged in an ongoing gang dispute between the DDPs and the rival “Trinitarios” street gang involving among other things, SIRI-REYNOSO’s drug sales near the John Adams Houses. On the night of June 11, 2016, Trinitarios members tried to attack SIRI-REYNOSO. In retaliation, SIRI-REYNOSO sent TEJADA to shoot at the Trinitarios. One of the bullets fired by TEJADA struck and killed Jessica White.
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SIRI-REYNOSO, 24, and TEJADA, 17, both of the Bronx, are charged in an Indictment with one count of murder through the use of a firearm in connection with a crime of violence, and aiding and abetting the same. SIRI-REYNOSO faces a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment, and TEJADA faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the NYPD.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Skinner is in charge of the prosecution.
The charge contained in the Indictment is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced that Ronnie Parente, Jr., 35, was sentenced Tuesday, July 25, 2017, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois to 144 months in federal prison, ten years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $5,100 in special assessments for possession of child pornography. Parente, Jr., will also have to register as a sex offender. Parente, Jr. had previously been convicted of possession of child pornography in the Circuit Court of Madison County in 2004.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
The investigation was conducted by the Granite City Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura V. Reppert.
MS-13 Member Sentenced to Prison for RICO ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of MS-13’s Enfermos Criminales Salvatrucha clique in Chelsea was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for RICO conspiracy involving the attempted murder of a rival gang member.
Angel Pineda, a/k/a “Bravo,” 21, a Honduran national who resided in Revere, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 93 months in prison and will be subject to deportation after completion of his sentence. In April 2017, Pineda pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. He also admitted responsibility for an attempted murder of a rival gang member.
Pineda was a member of the Enfermos Criminales Salvatrucha clique in Chelsea. On Sept. 8, 2014, Pineda and another MS-13 member, Jose Vasquez, a/k/a “Little Crazy,” attempted to murder an 18th Street gang member by stabbing him in Chelsea.
After a three-year investigation, Pineda was one of 61 defendants named in a January 2016 superseding indictment targeting the criminal activities of alleged leaders, members, and associates of MS-13 in Massachusetts. According to court documents, MS-13 is a violent transnational criminal organization whose branches or “cliques” operate throughout the United States, including Massachusetts. MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence against rival gang members to gain promotions and to maintain membership and discipline within the group. Specifically, MS-13 members are required to attack and murder rival gang members whenever possible.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Commissioner Thomas Truco of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Thompkins; Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley; Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett; Boston Police Commissioner William Evans; Chelsea Police Chief Brian A. Kyes; Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie; Lynn Police Chief Michael Mageary; Revere Police Chief Joseph Cafarelli; and Somerville Police Chief David Fallon made the announcement.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Los Angeles Men Convicted for Running Nationwide Synthetic Drug Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – A jury voted today to convict Andrew Raymond and Brian Requena, both of Los Angeles, on drug trafficking and money laundering charges related to their operation of a nationwide synthetic drug trafficking ring.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Special Agent in Charge James R. Hunt, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; and Special Agent in Charge James D. Robnett, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Office.
Acting United States Attorney Grant Jaquith stated: “Synthetic drugs are a scourge on our community and communities across the country. They masquerade as innocuous substances like potpourri and incense, but are in fact toxic and send many users to the hospital or to a worse fate. The defendants, operating from Los Angeles, made millions by spreading this poison nationwide in commercial packaging bearing brand names like Twilite, Black Diamond, Platinum XXX, Get Real, and No Mames. Now they face the prospect of years in prison, as well as forfeiture of their ill-gotten gains. Their convictions today demonstrate that we will investigate and prosecute synthetic drug traffickers to the fullest extent of the law, working with our dedicated law enforcement partners.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge James R. Hunt stated: “These defendants manufactured synthetic cannabinoids and then distributed them nationwide, including in the upstate New York area. Due to diligent police work, these individuals were found guilty today and can no longer distribute these drugs, which have terrible public health impacts.”
IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge James D. Robnett stated: “CI is committed to using its expertise in investigating money laundering and other financial crimes to take down major drug traffickers such as these defendants.”
Raymond and Requena were convicted, following an 11-day trial, of conspiring to distribute synthetic drugs and launder money. The trial evidence demonstrated that they conspired to manufacture and distribute synthetic cannabinoids (also known as “Spice,” “Spike,” “K2,” or “synthetic marijuana”) throughout the country, including to multiple “head shops” in the Northern District of New York. At the height of their drug trafficking conspiracy, they were each making approximately $100,000 per week, and they had a large team of employees who manufactured, shipped and sold their products. Three other members of this conspiracy previously pled guilty to similar charges.
Documents found at the defendants’ warehouses in Los Angeles and on their computers showed that they understood their synthetic substances were controlled by federal drug laws. Additionally, the defendants went to great lengths to evade detection by law enforcement, including by setting up shell companies, using P.O. boxes to divert attention from the warehouse where they manufactured their product, and putting their company (Real Feel Products, Inc.) and all of its bank accounts in Requena’s name after DEA and other law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant on the defendants’ warehouse in February 2014.
The trial evidence also demonstrated that the defendants conspired to commit money laundering by wiring millions of dollars to China to purchase the powder form of the synthetic cannabinoid that they used in their finished product.
Raymond and Requena, who were ordered to jail following the jury verdict, will be sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Norman A. Mordue on December 1, 2017. They each face up to 20 years in prison on each count of conviction, a fine of up to $5 million, and forfeiture money judgements in excess of $10 million in addition to any fine. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by DEA, IRS-CI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carla Freedman and Michael F. Perry.
Lansing, Illinois Man Sentenced to 170 Months ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
HAMMOND - Acting United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson announced that Bobby Ray Dejohnette, 46, of Lansing, Illinois, was sentenced on July 26, 2017 by District Court Judge James T. Moody for conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Dejohnette was sentenced to 170 months imprisonment followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, in 2015 an investigation revealed that Dejohnette conspired with others to sell crack cocaine within the Northern District of Indiana. A search of his then residence in Calumet City, Illinois revealed that he maintained both drugs and firearms within the residence.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security, Hammond Police Department, Calumet City Police Department and with assistance from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas McGrath and Abizer Zanzi.
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Lancaster Man Sentenced to 27 Months’ Imprisonment for PerjuryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Angel Luis Carrasco-Rivera a/k/a Manuel Calcagno, age 54, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner to serve 27 months’ imprisonment for committing perjury.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Carrasco-Rivera was convicted of committing mail fraud in a scheme he devised to obtain more than $102,000 of unemployment benefits to which he was not entitled. After he was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison for that case in June 2016, it was learned he purposely failed to correct inaccurate information in his Presentence Report regarding his criminal history. It was learned that Carrasco-Rivera was prosecuted and convicted of a drug trafficking crime in Massachusetts in 1991 under the name Manuel Calcagno and was sentenced to a 20-year prison term for that crime. That conviction was not included in Carrasco-Rivera’s criminal history in the Presentence Report, resulting in a lower advisory sentencing guideline range in his case. When he was ordered to appear before the court regarding the inaccuracy, Carrasco-Rivera lied under oath to the court when he explained how he became associated with the Calcagno name. He pled guilty to committing the perjury. In sentencing Carrasco-Rivera for the perjury, Chief Judge Conner found that he interfered with the administration of justice by causing an unnecessary expenditure of significant governmental resources to investigate his statements. The sentence for the perjury was imposed to run consecutive to the sentence for the fraud offense.
This matter was investigated by the United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Clancy prosecuted both the fraud and perjury cases.
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Lafayette tax preparer sentenced to 36 months in prison for making, filing a false tax returnRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Lafayette tax preparation business owner was sentenced last week to 36 months in prison for filing a false tax return and not paying more than $350,000 in taxes owed.
Kevin Dalcourt, 49, of Lafayette, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of making and subscribing a false tax return. He was also sentenced to one year of supervised release, and he was ordered to pay $397,989.78 restitution and an $89,927 fine. According to the April 19, 2017 guilty plea, Kevin Dalcourt was a tax preparer who owned and managed Kevin’s Tax Service in Lafayette. He was incarcerated in 2010 on non-tax related state charges but continued to manage his tax preparation business. He trained his staff and managed his business prior to his incarceration to use false information in customer tax returns to increase the amount of the customers’ returns. The defendant’s wife, Tamiko Dalcourt, assisted in running the company from 2010 to 2013, while her husband was in prison. Tamiko Dalcourt pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of failing to file the couple’s 2012 joint tax return. Kevin’s Tax Service was highly profitable, but Kevin Dalcourt did not report his income to avoid paying taxes for tax years 2009 to 2011. In that time he avoided paying an estimated total of $356,426.78 in taxes for those three years.
Tamiko Dalcourt pleaded guilty on March 23, 2017 to one count of willful failure to file a return, supply information or pay tax. She faces one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a $100,000 fine.
The IRS conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Myers P. Namie prosecuted the case.
Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Technical Marine Maintenance Texas and Gulf Coast Workforce Alleging Discrimination Based on Citizenship StatusRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against Louisiana-based companies Technical Marine Maintenance Texas LLC, which provides contract shipyard labor, and Gulf Coast Workforce LLC, a related company, alleging that they violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by discriminating against applicants and employees during the employment eligibility verification process based on the workers’ citizenship status.
According to the complaint, from at least January 2014 until at least July 2017, Technical Marine Maintenance Texas limited the documentation workers could provide to establish their work authorization based on the workers’ citizenship status. Specifically, the company asked U.S. citizens to produce “IDs” and Social Security cards, while requesting immigration documents from non-U.S. citizens. Under the INA, all workers, regardless of their citizenship status, must be allowed to choose from among the valid documentation that proves their employment eligibility. The INA specifically prohibits employers from discriminating by limiting workers’ choices based on their citizenship status. The complaint also alleges that Gulf Coast Workforce is liable for Technical Marine Maintenance Texas’s actions because Gulf Coast employs or jointly employs the affected workers.
“The law protects both U.S. citizens and non-citizens from discriminatory obstacles during the Form I-9 or E-Verify processes,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Civil Rights Division. “Employers cannot limit the types of documents a worker can present to prove employment authorization, and if this limitation occurs because of citizenship status or national origin, the Civil Rights Division will vigorously enforce the law.”
The division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER), formerly known as the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices, is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits, among other things, citizenship, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation and intimidation.
For more information about protections against employment discrimination under immigration laws, call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a free webinar; email [email protected]; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites.
Applicants or employees who believe they were subjected to: different documentary requirements based on their citizenship status, immigration status or national origin; or discrimination based on their citizenship status, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee, should contact IER’s worker hotline for assistance.
Jury Convicts East St. Louis Man of His Fourth Gun-Related ChargeRead the Press Release
Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced that Tuesday afternoon, a federal jury in East St. Louis found Bernard L. Cherry, 31, of East St. Louis, Illinois, guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence at trial showed that on December 13, 2016, an East St. Louis officer responding to a 911 call about a suspicious vehicle encountered Cherry in the yard of an abandoned house. A .40 caliber pistol was on the ground at Cherry’s feet. Cherry attempted to flee from the officer but was eventually apprehended. During a statement to police, he admitted to having the gun in his hand.
At the time of his arrest Cherry was on supervised release in two separate federal cases after convictions for felon in possession of a firearm. Cherry also had prior state convictions in both Illinois and Missouri for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, aggravated robbery and attempted aggravated vehicular hijacking. Cherry faces a maximum of ten years in prison. Sentencing has been scheduled for November 17, 2017, in front of the Honorable David R. Herndon.
The investigation into this crime was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the East St. Louis Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Hoell and Derek Wiseman.
Indictment Charges Doctors with Drug Distribution, Health Care Fraud and Money Laundering OffensesRead the Press Release
Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport returned an indictment today charging Dr. BHARAT PATEL, 70, of Milford, and Dr. RAMIL MANSOUROV, 47, of Darien, with narcotics distribution, health care fraud and money laundering offenses.
PATEL was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on July 12 and is detained. MANSOUROV was apprehended by the Canada Border Services Agency on an immigration offense on July 13 and is currently detained in Canada.
As alleged in court documents, PATEL and MANSOUROV are physicians who operated out of Family Health Urgent Care, located at 235 Main Street in Norwalk. The medical practice was formerly known as Immediate Health Care, which was owned by PATEL. In approximately 2012, MANSOUROV purchased the practice from PATEL and renamed it Family Urgent Health Care, and PATEL continued to work at the practice. PATEL and MANSOUROV have been participating providers with Medicare and the Connecticut Medicaid Program. Beginning in approximately 2013, the Drug Enforcement Administration received information that PATEL and MANSOUROV may be writing prescriptions for controlled substances outside the scope of legitimate medical practice.
It is alleged that PATEL regularly provided prescriptions for narcotics, including oxycodone and hydrocodone, to patients that he knew were addicted or had been arrested for distributing or possessing controlled substances. On numerous occasions, PATEL provided prescriptions to patients who paid him $100 in cash for each prescription. In certain instances, PATEL would write prescriptions for individuals who were not his patients in exchange for cash. At times, when PATEL was not available, MANSOUROV provided PATEL’s patients with unnecessary prescriptions. PATEL and MANSOUROV also regularly provided post-dated prescriptions to individuals, sometimes with dates that matched future dates when the doctors would be out of the country.
It is alleged that certain individuals who paid PATEL cash for prescriptions paid for the filled prescriptions by using a state Medicaid card, and then illegally distributed the drugs. The investigation revealed that in 2014 alone, more than $50,000 in cash deposits were made into PATEL and his wife’s bank accounts, and that some of these funds were used to purchase PATEL’s current residence.
It is further alleged that between November 2013 and December 2016, MANSOUROV defrauded the state’s Medicaid program of more than $4 million by billing for home visits that he never made, billing for nursing home visits that he never made, billing for office visits that never happened, and billing for visits that he claimed took place on dates on which he was actually out of state or out of the country. Billing records also reveal that, on some occasions, MANSOUROV and PATEL billed Medicaid for the same patient on the same day at two different locations.
It is alleged that MANSOUROV moved some of the stolen funds to a bank account in Switzerland.
The five-count indictment charges PATEL and MANSOUROV with one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and hydrocodone, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count health care fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. The indictment also charges MANSOUROV with two counts and PATEL with one count of money laundering, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of PATEL’s Milford residence, MANSOUROV’s Darien residence, $16,521.25 seized from a safe deposit box rented by PATEL, and money judgments equal to the proceeds of PATEL and MANSOUROV’s alleged criminal conduct.
U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the DEA’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the Norwalk Police Department, with the critical assistance of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General. The DEA Tactical Diversion Squad includes officers from the Bristol, Greenwich, Hamden, Milford, New Haven, Shelton, Vernon and Wilton Police Departments.
U.S. Attorney Daly thanked the Canada Border Services Agency and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine for their assistance in this matter.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale.
Indian national sentenced to 30 months in prison for selling silencers, planning smuggling operationRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that an Indian national was sentenced Tuesday to 30 months in prison for illegally selling silencers and planning to smuggle more.
Mohit Chauhan, 31, of Pitampura, New Delhi, India, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of dealing firearms without a license. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the April 20, 2017 guilty plea, Chauhan was contacted by someone wishing to buy silencers. Chauhan discussed by email and phone calls manufacturing silencers for the potential client, and importing more silencers and parts by labeling them as “auto parts” to evade U.S. Customs. They set up a meeting, Chauhan arrived in Shreveport on December 1, 2016 to meet the buyer and brought silencer parts with him. He traveled to a Bossier City, La., restaurant to discuss the sale details with the buyer. Agents recorded the meeting. Chauhan did not have a license to deal or conduct a business involving silencers and parts as required by law, and the silencers and parts had traveled in foreign commerce.
The ATF conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. prosecuted the case.
Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Honduran national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for a federal immigration crime.
Ivan DeJesus Lopez-Lopez, 29, a Honduran national residing in Boston, pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry of a deported alien before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris, who immediately sentenced Lopez-Lopez to time served. Lopez-Lopez will be subject to deportation.
Lopez-Lopez was previously deported in November 2009. In May 2017, federal agents in Boston discovered Lopez-Lopez and found him to be illegally present in the United States.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.